Starting Points: Want to collaborate on an MTA/MWCA panel/roundtable discussion focused on teaching metaphors used in various disciplines? This is your discussion then, and tutors from various disciplines should feel free to join in on the collaboration. You might talk about metaphors used to teach particular topics--such as the war/gaming metaphors of "attacking" a problem in math (or other topics), the plant metaphors used when writing tutors talk about parts of an essay being "organic," etc. Or you might talk about how metaphors work differently and/or similarily in different areas. Who knows what you might find to discuss with others interested in this topic, but we hope you enjoy the discussion and find a way to turn that discussion into a presentation.
Joining In: Consider adding a comment and reading comments already posted. We hope this blog can help tutors interested in developing a presentation brainstorm ideas, locate presentation partners, and finalize a presentation.
Conference Possibilities: You might present at both the MTA and MWCA conferences, present a different panel at each conference, present an initial panel at the Friday MTA and continue the discussion at the Saturday MWCA, focus on one conference, or come up with another idea.
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6 comments:
During tutorials, I sometimes use photography metaphors to discuss writing. I talk about a thesis statement as a focus that helps make an essay more accessible/visible/readable for readers, suggesting writers focus (rather than narrow) their topics. In our writing center we also talk about an essay as a "picture" for readers, and the term "comma splice" makes more sense to students when we explain "splicing" in the context of film development when photographers piece or "splice" pictures together, just as comma splices are two could-be sentences pieced together with only a comma instead of with a semi-colon.
I'm wondering if photography metaphors work well in teaching other content/skills? And if not, what other metaphors tutors in other contents use?
And so what? I can talk about metaphors I use and like, but how can we evolve such tidbits into a presentation?
I hear your concern, Pseudokim, about moving from a blog to a presentation. I think the blog is both a place for us to meet others interested in like ideas and a place where we might help each other evolve our ideas.
For example, I notice a heavy reference to organic or plant metaphors in all kinds of teaching/tutoring. I tutor writing, but I wonder if someone who tutors math, chemistry, or biology could talk about the use of this metaphor in their area? Metaphor not content.
To the "so what?"--This sounds fun, talking about all the metaphors we use and such, but I'm wondering why it matters. I'm not being sarcastic in saying that, I really want to know if we think it matters what metaphors we use. Kyle and I talked briefly about it, and we were wondering if cross subject tutoring metaphors that are the same are quite as interesting or important as changing the metaphors we use based on our clients' needs and experiences.
In coaching soccer I like to take various practices from other sports in which my players have participated and bring the same techniques to our sport. But a tennis reference does not work for someone who has never played tennis. I think the same might go for the metaphors we use in a writing center. How much does the metaphor we decide to use matter? Should we change what we use based on the client? What if we don't know about subject matter that would make sense to our clients? For example, if Kim were to use the film splicing metaphor with me, I might not quite understand why splicing film is bad, just as using a comma splice is bad. And why does a semi-colon work better than a comma splice? And if the semi-colon doesn't really make the sentence any different in terms of the way it reads, would the film reference really make sense to me?
Kyle and I were talking about this and wondered: would we try to build a store of metaphors to use in various situations? Would we actually train new consultants in the use of metaphors? How important are they, really? Hmmm
Elena--Your questions are great. They sorta say, "So what?" and then move on.
To answer one aspect you raised, I don't simply reference the film splicing metaphor when I use it to talk about comma splices; rather, I explain comma splices by talking about how film gets spliced together to create a more comprehensive piece, and I do so as a way to explain what the student is doing in the comma splice--putting together two sentences to create one meaning, usually. Because I'm working closely with the student, I offer as much or as little information as the student needs to understand (as best I can tell) the concept. When we have the concept of comma splice down, then I move on to the punctuation "error" of a comma splice.
Whether that example is the best one I can offer or not, I so think the idea of talking about various metaphors helps us see similarities and differences in how we might explain concepts and teach various topics. If tutors from across fields are all using sports metaphors, that approach might tell us something about our students, our selves, our areas, our ages, etc. Who knows? I don't think I'm suggesting we should gather metaphors and then go out to tell people "Use these metaphors." Instead, I'm wondering how people are using metaphors in their tutoring and whether we can have a fruitful discussion of that teaching method at the conference.
Does that explanation and goal make sense?
Pseudokim
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