NAME: NEERJA YADAV-DULALCHAN ID: 04729122 PROGRAM: DIPLOMA IN EDUCATION TITLE: MY TEACHING METAPHOR, a The teaching metaphor that describes my distinctive pedagogical practice is, “water in the human body”. I am the water, the different cells in the body are my students and the human body itself is the classroom, Water is universally known as the “medicine of life”, because it has unique properties that gives it the ability to provide all the necessary requirements for the proper functioning of the body. In the body, water is a major component in blood and it is capable of dissolving many different nutrients so that it can be transported to all cells. As a teacher so too ‘must I carefully plan and put together different components in my lesson, so that I can then present that information to my students in a way that caters to each of their specific needs. Water provides a stable temperature and environment for cells and can resist change. I must also be able to maintain stability in my classroom so that itis an ideal environment for student learning. Just as water flows, I have the responsibility as the teacher to be flexible and adjust my teaching strategies to improve as well as to keep finding innovative ways to engage my students. T must be open to their comments so I as well as my students can foster a relationship of trust and mutual respect. When water evaporates from the body it keeps the body cool, so too must I as a teacher keep my classroom cool and free of conflict. I must manage my class wisely so as to Page 1 of 3benefit all the stakeholders present. I must also remain neutral just as water and be fair to all of my charges whatever their social background. ‘This metaphor definitely influences and guides my teaching because it reminds me to be sensitive to the students’ needs, yet, be stern and stable to maintain order in the classroom. Additionally makes me mindful of being fair and just and to be open to communication with ute by hee This metaphor is also a representation of my philosophy of teaching, Teaching to me is not just about teaching my subject, which is Biology, but really getting students to understand the content by relating the subject to their lives. I believe that every child is different, leams differently and has a right to learn and so it is only fair that as an educator I go the extra mile to prepare a lesson that can benefit every student. This includes using videos, pictures, songs and lab experiments so that students remain engaged. As a teacher I also try to create an atmosphere of leaming and discovery in the classroom so that students feel comfortable to express themselves. tape (> My teaching philosophy has been influenced by my own experiences at every stage of my life. ) asa chia Thad developed a love for learning as a direct result of how some of my teachers / taught and interacted with me and now as a teacher I draw from those positive experiences so that I can induce this same love for learning in my students. At secondary level, I always responded to different methods of teaching rather than just talk and chalk. J always learned more _and was more excited about those subjects where teachers used the non-traditional methods. At \ Page 2 of 3UWII leamed a great deal by carrying out very interesting labs and now labs are my favourite activities to do with students. So now I try my best to implement these innovative practises in my teaching. Admittedly, I didn’t start teaching this way at the beginning of my career. I used to use ‘the more traditional methods and it was quite evident that this method did not work for all students. I tried not to let this failure deter me, This is why I teach the way I do. Reflecting now, I wish that all my teachers had used different methods of teaching so that it ‘would have made me stronger at my weaker subjects. These experiences encourage me to be a better educator, which is what I hope to achieve from this programme, and I draw from experiences in my own classroom as well as experiences from other colleagues to improve myself. Page 3 of 3