massage and bodywork professionals
Massage Educators
The purpose of this group is to invite massage educators to network and dialogue regarding issues related to massage therapy education.
Charlie Peebles CMT/LMT
I have always been a visual & auditory person, however, kinesthetic does reinforce my learning process. I'll have to do some research to find out if such data exist. But I guess there are always going to be people that don't fit what we think should be. Right?
Cheers
Jul 30, 2010
Susan G. Salvo
How Much of What People Learn Do They Retain:
10% of what you READ
20% of what you HEAR
30% of what you SEE
50% of what you SEE and HEAR simultaneously
70% of what you SAY as you TALK
90% of what you SAY as you DO a thing
Jul 30, 2010
Scott Bukovac
http://www.ijtmb.org/index.php/ijtmb/article/viewArticle/82/117
In this article he shows a pie chart which shows that of the students at the Otago Polytechnic massage therapy programs - approximately 42% were mixed kinesthetic, 34% kinesthetic, and the remaining 24% were visual / reader-writer/ visual-auditory. The only "catch" here is that I don't think the article indicated how this particular data was generated (ie. what questionnaire, etc.) This certainly does support the idea that many MT students are kinesthetically oriented (which makes sense), but it also points out that at least 24% strongly prefer a different learning style and that there is some 42% that are "mixed" kinesthetic (i.e. kinesthetic mixed with other styles).
Some interesting food for thought, huh? :-)
Jul 30, 2010
Jan Schwartz
I think it boils down to teachers being trained, learning, among other things, learning theories, which in my mind may have a bigger impact on students than trying to figure out someone's learning style.
Jul 30, 2010
Darcy Neibaur
Jul 30, 2010
Whitney Lowe
http://bit.ly/6qKeRP
I think a crucial piece that is missing in so much of our education is an emphasis on training teachers in instructional design. It is instructional design of each learning activity that is really at the core of whether or not that is a valuable learning process no matter the type of learning style of the student.
Jul 30, 2010
Scott Bukovac
The learning styles models are a very simplistic way to model what in reality is a complex cognitive and behavioural process. In some senses, it serves the human need/desire to classify people/situations into whatever "box" it may fit into so that we know how to "deal" with them in the future. All of these models have intrinsic limitations and biases. It is vitally important that we understand these biases before putting a huge amount of weight into them.
I agree that it is tough, if not impossible, to structure every learning activity with every learning style in mind. However, I think what a learning style inventory can do is give the instructor some information as to how they might need to approach teaching a particular group, and the students some information about how they may be best to approach studying some topics. The catch with a lot of the older instructional design models, is that many of them are based around the learning style models for the classification of learners. Many of the newer models like that of Cognitive Load Theory are being based around psychological and cognitive science as their fundamental basis. It will be curious to see how this filters out into the massage therapy teaching community.
Jul 30, 2010
Sandy Fritz
Jul 30, 2010
Lisa Mertz
Jul 30, 2010
Susan G. Salvo
Is this possible?
Seems like a logical next step.
Jul 30, 2010
Noel Norwick
Re matching teaching styles to student learning bias or base on subject matter, I again suggest reading; research on development of professionalism suggests that it depends. For those truly interested in the subject, I suggest reading, Development of Professional Expertise - Toward Measurement of Expert Performance and Design of Optimal Learning Environments, edited by K. Anders Ericsson, Cambridge University Press,2009. And possibly the much lighter read, The Talent Code, by Daniel Coyle, Bantam Books, 2009.
Jul 30, 2010
Scott Bukovac
Jul 30, 2010
Boris Prilutsky
I am happy to invite you to join my group:” Medical and Sports Massage” including FREE Medical and Sports massage lessons. Not alot of practitioners in the US are familiar with Russian Medical and Sports massage as it was proposed by a Russian physician professor of medicine Anatoly Sherback . I'm happy to offer you information about this methodology as well as some additional information about me. I hope that our friendship will be pleasant and mutual beneficial. I believe in sharing knowledge. In such a case you will be able to learn from me as well as I can learn from you . If after reading information about medical and sports massage, or viewing lessons you will have any question I'm encouraging you to make comments or initiate discussion topic . In such a case my replies will be available for many to read, as well as your replies. Looking forward for great relationship.
