Teaching Teachers to Use Analogies: Student Testimonials

At the end of the Fall 2004 semester, students enrolled in science teaching techniques for secondary education were asked to respond to several questions about the course. When asked, “What part of the course had the most profound impact on your philosophy of teaching?”, 5 out of 14 respondents cited analogies:

“The power of learning through analogies has really influenced my teaching technique. I plan on using analogies to help teach difficult science concepts, shift students’ misconceptions of science and to have students practice critical thinking skills with activities where students learn to create and analyze their own analogies to gain a better understanding of an idea”

“I have found that at the beginning I disapproved using analogies, but having to use them constantly in this class has improved my disposition on this method. I now know the benefits of using analogies to aid the students in teaching the science ideas/concepts. I definitely accept teaching with analogies has made a huge difference and impact on my philosophy of teaching. I have now begun to acknowledge analogies more of a regular basis and at times without knowing that I use them. Sometimes they just come out naturally. With this in mind I have given the students that are in my care a more astute understanding for science concepts.

This type of active learning has been a breakthrough method for me as a growing teacher. Using the connection of analogies with science concepts has definitely defined and promoted a longer lasting of knowledge when it comes to science. My goal for the future is to continue my own growth of knowledge for developing and using analogies in my own classroom setting. For this should be everyone’s ultimate goal - - growth in one’s own knowledge.”

“I believe teaching science using analogies has made the largest impact on my philosophy of teaching. I use analogies on a regular basis but I did not realize I was doing it. Connecting analogy use with active learning can promote lasting knowledge. The marriage of these ideas allows students to discover and apply new circumstances with known facts. As teachers, our ultimate goal is to find a way for students to make more meaning out of their education and if there is a way to promote lasting knowledge I believe it can only benefit all parties involved.”

“I think that the analogy lesson did the most for me in this class. I know that learning is done through analogy making and I know that analogies are an integral part of the education process”

“Before this class, I probably would not have thought as hard about using analogies and would have only used the ones that were used to teach me in my various classes. I am glad an emphasis was placed on using analogies as a teaching tool and I believe analogies will get easier to think of as I exercise my creativity in that area - and I mean exercise - like a decathlete training for the Olympics!”