Session Sneak Peek! Mandalas and Metaphors

Sun/Shadow  Mandala

 What is a Mandala?  Mandalas are circular and geometric representations of images of spiritual life, both outer (sun) and inner (shadow). They symbolize aspects of life such as earth, water, air, and fire as well as all other components of life.

What is a Metaphor?  Metaphors are literary figures of speech where one subject is compared symbolically to another unrelated subject.

A famous metaphor comes from Shakespeare’s play “As You Like It”:

All the world’s a stage,

And all the men and women merely players;

They have their exits and their entrances; — William ShakespeareAs You Like It, 2/7[1]

This quote is a metaphor because the world is not literally a stage. By saying that the world is a stage, Shakespeare makes a comparison between the world and a stage to give an understanding about how the world and the people in it work

But this workshop is about differentiation in learning.  How do mandalas and metaphors have to do with teaching my students with differing levels of readiness, learning profiles and interests?  How do I teach abstract ideas like metaphors and idioms to my adult students?

Let’s start with a lesson plan that “hooks” the student. That’s where you come in to this session!

Hope Lynn will be presenting this session on Thursday at Conference.