Metaphors are a very powerful teaching tool, however they only work if the metaphor is shared between the teacher and the student. If the student does not understand the metaphor, they are unlikely to grasp what is being taught to them.
Chose metaphors based on the personal understanding of the student, not the teacher. If the student cannot understand the metaphor, use another one. This instant feedback is another reason why coaching is better than documentation.
Of course metaphors can be reused but not at the expense of learning.
Posted by chrismatts at December 22, 2003 12:51 PM