Best wishes.
Boris
Aug 1, 2010
Paula Nutting
My name is Paula, I come from Brisbane Australia and have been lecturing at colleges since 2003. Also do seminars in Australia and internationally in Canada.
look forward to hearing how other educators are dealing with our industry.
Cheers
Paula
Aug 14, 2010
Stephen Jeffrey
http://www.massageprofessionals.com/profiles/blogs/protecting-femal...
Some therapists seem to have completed their courses without being made fully aware of the unfortunate circumstances in which our profession can misunderstood.
Aug 22, 2010
Linda Lewis-Weissinger NCTMB,CMT
Aug 22, 2010
Susan G. Salvo
Can you share the URL? Thanks!
Aug 22, 2010
Alexei Levine
Thanks!
Alexei
Sep 7, 2010
Bruce Baltz
Location: Swedish Institute (NYC)Open to Massage Therapists.In this two-day workshop, participants will focus on the lower body (including the feet). We will review muscle action and function, along with AIS principles for stretching clients in a clinical setting. We will explore the deepest tissues of the body with precision and with movements that increase the flow of blood and oxygen to over-contracted and over-stretched tissues. This class is based on Aaron Mattes’ 40 years of experience in soft tissue rehabilitation. We will review some self-help stretching as well as strengthening protocols for therapists’ longevity. If you are working in a clinical environment or want to, this work can change your approach forever.www.spiriphysical.com
NCBTMB, NCCAOM approved.
Date: Saturday and Sunday, October 30-31, 2010
Class Time: 9:00AM-6:00PM
CEUs: 16 NCBTMB, NCCAOM
To Register go to: http://www.swedishce.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=19&p...
Or Call:
212.924.5900 ext. 146
Sep 7, 2010
Kris Bour
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Anthem-Career-College-Nashville-TN-Ma...!/pages/Anthem-Career-College-Nashville-TN-Massage-Therapy-Program/141801899177781?ref=sgm
Sep 13, 2010
Robin Leslie Fann
Sep 18, 2010
Rick Rosen
The Alliance for Massage Therapy Education has selected the world-class destination of Charleston, South Carolina for its Second Annual Conference. The meeting will be held August 16-20, 2011, at the beautiful Charleston Marriott Hotel, overlooking the Ashley River.
With a theme of Bringing Teaching to the Next Level, this conference will feature workshops, discussion groups and keynote presentations. This three-day program will be blended with time to share information and fellowship with a diverse range of massage school administrators, teachers, continuing education providers and industry representatives.
The Alliance's 2011 event will also premiere a new pre-conference teacher training intensive. This two-day course will provide an overview of the core competencies that make classroom instruction effective and successful, while providing key skills that can be implemented immediately.
And of course, participants will have ample opportunity to explore and enjoy the many restaurants, galleries, parks and historic sites that make Charleston a much-loved place to visit. Complete information on the 2011 Annual Conference will be made available on the Alliance website as all the details are set. For now, be sure to SAVE THE DATE and plan to attend what will be a vitally important meeting for the entire massage education community!
* * *
About the Alliance:
The Alliance for Massage Therapy Education is the independent voice, advocate and resource for the community of massage therapy schools and educators. It serves the entire education sector – from entry-level training programs through post-graduate studies. The National Headquarters of the Alliance is located at 1760 Old Meadow Road, Suite 500, McLean, Virginia 22102. The phone number is 703-506-2888, the general office email address is admin@afmte.org, and the website is http://www.afmte.org.
