Seeds are the one thing that are the only genuine promise we have of the future.”
Sister Joan Chittister
I believe teaching is like gardening. The environment can be seen as the classroom setting, the seeds represent the students that will grow and develop into plants or flowers, the gardener can be seen as the teacher who assists and nurtures the student’s growth whilst using the various gardening tools that can be seen as the methods and materials used to assist the seeds to mature. A great gardener will assess the environment before planting seeds, it is important to plant seeds in a comfortable environment that will nurture the plants and allow the seeds to grow to their fullest potential. This is much like ensuring the classroom setting is a comfortable learning environment for the students to ensure growth and development.
Within a garden, the seeds are the most important and fundamental element, much like the students within the classroom. Seeds grow and flourish over time with the assistance of the gardener, much like students grow and learn within a classroom with the support of the teacher. Just like students, no seed within a garden is ever the same; it each has its own qualities that makes them unique and special. The gardener uses care and various tools in order to assist in the seeds growth and development in order to allow the seed to bloom. This is much like a teacher using various methods and tools to assist in the students learning development. A gardener is able to see the potential in those struggling seeds and give care to those few plants that are not thriving through checking and applying the various conditions of growth. This is similar to a teacher who is able to support and help those students who are in need through ensuring additional help is provided and ensuring the learning conditions are acceptable. Gardeners are also like teachers in the sense that they are able to share knowledge, tools and tips with other people in the similar field.