A teacher is a tour guide. Teaching in a classroom full of students that are willing to learn and succeed is a job that I want to have. Teachers have the chance to become a role model to students that can trust their educator with their learning and help them succeed. Teaching to students means that they can have the classroom be a room for creativity and safety with their peers. In a classroom, a child has a “sense of belonging, a child builds understandings of what it means to learn in a community, knowing that their ideas are valued and listened to” (Burman, 2023, pg. 15).
References:
Burman (2023). A Culture of Agency: Fostering Engagement, Empowerment, Identity and Belonging in the Early Years. Pg. 15.
Haley, I enjoyed your metaphor and reading your blog post! I think that building a community in the classroom with your students is a good way for them to succeed amongst their peers and in their individual lives. I have never thought of a teacher as a tour guide, but now that I’m in this mindset, I could not agree with you more!
This is so true! Teaching being like a tour guide is such a cool way to explain us being a role model for our students, as well as giving them a space to be fun and creative while learning!
I too want to teach in a classroom where students are eager to succeed and as educators it’s our responsibility to cultivate that kind of classroom environment. Building trust with our students is an important way to make sure they feel safe and secure in their learning. Great blog post!
This tour guide idea that you created is really cool! We do in fact give like basic guideline and show students the way to and around things, but we can only do so much until it is time to try and explore further on their own. Creating this safe space for them is crucial though because otherwise they might not be comfortable enough to go on their own or even ask for help.
Absolutely! Your perspective on teaching as being a tour guide to students on their learning journey is spot on. I admire your passion for creating a safe and creative space for your future students to thrive and feel a sense of belonging.