From 'Midwife'to 'Scaffolding':The Evolutionary Logic of Metaphors for the Teacher's Role in Heuristic Teaching and Contemporary Implications

Abstract

In the context of education reform guided by core competencies, re-examining the teacher's role in heuristic teaching holds sig
nificant theoretical and practical significance. Drawing on the history of ideas, this paper provides an in-depth analysis of the evolutionary
logic behind two classic metaphors for the teacher's role in heuristic teaching: the 'midwife' and the 'scaffold'. The 'midwife' metaphor of the
classical period was grounded in a priori essentialism and the theory of inner-driven learning; whilst it highlighted the rational dignity of
the subject, it was prone to implicit discipline and logical hegemony under a pre-set logic. The modern constructivist 'scaffolding' metaphor,
meanwhile, is deeply rooted in social constructivist theory, emphasising the teacher as an interactive agent who provides systematic support
and dynamic empowerment to students. The paradigm shift from 'midwifery' to 'scaffolding' reveals profound logical evolutions at two foun
dational levels: epistemological shift and reconstruction of the power fields.