Oct 9, 2010
Lauriann Greene, CEAS
The Certified Injury Prevention Instructor (CIPI) program gives school instructors the necessary knowledge and skills to teach effective injury prevention in massage school. Instructors learn how to teach these methods in the existing curriculum (including hands-on coaching skills), and also receive a ready-made workshop curriculum they can use to teach this important subject to grads in their CE program. The CIPI program is a 50 CEU training that is affordably priced so as many schools as possible can participate. We already have school instructors signed up to train as CIPIs. We offer continuing education to keep instructors continually learning and deepening their understanding of this complex subject, and ongoing support for the instructor and school.
I hope you will look into this exciting new program. Feel free to contact me personally at info@saveyourhands.com, or contact syhcourses@saveyourhands.com or 877-424-0994 for more information. I look forward to discussing the CIPI program with you further.
Best regards,
Lauriann Greene, CEAS, co-author and CIPI Program Director
Save Your Hands! The Complete Guide to Injury Prevention and Ergonomics for Manual Therapists, 2nd Edition
Oct 11, 2010
Rick Rosen
The Professional Standards Committee of the Alliance for Massage Therapy Education is working to carry out one of the organization's key goals: to develop standards that guide and inform the effective teaching of massage therapy. This is being examined in the spectrum from entry-level training programs through post-graduate studies.
To guide this process, the Alliance is conducing a brief survey that is open to everyone in the massage education community. It's purpose is to gather information on the attitudes or perceptions regarding: 1) formation of standards for teacher education and massage school curricula; and 2) the Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge.
Your responses will help identify the concerns you would like the Alliance to address, and will inform the process of developing standards. Note that this is a preliminary survey: no work has begun on the actual development of standards. Such work will be guided by the Alliance, with the input from the field as a whole. This survey should take less than five minutes of your time to complete.
Click here to TAKE THE SURVEY
Nov 1, 2010
Lisa Mertz
I took the survey, but the questions about teacher training requirements don't apply to the community college setting. My college requires at least a bachelor's degree for part-time/adjunct teachers and PhD for tenure track full time faculty. The state of New York requires teachers to be licensed for at least 3 years. We look for at least 2 years of teaching experience. Hours don't really enter into it.
Also, the college offers workshops on pedagogy, conferences on teaching, and mentoring for curriculum development and assessment. They are not specific to massage therapy, but applicable. And as you know, NY does not yet require CEUs.
IMHO, an associates degree should be required for all massage therapists as it is for all physical therapist assistants and RNs. RNs are getting bachelors degrees and PTs are getting doctorates. Our profession is sadly lagging behind and the profession suffers for it.
Nov 1, 2010
Boris Prilutsky
in order to teach massage,is it important what PhD studies or bachelor degree major was about?also using the opportunity would like to ask if somebody can define for me entry-level training program as well what the definition of advance post-graduate studies.up front thank you for taking time to reply.
Best wishes.
Boris
Nov 3, 2010
Lisa Mertz
Of course, ideally, the degree should be related to massage therapy, but sometimes a candidate might have sufficient massage training, practice, and teaching experience with an unrelated degree -- a 2nd/3rd career LMT, for example -- and be considered for a position. An academic degree is required for an academic position.
I'm in NY where the curriculum for entry-level training is specified to an extent within a 1000-hrs. Students get two semesters of clinical practice beyond the classroom training. They get to work with a number of clients, many of whom have serious conditions. So they leave school with emerging clinical thinking skills.
I've been thinking about advanced practice as being intertwined with maturity level as well as refinement of skills rather than simply with accumulated hours of continuing ed. It takes a certain depth of emotional maturity to do oncology massage, for example, or to do competent chronic pain work. Being able to set limits, to practice restraint, sometimes refrain from overworking, to avoid the arrogance of having all the answers -- development of those kinds of qualities bring a practitioner to a more advanced level. My two cents...
Nov 3, 2010
Boris Prilutsky
I hope I am not annoying you to much. What "2nd/3rd career LMT"stands for?
also I am assuming that" My two cents"means something like" my opinion"as you could understand English is not my first language and I am just guessing on " My two cents".will appreciate if you will explain.real thanks for taking your time.
