I'll be teaching an EMT class at the end of the month and am compiling a list of helpful resources for the students (and also helpful instructor resources for myself). Does anyone use, or remember their instructor using, particular resources or activities that really stood out to them? I'd love to avoid death by power point as often as possible.
The best teachers I've had didn't rely on digital or mechanical tools; they were knowledgeable, personable, enthusiastic, innovative and articulate. If you can be at least three of those things, you'll be ahead of most instructors I've seen.
There are many techniques, but maybe start by planning to walk around the classroom while you're talking, rather than "hiding" behind a lectern. Consider involving students in role-playing exercises. Use simple props. Be unpredictable at times.
Teach the "why" of "what's wrong with this patient." Many people grasp things better that way -- at least, I find it much easier to apply concepts (like one ought to, clinically) that way.
...And if you haven't taken an adult learning class or methodology of instruction class, you're doing a huge disservice to your students. Most people who say, "I'm a great teacher..." aren't. You will have a diverse population of students and none of them will learn the same way. Please take the time to learn how to teach the same information in multiple learning styles.
get a copy of the textbook the students are using. the publisher will often ship you one... for free..... read it, highlight it, know what they are learning, and make notes. customize any power point presentations that you can get for free from the publisher. some suck more than others. review ahead of time. don't read from the slides, unless you absolutely have to. your slides are your outline, but you should be elaborating on their content.
I will disagree slightly on the war story comment. If you have a particular war story that is relevant to the topic, or serves as a good example, use it. As a student, the best way I learned was seeing how a topic was actually applied, because I would remember "didn't instructor A say he had a person with a/b/c symptoms, and it turned out to be this? maybe this person with B & C is having it too." But if you are telling war stories for the entire class you are doing something wrong
As for video, youtube is your friend, but only if you preview everything in advance. when it comes to trauma and extrication, this video is almost always played in my classes
I am the head instructor. I've taken the DPSST instructor class along with fire instructor and have been the assistant instructor for a few years now. I'm familiar with the curriculum and how to teach a class, of course there is always room for improvement. It only just recently crossed my mind however that perhaps other EMS folks here may have seen or used other methods to supplement a class' core curriculum that they enjoyed. I don't recall ever saying they're more important. It is what I am most curious about though. It's nice to mix up class with different examples. I have some already that tie in very well, but there's always stuff out there you haven't seen. Hopefully that quenches your curiosity.
