10 Questions
What analogy does the text use to describe the teacher's role to the empty pitcher?
The teacher becomes a well
How is the teacher described in relation to the fallow mind?
A planter of seeds
What does the text compare the teacher to in relation to the cluttered mind?
A gardener to weed
How is the teacher described in relation to clay?
Potter, sculptor, and trainer in self-shaping
How is the teacher described in relation to the developed mind?
Colleague, listener, friend
What academic possessions does Esther take to school on her first day?
Esther takes her little notebook and a small stub of pencil as her only academic possessions.
How does Esther feel about walking alone down a deserted Siberian road to school?
Esther is too preoccupied with rehearsing the Russian alphabet to realize the courage required for a child to walk alone down a deserted Siberian road.
What instruction does the teacher give to Esther upon her arrival in the classroom?
The teacher instructs Esther to go to the last desk of the third row and sit down, without any further words.
How does the teacher initially react to Esther when she enters the classroom?
The teacher looks at Esther severely, and informs her that her Russian will be poor and it will be her task to see that she improves it.
How does Esther feel when she realizes that she is the only student without a book in the classroom?
Esther feels left out and different from the other students when she realizes that she is the only one without a book in the classroom.
Study Notes
Teacher's Role
- The teacher's role is compared to an empty pitcher, suggesting that they are empty vessels that can be filled with knowledge and wisdom.
- The teacher is described as a gardener in relation to the fallow mind, implying that they cultivate and nurture the student's mind.
- The teacher is compared to a skillful surgeon in relation to the cluttered mind, suggesting that they carefully remove unnecessary information and help the student to focus.
Esther's Experience
- Esther takes no academic possessions (e.g., no books, no pencils) to school on her first day.
- Esther feels no fear or anxiety about walking alone down a deserted Siberian road to school, suggesting that she is brave and confident.
- The teacher instructs Esther to take a seat upon her arrival in the classroom.
- The teacher initially reacts to Esther with curiosity and surprise when she enters the classroom.
- Esther feels embarrassed and insecure when she realizes that she is the only student without a book in the classroom.
Test your understanding of the different roles a teacher can play in the lives of their students with this thought-provoking quiz.
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