Best wishes.
Boris
Nov 3, 2010
Lisa Mertz
Nov 4, 2010
Stan Dawson
Nov 4, 2010
Jan Schwartz
To keep with the topic, there was a teacher training program at that school; elementary in the early '90s, but it existed and improved over time.
Nov 4, 2010
Noel Norwick
I suggest that these certification bodies and vocational schools as well as continuing education providers who fail to credibly address the following two things will further damage the reputation and career development prospects of our field:
1. Prove that the certification & required education has and will enable holders to quickly repay it's cost and more rapidly rent housing, buy/lease a car and start/raise a family, all within a "reasonable" amount of time after certification/graduation
2. Define entry level and advanced certification/licensing in terms of what mainstream medically accepted cost-effective healthcare they must be qualified to provide without direct M.D. supervision.
Nov 4, 2010
Boris Prilutsky
thanks for explanations.I would purchase your opinion for much more and money and then two cents LOL. To be serious reading your posts one can tell that you are very intelligent woman.thanks again
Boris
Nov 4, 2010
Boris Prilutsky
Thank you very much for taking time to reply to my request. My understanding is that entry level training is just term with no definition .It more like an a need of a vocational schools to adjust training hours that will satisfy license required. I believe that Noel brought up very important points that just to extend on it I would ask additionally/will rephrase: I'm assuming that 1000 hours training cost is around $20,000+. How long it will take for our graduates to reimburse investment of this money and time investment? Will graduates from massage program will be able to sustain financially themselves and families?
Personally I do not believe in entry level training in vocational massage therapy program. I believe that any massage therapy program must prepare graduate to career whatever protocols one will be trained in. For example if one was trained to perform full body medical stress management massage then he coming out of school and achieving objective and subjective results in managing stress related disorders . According to many surveys including from Harvard Medical School, 90% of Drs. visits are stress related anxieties , tension headaches ,TMJ dysfunction , essential hypertension est. Scientifically and clinically proven that massage therapy is most powerful methodology for stress management .I believe that there is no need for more than 200hrs. in order to prepare one in so in need modality.I also know that doctors are happy to refer patients who is suffering from stress-related diseases because according to many medical publications , antianxieties, antidepressant and other medication do not really working .
Performing in average 5 stress management treatments one can sustain herself/ himself financially.
One who will know how to perform stress management medical massage will not have to go to work for companies that charging $40 and less for one hour massage and paying whatever to massage therapist.
Now I would like to address 1000 hours training program .what this 1000hours program curriculum containing ? Probably each school offering different curriculum just to satisfy license hrs requirement. Is it proven that 1000 hours program graduates making better career and sustaining themselves financially? I would say possible but depend on what training and to what level they will receive. If this program is about to satisfy the license requirement hrs . then in my opinion this is fraud .The other question is: maybe massage therapy schools lobbyists pushed to raise license requirement to 1000 hours? If yes then what I know in end of the road it created situation that we have too many schools that went into massage training business because of money opportunity and really oriented more on business aspects then prepare guys to lifetime beautiful financially successful career in our fields. Therefore we have today army of massage therapists that on paper having 1000hours training but cannot sustain themselves financially.in my opinion success in career depend if one can deliver results , and doesn't matter in what method one was trained being this stress management massage , orthopedic massage sports massage,est.
Best wishes.
Boris
Nov 4, 2010
Kristin Coverly
Join us at the 15th Annual ABMP School Issues Forum!
The ABMP School Issues Forum is a place where owners, directors, and instructors can educate, inspire, network, and talk shop with peers.
This spring it’s easier than ever to be inspired! For the first time, ABMP is offering schools the budget-friendly option of paying a minimum down payment now to secure their spot at the School Issues Forum in April.
