μεταcole

I was in a training session for new teachers, and the trainees were asked to come up with metaphors for students.

The metaphors that a teacher chooses can give insight into their teaching and learning philosophy and approach, and how they deal with students.

"Students are sponges," offered one of the trainees.

"Anyone has any comments on this metaphor?" asked the facilitator.
I spoke up: "I don't like it because it implies that students are sitting there passively absorbing knowledge from the teacher."

"Who chose this metaphor?" asked the facilitator. "Do you have anything to say?"

"I chose 'sponge' because students tend to absorb everything we say or do, even the wrong things, which makes it quite scary sometimes. Also, sometimes you have to squeeze out the old stuff that's already there before you give them the new stuff."

I thought he had a point.

Anyway, someone else chose 'monkey'. 

"Why 'monkey'?" asked the facilitator.

Someone else quipped, "because they are less evolved."

The guy beside me almost spat out his coffee.