Why I Climb Mountains With Students: Using Metaphor as a Teaching Tool

Metaphor is essential to human cognition and central to teaching and learning. In this case study, the author documents the use of metaphor in a senior-level course as a strategy to build community, provide a sense of direction, and unite the class around a shared experience. Students who experienced the metaphor as a teaching tool were invited to share their memories and reflect on the impact (N= 395). Through content analysis, three themes were identified in the responses: (1) Appreciating the Journey, (2) Building and Supporting a Classroom Community, and (3) Finding Motivation, Purpose, and Willingness to Face the Unknown. Overall, most respondents remembered and valued the metaphor immediately and, in the months, and years following the course. The use of metaphors is recommended in public health teaching and learning.