One of my most influential teachers was my grade4/5 teacher, Mrs. Lam. Mrs. Lam met me when I was 9 years old. She really encouraged me to tap into my love of learning and comprehension. She challenged me and strongly suggested that I focus on being more present in class, to actively participate in my learning. Mrs. Lam once told my mother that I would really blossom in the next year (grade 5), and she was correct. I started really diving deep into the class assignments and homework. I wanted to improve my grades, but also my deeper understanding of the material. Mrs. Lam once described my brain as an hourglass-shaped funnel. I never really appreciated her description until pursuing my Bachelor of Science at the University of Northern British Columbia. I really connected with the concept of a funnel or hourglass when it comes to learning new concepts, writing an essay, or doing research.
Metaphor for teaching and learning: the hourglass.
When learning a new concept, you gather all of the information and funnel it into a deeper understanding of the specific topic. Once you have mastered this deeper understanding, you can then extrapolate it and begin to grasp more general information, and other related concepts. Students are continually learning and observing. They are constantly funneling new concepts into specific pieces of information, or facts. These learned facts then can help them to understand deeper, wider, and more general concepts about the world around them. In a sense, it is a lot like writing an essay. You begin with a general introduction to a topic, then move into specific points (the body of the essay), and eventually broaden your points to relate to the concept itself (conclusion).
In learning and teaching, you begin with the general information, develop a deeper appreciation and understanding of the facts, then synthesize new or related information from the research.