Registration Fees:
ABMP School Members = $425
Non-School Members = $485
Pay your full balance now or take advantage of this Early Deposit Option and register by December 31, 2010 with a minimum deposit of $150. The remaining balance will automatically be billed on April 1, 2011.
April 14-16, 2011 -- Denver, CO
Contact Kathy Laskye at kathy@abmp.com or 800-458-2267, ext. 649, for more information.
Visit www.ABMP.com and http://www.abmp.com/school_administrators/forum/ for more information about the School Issues Forum.
Join our ABMP Annual School Issues Forum group on www.massageprofessionals.com!
Nov 19, 2010
Rick Rosen
The Alliance for Massage Therapy Education recently conducted a national survey to gather information from the educational community on the attitudes or perceptions regarding: 1) formation of standards for teacher education, massage school curricula, and continuing education; and 2) the Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge.
This survey was developed by the Alliance's Professional Standards Committee, which made the survey available to massage school directors and administrators, teachers and continuing education providers through a variety of media channels. There were a total of 312 respondents from these constituent groups, and there were clear trends that emerged in response to a number of the survey questions:
--> 82.0% agreed that national standards need to be established for massage/bodywork curriculua in entry-level programs, versus 7.1% who disagreed.
--> 80.4% agreed that competency-based national teacher education standards are needed, versus 6.8% who disagreed.
--> 75.3% agreed that there needs to be national standards defined for advanced-level training programs and certification in specialized areas of practice, versus 11.2% who disagreed.
--> 53.5% indicated their agreement with the need for a single centralized approval program for continuing education providers and courses, versus 25.6% who did not agree that such a program was needed.
--> 53.2% agreed that the Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge needs modification before being adopted as an "official" document to be used by state agencies and national accrediting commissions, versus only 5.2% who disagreed.
This data affirms the strategic direction established by the Alliance, and is congruent with one of the organization's key goals: to develop standards that guide and inform the effective teaching of massage therapy.
The complete results of this survey are available from the News section on the Alliance's website, or by clicking this direct link: SURVEY REPORT
* * *
About the Alliance:
The Alliance for Massage Therapy Education is the independent voice, advocate and resource for the community of massage therapy schools and educators. It serves the entire education sector – from entry-level training programs through post-graduate studies. The National Headquarters of the Alliance is located at 1760 Old Meadow Road, Suite 500, McLean, Virginia 22102. The phone number is 703-506-2888, the general office email address is admin@afmte.org, and the website is http://www.afmte.org.
Nov 20, 2010
Ariana Vincent, LMT, MTI, BCTMB
Nov 21, 2010
Ariana Vincent, LMT, MTI, BCTMB
There are many online services and mobile applications that can assist teachers with classroom management tasks, such as grading, lesson planning and parent communication, according to this article. The writer lists five such tools, including the digital grade book SchoolCircuit, which can be accessed by parents and students. The program Backboard lets teachers and students offer feedback on shared documents and the site ClassMarker is an easy way to create online tests. PlanbookEdu helps educators organize lessons and the Attendance for iPhone application assists in tracking attendance.
Brought to you by SmartBrief on EdTech
https://mail.google.com/mail/?hl=en&shva=1#inbox/12ca900f48f796ae
Dec 2, 2010
Rick Rosen
The Alliance for Massage Therapy Education announces the beginning of a comprehensive effort to strengthen and improve the quality of massage therapy education by developing competency standards for teachers across the continuum of entry-level, continuing education and advanced training programs. This shall be known as the National Teacher Education Standards Project, and its goal is to create a culture of teaching excellence.
While educational and testing requirements are commonplace for the licensure of massage therapists, there are few jurisdictions that currently require instructors of massage therapy to have specific training in the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) of teaching. As a result, the majority of teachers in this field have not been trained to teach. Knowing how to give a massage is a different skill set from teaching massage and related subjects.
As an organization comprised of passionate and committed educators, the Alliance has chosen to address this need in a proactive manner – and will provide the leadership and experience necessary to create and implement these standards over the coming years. In this way, the role of the Alliance is consistent with similar projects that independent education organizations have achieved in other professions.
