Special Metaphor Assignment Blog Post #14

For our last blog post, Dr. Strange decided to have us do a special assignment dealing with metaphors. Apparently, alot of our class did not realize Tom Johnsons Don't Let Them Take the Pencils Home was in fact a metaphor. Since so many classmates, including myslef, did not catch on, Dr. Strange wanted us to go back and look at this article again and answer a few questions.

Here are the questionsalong with my answers....

1. Why did you miss the metaphor in Tom Johnson's post, or, if you "hit the nail on the head", why do you think you understood the metaphor and why do you think that others in the class missed the metaphor?
Well, for me, I just think I took the post to literally. I thought he really was talking about pencils. I am not one to catch on to things like 'metaphors' that easily. Now that I have went back and reread this replacing pencils with computers, it makes perfect sense!
2. What metaphors have you encountered since I asked you to create a log of them?
My list is so long now that I have actually had to think about and record them.
~all that glitters is not gold
~the apple does not fall far from the tree
~back to the bump and grind
~to touch base
~the better half
~as big as a house
~at the crack of dawn
~toot my own horn
~get my foot in the door
~the golden child
~hit the jackpot
~make a mountain out of a molehill
~nip it in the bud

These are just to name a few that I caught. I never realized how often I use or hear metaphors in every day language!

3. What other things can we do as educators to help our students to understand and to use metaphors?
Point out metaphors as you read to your children. With practice, they will begin to identify them. Encourage your children to use metaphors as they write. Point out the ones they use naturally and call them metaphors by name.

4. Why do we use metaphors?
I think people use metaphors first off out of pure habit. It is what we are used to rather we know it or not. Metaphors "dress up" our sentences and give a whole new spin to our thoughts. Good metaphors also expand our ways of thinking about things, and in so doing suggest new ideas.