Q: ​People often make metaphors about being a teacher (e.g.

, a tour
guide, sailor, sculptor, climbing a hill). What is your metaphor about
teaching or about school?

​A:​ Teachers are like...

Escalators. Teachers have the potential to lift people up, or bring them
down, just like escalators. By this I mean that they can be positive, energetic,
and passionate about learning and create a positive, uplifting environment. On
the other hand, teachers could be negative, harsh, and boring and make the
class not want to learn. Another idea is that teachers could possibly escalate
or deescalate a situation. When times get tough, we want teachers to be able
to deescalate a potentially negative situation. I thought of this idea of teachers
being like escalators by thinking of the different teachers I have had. I have
definitely experienced both the uplifting and not-so-uplifting teachers. This
relates to how the book was discussing that you often remember the teachers,
not the curriculum, and this can be for either good or bad reasons.

Locksmiths. Teachers can be like locksmiths because they are always

opening new doors. Many students don't know where they want to go with
their life and may not even be aware of their potential. Teachers have the
privilege to help them discover more about themselves in this way. They are
constantly unlocking new opportunities for their students by being attentive
and committed to their needs. It may not always be easy, and it may take
some time, but with determination and a goal, many new doors can be
opened by these incredible locksmiths. For this idea, I tried to think of how
teachers can make their biggest impact, and I thought it was by helping
students unlock the potential they already hold. This gave me the "unlocking"
idea that led to the locksmith metaphor. Students sometimes just need a little
extra help to discover what they are capable of.