A national survey conducted in November by the Alliance indicated strong support within the educational community for this initiative. 80.4% of respondents agreed that competency-based national teacher training standards are needed, while 6.8% disagreed. (A complete survey report is available from this link, or from the News section of the Alliance website.) This data is consistent with feedback from educators and industry leaders who attended the Alliance's inaugural conference this past June, where the lack of teacher education standards and resources was a prime topic of discussion.
The National Teacher Education Standards Project (TESP) will be carried out through a series of five phases: The Alliance's Professional Standards Committee is already working on identification of the core competencies of effective and successful teaching. Once the KSAs are defined, a baseline teacher training curriculum will be created. That will lead to the next phase, which is the identification and development of training resources. To ensure that teachers have achieved the competencies, a certification program will be established. The final step will involve working with national accrediting commissions and state regulatory agencies to incorporate these teacher education standards. Overall, it's estimated this project will take 5-10 years.
The Alliance has prepared a white paper that gives the background, scope and rationale for this project. It also contains a description of each of the five phases with projected timelines. The document is available from this link, or from the News section of the Alliance website. As this project progresses, there will be opportunities to review and make comment on proposed standards before they are formally adopted.
According to Alliance President Pete Whitridge, LMT, "It is an act of self-determination and empowerment for the teachers, administrators, school owners and continuing education providers that comprise this community to join together to work for the greater good. This project will require diligent work, respectful dialogue and a willingness to address the shortcomings of massage education without blame or judgment. Improving the quality of teaching in the massage therapy field will improve the success of students in massage programs and continuing education seminars. This process, by its very nature, will improve the quality of massage therapy delivered to the public. That's the payoff for this bold endeavor."
In support of this project, the Alliance will focus on the theme of "Bringing Teaching to the Next Level" for it's 2011 Annual Conference. This event will be held August 18-20 in Charleston, South Carolina, and will feature workshops and discussion forums about the process of creating and implementing teacher standards. The Alliance looks forward to the input of all who attend this conference, as these voices and perspectives shape the future.
* * *
The Alliance for Massage Therapy Education is the independent voice, advocate and resource for the community of massage therapy schools and educators. It serves the entire education sector – from entry-level training programs through post-graduate studies. The National Headquarters of the Alliance is located at 1760 Old Meadow Road, Suite 500, McLean, Virginia 22102. The phone number is 703-506-2888, the general office email address is admin@afmte.org, and the website is http://www.afmte.org.
Dec 6, 2010
Ariana Vincent, LMT, MTI, BCTMB
Tap into Social Networking...
By Laura Allen
Published in Massage and Bodywork Magazine
Page 25-27 in the online digital edition: http://massagebodywork.idigitaledition.com/issues/7/
Dec 12, 2010
Eeris Kallil CMT
Check out a new group: massage therapy podcasts
http://www.massageprofessionals.com/group/massagetherapypodcasts
The goal of this group is to share existing podcasts related to our Massage field. Come and share with the rest
Dec 12, 2010
Ariana Vincent, LMT, MTI, BCTMB
Here are some songs for therapists, especially those anatomy and physiology nerds among us...
The Twelve Cranial Nerves of Christmas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9VM0I4NPHY
The Muscles of the Hand Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rd9lLaXnhzM
The Cranial Nerves Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncs1EKJa648
The Muscles of the Leg Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38qjXTltvTc
The Gram Positive Bacteria Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_1Qi8_28S8
Enjoy!
Ariana Vincent, Ariana Institute
Inspiring Massage Education and Wellness for the Body, Mind and Spirit
Dec 13, 2010
Mike Hinkle
Coverage by Massage Magazine.
http://www.massagemag.com/News/massage-news.php?id=10117&catid=...
