Metaphors help to develop our minds and ourselves as training teachers. All teachers need a metaphor which conveys the meaning of who they are and how they see themselves within the classroom. Through the use of a detailed and well thought metaphor, teachers can enhance their views on both themselves and clarify where they are and where they hope to go in future endeavours. These metaphors give us a guide as to what we believe and can help to shape what happens in a classroom with things such as classroom management, lesson preparation and flexibility. Personal incidents, beliefs and other inputs have significantly influenced the type of person we are and through development of an appropriate metaphor we can greatly improve all chances of overcoming future obstacles. .
In examining the experiences and changes I have undergone throughout my training so far, in relation to my personal and professional development both as a teacher and as an adult, it is clear that my personal metaphor has been shaped by what I have witnessed, both in and out of the classroom. Within this essay I will attempt to further examine, develop and present my personal metaphor, that of the baker, and link it to experiences I have had in regards to lesson preparation, the needs of individual children, and experimentation and growth as a teacher. In addition to this I will be exploring three assumptions inherent in my baker metaphor, that being to somehow mould the children as I see fit as does a baker, having to mix just the right ingredients to get the right result, and without the right climate the children and the bread will not rise as individuals. Finally, I will outline my vision of teaching, my philosophical approach and the psychological underpinnings that I use to justify where I am at the moment in regards to my development in the profession of teaching.
When I think of a teaching metaphor that would best suit what I hope to be as a teacher, I think of a baker.