tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956989639073843954.post1678495953298913529..comments2024-03-21T05:30:03.220-04:00Comments on Science teacher: Volunteer seedlingsdoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12901661320505882735noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956989639073843954.post-17544612929680659602009-05-10T21:52:00.000-04:002009-05-10T21:52:00.000-04:00Um, first a confession--I mangled my joke.
What's...Um, first a confession--I mangled my joke.<br /><br /><I>What's a metaphor?<br />To keep cows in....</I>Dear Sean,<br /><br />Thanks for the warm words-- introducing a discussion of constructivist learning theory sounds a lot better than dawdling around the garden.<br /><br />I got a bit frustrated tonight working on lesson plans--it's near the end of the year, we're trying some new things (a good thing) but I am wrestling with time, trying to get everything squeezed in despite knowing that any time squeezing is involved, learning suffers.<br /><br />Recognizing value matters, and gets to the heart of education. I keep hoping that encouraging students to think for themselves will enable them to better recognize value in whatever they pursue--not sure everyone would be thrilled with the consequences.doylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12901661320505882735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956989639073843954.post-37625721153948353942009-05-10T20:18:00.000-04:002009-05-10T20:18:00.000-04:00This is perhaps one of the best introductions for ...This is perhaps one of the best introductions for a discussion of constructivist learning theory that I have read.<br /><br />This "see what is happening... give it its due respect... and if it seems good, foster it's growth and development" is not only a fantastic way to run a garden (especially if you cringe at boxwood hedges) but the only real way to educate a child.<br /><br />If we were only better at recognizing value to start with when we see it. Only then could we even hope to do what it takes to fertilize this human hope in any systematic way. <br /><br />If your blog does nothing outside the world of "allowing personal reflection and conservation," I think it serves as a beacon begging for others to help swing the pendulum away from accountable minutiae... and back toward something meaningful.<br /><br />SeanSean Nashhttp://nashworld.edublogs.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956989639073843954.post-52100610589860555152009-05-07T23:16:00.000-04:002009-05-07T23:16:00.000-04:00Dear John,
I'm still learning.
Language affects...Dear John,<br /><br />I'm still learning. <br /><br />Language affects us--the metaphors we choose do change how we see the world.<br /><br />We may no longer be an agrarian culture, but as you know we're still tied to the land, and will be so long as we breathe.<br /><br />And I'm still getting used to you without the spikes.<br /><br /><br />Dear Kate,<br /><br />My compost pile never gets hot enough--I could package my compost as instant gardens--toss some on a patch of pavement and watch what grows.<br /><br />And you're right, we're editors! <br /><br /><br />Dear Kathryn,<br /><br />All this talk of metaphors reminds me of one of my favorite jokes.<br /><br />What are metaphors?<br />Cows!doylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12901661320505882735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956989639073843954.post-1071282403792776272009-05-07T20:12:00.000-04:002009-05-07T20:12:00.000-04:00"Bloom where you are planted" - maybe that's what ..."Bloom where you are planted" - maybe that's what we need to teach the kids! Nice metaphor.Kathryn Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16757414380685368592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956989639073843954.post-20972543542767542302009-05-07T12:43:00.000-04:002009-05-07T12:43:00.000-04:00Say amen! I think the garden metaphor is perfect ...Say amen! I think the garden metaphor is perfect for teaching. Some things are just not meant to grow in certain parts of my garden. Some students will also not do well in parts of my curriculum. But there is a corner of the dirt for every plant.<br /><br />I am overrun with garlic chives (I have a hard time being philosophical about them), reverted hybrid tomatoes and squash (my compost pile is not hot enough to make them non-viable). I let them come up, and then move them to a better location. I call it "editing" the garden. And it's always a surprise to see what emerges? (except the tomatoes - reverted hybrids are usually cherries).<br /><br />So in the "best of all possible worlds," "let us cultivate our garden.” - VoltaireKatehttp://tabor330.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956989639073843954.post-70315909049474528162009-05-06T23:27:00.000-04:002009-05-06T23:27:00.000-04:00I used to try and change kids. I tried real hard ...I used to try and change kids. I tried real hard to make a difference. The kids hated becoming projects. When I began to listen to them and let them be themselves, almost paradoxically, I had more of an influence. <br /><br />The worlds greatest teachers used garden metaphors. I realize it was an agrarian age back then, but there are times in a staff meeting when I want to talk about growth and cultivation and dirt and life and death and work and rest and sabbaticals.<br /><br />We need less of the building metaphors (structures, construction, housing) and less of the business metaphors (meetings, committees, goals, objectives) and less of the pseudo-science factory metaphors (processing, procedures, data).Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10956056168256756705noreply@blogger.com