Chlorophytum comosum
February 5, 2010
The ideal student/teacher relationship: Chlorophytum comosum, or better known as the spider plant. Out of the plant grows a new plant. It branches off and lands on the ground. Still connected to the mother plant, it gains nutrients from the host while developing roots of its own. It is possible for these roots to grow in water without the host plant, but the result will not be as full. Can this be considered an analogy for an ideal student teacher relationship? The teacher can provide a secure structure to work within and students branch out to develop roots of their own. Influenced by the host yet unique to themselves, these students have the capability to flourish on their own and in time play the role of host or teacher to the next generation of students.
This may also help to explain the disparity of how a student becomes a teacher. Thus we respectfully submit our solution to the transient problem of the ideal student/teacher relationship.
Signed,
The Radical and Empirical
FierDeL'treEmpirical's Blog 
February 14, 2010 at 2:02 am
You have learned much! I can tell that you are ready for a bigger challenge. What role would assessment play in your metaphor. A related question, what would be the difference in role between a sentient life form versus one based solely on nature?