Hi Jackie
I'll certainly send something more in due course.

I trying to develop my thoughts about what is common to what any teacher
does in any context, subject, type of student, etc, because I want to make
a critique of the way teachers in the UK are being deskilled at present by
the requirements of the funding and accountability system.

That sounds like a pretty negative project: what is wrong with the way
teachers and teaching are 'constructed' by the official systems we operate
in?

But I'm also interested in the other side of the coin: What is the essence
of what teachers do? I think metaphors can help answer this question. 
Metaphors which seem to work would hopefully suggest ways the various
official frameworks we all work in could be designed so as to support and
enhance teacher's work rather than diminish it.

I'm particularly interested at the moment in thinking about teaching as
the exercise of 'craft skills', the comparison there being with
carpenters, engineers, designers, chefs etc.  I'd be very interested to
hear people's comments on this.

All the best

Jay Derrick
BlueSky Learning Ltd
jay.derrick at blueyonder.co.uk
07984 649 776


Hi Jay!

> Thanks for prompting us to consider the metaphors we use to describe our

> work. Would you share your updated list with us when you've finished

> gathering ideas? [We could even then add it to the Professional

> Development Area of the ALE Wiki (where others might continue to add)]:

>

> http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Adult_Literacy_Professional_Devel

> opment

>

> Thanks so much!

>

> Best, Jackie

>

> Jackie Taylor, Adult Literacy Professional Development List Moderator,

> jataylor at utk.edu

>

>

>

>

> From: professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov

> [mailto:professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of

> jay.derrick

> Sent: Wednesday, April 23, 2008 7:47 AM

> To: The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List

> Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2096] Metaphors for what teachers do

>

> Hi there, I'm an adult basic education teacher, trainer and researcher

> from the UK.

>

> David Rosen recently posted a list of metaphors for Assessment on the

> Assessment list, suggesting that people comment and add their own.  I'd

> like to suggest some metaphors for the activity of teaching in the same

> way, for comment and discussion.  I have found group discussions of

> these a useful activity for professional development sessions.  Here

> they are:

> *	Doing a jigsaw

> *	Riding a bicycle

> *	Caring for an elderly relative

> *	Changing a fuse

> *	Writing a book

> *	Running a marathon

> *	Painting a picture

> *	Directing a play or a film

> *	Growing vegetables

> *	Conducting tourists round a cathedral

> *	Cooking a meal

> *	Trying to persuade someone to agree with you

> *	Doing a crossword

> *	Taking a clock to pieces and putting it back together

> *	Playing chess

> *	Improvising a saxophone solo

> *	Designing a building

> *	Sorting out a gas leak

> *	Conducting an orchestra

> *	Sailing a boat

> *	Lighting a fire

> *	Filling up a car with petrol

> *	Changing the world

> *	Unpacking a box of books

> A parallel list could be made for Learning, and it seems to me that some

> of the metaphors might do for both teaching and learning.  What does

> anyone else think?

>

> Jay Derrick

> BlueSky Learning Ltd

> jay.derrick at blueyonder.co.uk

> 07984 649 776

>

>

>

>

> ----------------------------------------------------

> National Institute for Literacy

> Adult Literacy Professional Development mailing list

> professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov

>

> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/professionaldevelopment

>

> Provide feedback by May 30th on the AALPD Quality Professional Development

> Standards:

> http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/AALPD_PD_Quality_Standards_Feedback

>

> Professional Development section of the Adult Literacy Education Wiki

> http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Adult_Literacy_Professional_Development