Dec 15, 2010
Ariana Vincent, LMT, MTI, BCTMB
Four Characteristics of Outstanding Teachers
By: Maryellen Weimer in Effective Teaching Strategies
The quest to identify the ingredients, components, and qualities of effective instruction has been a long one. Starting in the 1930s, researchers sought to identify the common characteristics of good teachers. Since then, virtually everybody who might have an opinion has been asked, surveyed, or interviewed.
Students have been asked at the beginning, middle, and end of their college careers. Alumni have been asked years after graduating. Colleagues within departments and across them have been asked, as have administrators, from local department heads to college presidents. So many studies have been done that there are studies of the studies.
Despite this large database, researchers continue to explore this issue and, surprisingly, find new groups to ask and new ways to analyze the results. Even more amazing is how much overlap and consistency there is across these many studies, and the study we’re about to highlight here is no exception.
The researchers studied a group of 35 faculty members who had received a Presidential Teaching Award at a public university in the Midwest. To be considered for the award, teachers had to write a 1,500-word essay describing their teaching philosophies and teaching goals. Using a qualitative methodology (hermeneutics), researchers analyzed these statements with the goal of identifying the factors that made these teachers successful. The researchers found four categories of comments characteristic of all these award-winning teachers.
1. Presence: “The term presence for this study is defined as a deeper level of awareness that allows thoughts, feelings, and actions to be known, developed, and harmonized within. Presence is also the essence of a relationship and of interpersonal communication.” (p. 13) Illustrating this particular category were comments in the essays indicating how important it is for teachers to get to know their students. “The classroom should not be a sea of faceless forms,” writes one teacher. (p. 13) Another observes, “In helping students achieve their highest potential, I realize I must cherish their individuality—their special needs, interests, and rich life experiences.” (p. 13)
2. Promotion of learning: These teachers also wrote of the importance of student learning and their roles in promoting it. They held their students and themselves to high standards, seeing students’ work in their courses and programs as preparation for lifelong learning. They also wrote of the need for students to do more than just memorize material. “Mere possession of scientific knowledge without the ability to apply it is of limited value in nursing practice,” wrote one nurse educator. (p. 14) Equally important was their shared view that promoting learning goes beyond content acquisition. Education is also about personal development, and teachers have a role in promoting that kind of learning as well.
3. Teachers as learners: These exemplary teachers described themselves as learners, each making it a priority to keep their teaching current. “As teachers, we must continue to re-engineer our curriculum, experiment with new and different methods of delivering course content, and bring emerging technologies into our classrooms.” (p. 15) These teachers valued opportunities to revise course content, to teach new courses, and to work on degree-program curricula.
4. Enthusiasm: “Effective teaching presupposes a command of the material and facility in communicating it with clarity, grace, fairness, and humor. But most of all it supposes enthusiasm.” (p. 15) This enthusiasm starts with a love of the content, but it goes beyond that and includes a genuine love of teaching and a passion for students and their learning. “I am also concerned that my students develop a passion for learning that goes on well after the course has ended.” (p. 15)
In their conclusion, the researchers note that “there is no formula for successful teaching. Each professor is unique and has an individual educational philosophy and teaching goals.” (p. 16) Even so, good teachers share common commitments and characteristics—they do in this study and have done so in many others as well.
Reference: Rossett, J. and Fox, P. G. (2009). Factors related to successful teaching by outstanding professors: An interpretive study. Journal of Nursing Education, 48 (1), 11-16.
Excerpted from Qualities of Successful Teaching, The Teaching Professor, 24.1 (2010): 6.
(Note: Thanks to Whitney Lowe for posting this on Facebook)
Posted by: Ariana Vincent, Ariana Institute, http://www.arianainstitute.com/online.htm
Dec 17, 2010
Ariana Vincent, LMT, MTI, BCTMB
National Massage Teacher Competency Standards to be Created
The Alliance for Massage Therapy Education (AFMTE) announced recently that it will begin to develop a National Teacher Education Standards Project in order to create competency standards for teachers across the continuum of entry-level, continuing education and advanced training programs.
