I think of teachers are being gardeners.
Gardeners take a small seed, plants it in the ground, and nurtures it. The gardener keeps weeds away from it, provides water for it, and gives access to sunlight. And soon enough, the small seed turns into a flourishing plant.
I believe that teachers do the same. They are given small children, or bigger children, at some point in their development. It is the teacher that is in charge of planting them and building a foundation for the children. The water is giving the tools to the students to enhance their learning. By allowing students to have opportunities to succeed and to learn in many different ways is like providing access to sunlight. As the students continues to develop, the teacher does not quit nurturing them. Just like the gardener does not stop watering it and providing sunlight as it grows. Gardeners plant the seeds expecting to grow by doing everything in the power to help them develop and flourish. The are optimistic and patient, just like most teachers are. The same goes for teachers. Teachers expect their students to grow and develop, but they know that they cannot do that on their own so they will also do anything in their power to help them succeed.
The most important thing is that the gardener does not blame the plant when it is not substantially growing. Teachers should be this same way. When the students are not performing or they are struggling, the blame should not be put on them. This is when reflecting teaching comes into the picture. Gardeners question if the plant needs more sunlight or less sunlight, or more water or less water. The teacher needs to ask themselves if they did everything they could to help and provide opportunities for the students to learn and succeed.
A plant can grow in detrimental conditions. There are many bugs and insects that could ruin the plant. Sometimes the plant will be neglected, but it still continue to grow.
Teachers need to remember this. No matter where the child came from or what kind of background he or she came from, they can still learn and should be provided with the same opportunities. The child may have been neglected before the teacher has received the child, but that doesn’t mean the teacher should stop helping this child grow. The teacher needs to try and be the best gardener they can be.
taylorbauer 
This is a wonderful metaphor in so many ways. As a teacher, I often think about planting seeds. We can’t necessarily control what happens to the plant itself, but we can sow the seeds and provide the conditions a plant needs to grow.
LikeLike
Great blog and metaphor. This is a great way to compare a child to a seed. Are we actually providing all the tools necessary for the “growth” of our students? Or, is there something else we can do to help them become better learners?
LikeLike