a community of practitioners

Let's talk education!

[[Comment by Pete Whitridge on October 8, 2009 at 5:44pm --- Glad to see a group for instructors here. Let's talk education. Skills, classroom behavior, testing strategies, body mechanics. Some of the other groups seem too focused on political stuff. Let's talk about the process of being in the classroom teaching the folks. P>]]

Thanks for the comment, Pete! I totally agree...I teach at a Career and Technical Public School in Arizona, where I teach Massage Therapy to High School Students...if you can believe it!!!! It is awesome, but I assure you and everyone else reading this discussion, that it is COMPLETELY different than teaching adults. And I know because I used to teach adults as well---VERY different. Not only that, but I teach two classes that are 4 hours long. So, making sure that your high school seniors pay attention, don't get bored, and are enthused, you have to continuously switch it up within that 4-hour time block.

Regarding testing strategies, I actually just tested my students a couple of days ago with both a written exam as well as a practicum. I am lucky enough to have a disarticulated skeleton in my classroom, and I labeled the different bones...numbering the bony landmarks. Each bone was at a different "station" within the classroom, and students were to take their sheet of paper and sit at a station. They were to find the station on their sheet of paper, as there were the exact number of spaces under that section. They sit answering the questions, and are timed so they focus their attention on answering as correctly as possible. Students are given the go ahead to all rotate stations at the same time, and it is repeated until all students have been to all of the stations. Both adults, as well as my high school students, find that this kind of testing is fair, very hands-on, and almost FUN, especially when they know the answers:-)

Repetition is key regarding all aspects of what you are teaching your students. When students take a test, they should be able to hear your lessons in the back of their head...the repetition that you have practically been drilling into them for the past couple of weeks. The same is true for body mechanics. I nip bad habits in the bud before they become consistent. I constantly tell my students to bend their knees, and I am hopeful that when they become Licensed Massage Therapists, they will still hear my voice telling them to bend their knees when they lose focus with their clients:-)

I also make sure to instill in them the highest level of professionalism, and am sure to teach them all aspects of the book, The Educated Heart, by Nina McIntosh. I absolutely love that book and I find it is invaluable.
Let's keep this discussion going! Thanks for being a member of this awesome group! :-D
~Amy O'Connor, BA, LMT, NCTMB

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Pete Whitridge on October 11, 2009 at 10:33am

You sound so wonderfully excited by your teaching! This is want I'm talking about! People like Parker J. Palmer teach us that education should be fun, fulfilling and challenging all at the same time. The best teachers are adaptable to the moment, and can use the energy of the class to create that space and momentum for LEARNIING. How do some of you adapt in the moment if things are going the way you planned? Looking forward to hearing your ideas. P>

Permalink Reply by Katie Whitmire on October 11, 2009 at 3:05pm

I'm very new to the teaching world,but have found that keeping the students or colleagues I'm teaching involved makes for a learning experience for them and myself. Its amazing what one can learn from new students just starting on their journey into Massage. K

Permalink Reply by Pete Whitridge on October 11, 2009 at 7:40pm

Welcome to the world of teaching. I'm asking for the sake of the discussion here, did you apprentice with other teachers? Were you a teacher in another field? As we progress into a "profession", it would be interesting to create a teacher's college for experienced clinicians to begin to learn the skills it takes to train the next generation. Being a good therapist does not automatically make one a good teacher. I'm not questioning your skills, Katie. Just wondering about how folks do enter into the classroom and then dreaming about how we might help you be a GREAT teacher. My dream is that we have this college/intensive training (whatever you want to call it) availabe throughout the country so excellent professional therapists can learn the skills of teaching a classroom full of adult learners, as well as gen x'ers, y'er, and n`s. What does everyone think? P>

Katie Whitmire said:

I'm very new to the teaching world,but have found that keeping the students or colleagues I'm teaching involved makes for a learning experience for them and myself. Its amazing what one can learn from new students just starting on their journey into Massage. K

Permalink Reply by Katie Whitmire on October 11, 2009 at 10:16pm

I was a Licensed Therapist for 4 years then apprenticed with a local school for a year before taking a teaching class, and am assisting there now. I realize you learn daily things you may or may not have known those light bulbs just keep going off. I Love my work, to me its an art form , that keeps getting better. I think your idea for an intensive training / college is wonderful. I would certainly want to attend. I've found that too get quality CE you have too look closely at credentials, around here most are just in it for the hours not too learn.< K

Permalink Reply by Pete Whitridge on October 13, 2009 at 3:05pm

How wonderful. You can see that there are many aspects of teaching that were not apparent during your first few go arounds. Do you use technology in the classrooms? Are the students able to use laptops for learning during class? Let's see if that could even be another discussion! What kind of technology do you use in the classroom? LCD projectors, to the old standby, the overhead projector. Let's see what others use. P>