Education has always been a great important part of my life. I have seen how education can make positive differences in people’s lives. I personally think that a great teacher works as a tour guide leading students to explore the world while providing social-emotional support and building a strong relationship with students.
To me, a teacher is a tour guide. A tour guide provides tourists with knowledge about places. Likewise, teachers who have a broad knowledge base will pass on basic knowledge like numeracy and literacy to help students succeed in their life later. Also, teaching is like tour guiding in that both professions could create a sense of adventure and discovery. I believe students learn effortlessly when they are curious about things. Teaching not only plants the seed of knowledge but also awakens students’ curiosity about the world. From that, students are motivated to get into the world, explore and contribute to it. Teaching, additionally, resembles tour guiding since teaching also happens outside of the classroom. Students can gain hands-on learning in a meaningful and engaging way outdoors and through field trips. Moreover, an experienced tour guide is adaptive and flexible in tour schedules and supporting guests with their needs. Similarly, teaching requires teachers to expand their flexibility to facilitate students’ different styles and needs of learning.
A teacher is also a big hug. Students need the feeling of safety and welcome as they walk into the classroom. A great teacher would be able to provide mental support and create a sense of inclusion and acceptance in their classroom. I have seen the students who came to school with sad eyes could leave behind their sadness and engage actively in class thanks to their passionate and dedicated teachers. Our students come with different backgrounds and challenges. Rather than dropping out, they could choose to stay and desire to learn if they are heard, valued, and loved no matter who they are. Also, a hug between a teacher and a student embodies a strong relationship and connection, which ultimately supports the student’s learning and development.
Both metaphors about teaching as tour guiding and hugging, in other words, providing mental support and a feeling of inclusion, manifest Standard 5 of Professional Standards for BC Educators that “Educators implement effective planning, instruction, assessment and reporting practices to create respectful, inclusive environments for student learning and development.” Arousing curiosity and introducing new knowledge can effectively cultivate a passion for learning, leading students to become lifelong learners. Besides, teachers’ proper care of students’ mental health is to develop students holistically as Principle 1 of First People Principles of Learning suggesting “Learning ultimately supports the well-being of the self, the family, the community, the land, the spirits, and the ancestors.” Most importantly, both metaphors highlight the essence of being a teacher, a love for teaching and devotion to students, as Parker Palmer mentioned in The Heart of a Teacher: Identity and Integrity in Teaching.
Teaching is rewarding and inspiring. I believe that teachers can create differences in students’ lives by helping them gain knowledge and skills along with building a positive teacher-student relationship. As Lisa Lee said in her TED talk, Getting at the heart of teaching, if you are lucky, you will find a teacher that can become your tour guide with a big hug to support you in this world. I was lucky enough, and I am motivated and excited to become a teacher like that.
References
BC Ministry of Education & First Nations Education Steering Committee (2006/2007). First
Peoples Principles of Learning. https://www.fnesc.ca/first-peoples-principles-of-learning/
BC Teachers’ Council. (2019). Professional Standards for BC Educators.
Drew, C. (2022, October 23). 19 Metaphors About Teachers And Teaching That Pop!.
HelpfulProfessor.com. https://helpfulprofessor.com/metaphors-about-teachers/
Palmer, P. J. (1997). The heart of a teacher identity and integrity in teaching. Change: The
Magazine of Higher Learning, 29(6), 14-21.
TED. (2013, November 11). Getting at the heart of teaching | Lisa Lee [Video]. YouTube.
