Teacher as an Archaeologist

 

As a metaphor, I see myself as a teacher as an archaeologist. I settled on an archaeologist for a variety of reasons. I liked the idea of digging towards a goal, especially as part of a team as a picture of how a classroom might function.

 

There are many parallels between working as an archaeologist and being part of a productive classroom. On an archaeological dig there are many moving parts that must continue to move seamlessly to allow the dig to progress. Likewise in the classroom there are the students, the teacher or teachers, possible aides,curriculum, technology, time limitations and many other constraints that must work together.

 

Another connection between an archaeological dig and a classroom that spoke to me was the overall purpose of both—the focus is not on an ultimate goal, the focus is on the journey to get there and the potential to add new insight to the world in a broad sense.

 

Archaeologists do not dig quickly and haphazardly, thrashing about to get to a certain depth as quickly as possible to where they hope to find an artifact. Their work is careful and methodical as they take in as much as possible as they work towards an eventual goal. I think this is the plan of a successful classroom; teacher and students working together to gain knowledge, learning as much as possible as they uncover more and more material.