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    Tangram

Using a tangram puzzle to visualise a specific teacher competence profile


Figure 4: Sample tangram square
 

This is an activity for individual or group reflection on a specific teacher competence profile, for instance the current or future profile of (student) teachers in a specific context, or your own individual profile as a teacher educator or (student) teacher. The activity can be done individually or as a group. Its main aim is for teacher educators or teachers to focus on a small selection of teacher competences that they find important at a specific moment. It can also serve as an entry point into the Profiles for users who might be overwhelmed by the length and detail of the whole set of Profiles.

A ‘tangram’ is a Chinese geometrical puzzle in the form of a square divided into seven pieces which can then be arranged to make various other shapes. As preparation, you need to print out a tangram square (one per person) like the one in Figure 4 below and cut up the seven puzzle pieces.

Download template

  1. Choose one or more dimensions from the Teacher Competence Profiles. For this, you can use either the short version or long version of the Profiles (see below). Read the descriptors and examples, making a note of teacher competences that you find especially relevant for your context. 
    1. You may want to focus on competences that the teacher(s) you have in mind need to develop or have already developed. 
    2. Another approach is to select competences that the teacher(s) may want to focus on in more detail in the near future.
  2. Write the number of the competence descriptors (e.g. “5 2 A”) onto the puzzle pieces. Then reassemble them into the original square. Alternatively, you can create another shape, for instance an animal, a person, a building etc.
  3. If you are working in a group, present your completed puzzle to the other members of the group, and explain the choices you made when selecting the competence dimensions or descriptors and laying out the tangram puzzle.
  4. Save your puzzle by gluing it onto an clean sheet or paper, or taking a photo, and refer back to it after a certain period of time to reflect on how the teachers’ or your own competences have further developed.