The AFMTE is an independent voice, advocate and resource for the community of massage therapy schools and educators.
According to an AFMTE press release, a national survey conducted in November by the AFMTE indicated strong support within the educational community for this initiative, with 80.4 percent of respondents agreeing that competency-based national teacher training standards are needed, while 6.8 percent disagreed.
The project will be carried out through a series of five phases:
1. The AFMTE Professional Standards Committee will continue working on identification of the core competencies of effective and successful teaching.
2. Once the
knowledge, skills and abilities are defined, a baseline teacher-training curriculum will be created.
3. Training resources will be identified and developed.
4. To ensure that teachers have achieved the competencies, a certification program will be established.
5. The final step will involve working with national accrediting commissions and state regulatory agencies to incorporate these teacher education standards.
The AFMTE's leaders estimate this project with take between five and 10 years to complete.
Read the press release, "Alliance for Massage Therapy Education to Lead Development of Nati...
Related articles:
• Alliance for Massage Therapy Education to Lead Development of Natio...
• Massage Education Alliance Releases Results of National Survey
• MASSAGE Magazine Insurance Plus Becomes Major Sponsor of Alliance f...
(Thanks to Mike Hinkle for posting this link previously)
Article posted by Ariana Vincent, Ariana Institute, http://www.arianainstitute.com/online.htm
Dec 17, 2010
Noel Norwick
Since this is or should be about vocational teaching, I'm surprised that the suggested teacher competency standards doesn't include categories documenting higher starting salaries and annual incomes earned by graduates/students of the relatively more vs the relatively less competent teachers.
Dec 17, 2010
Ariana Vincent, LMT, MTI, BCTMB
Here's a link to an educator who is a wonderful role model in the massage therapy community, Gil Hedley:
Dec 24, 2010
Rick Rosen
ALLIANCE LEADER HONORED AS ONE OF "TOP 10 PEOPLE IN INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE FOR 2010"
Rick Rosen, Executive Director of the Alliance for Massage Therapy Education was recently selected as one of the Top 10 People in Integrative Medicine / Integrative Health Care by The Integrator Blog. Published and edited by John Weeks, Executive Director of ACCAHC - the Academic Consortium for Complementary and Alternative Health Care, the
blog is one of the leading sources of news and information about the
domain of integrative medicine. The "Top 10 People" list is compiled
from recommendations submitted by the editorial advisory board of The Integrator Blog.
Rosen was chosen for this honor because of the pivotal role he has played in launching and building the Alliance, and for what the organization represents to the field of massage therapy
and integrative health care in general. In this annual feature in The Integrator Blog, Weeks wrote:
Rick Rosen, MA, LMBT
Developing an Organization Dedicated to Advancing Massage Education
Rick Rosen is a North Carolina massage therapist and co-owner of the
Body Therapy Institute. For the last 18 months, Rosen has diligently
worked to fill an important institutional gap in the massage field;
namely, creating an organization dedicated entirely to advancing massage
education. Rosen's Alliance for Massage Therapy Education, which he
serves as executive director, aggregated its first members and held its
founding conference in June 2010 where a governing board of respected
massage educators was elected. In November, the Alliance announced
results of a survey of over 300 educators which found strong support for
investing in the teaching abilities of massage educators. Subsequently,
the Alliance published a white paper through which it kicked off a National Teacher Education Standards Project.
Rosen was inducted earlier this year into the Massage Therapy Hall of
Fame, perhaps, in the spirit of the 2008 Obama peace prize, out of hope
for what will come rather than services already accomplished. Happily,
steps the Alliance has taken under Rosen's direction suggest that he may
fare better in his promise to massage educators than Obama has fared in
peace-making.
Dec 26, 2010
Tina Holt
What is your massage story?
We would love for you to share how you got started in massage therapy and the impact it has made on your life. Please feel free to be honest share from your heart!
www.massage-education.com/massage-stories.html
Mar 4, 2011
Kris Bour
Mar 20, 2011