They say that things do not
always go as planned, but that doesn't mean you should eliminate planning in
the equation and just act on spontaneity. Sometimes, things will go as planned
– maybe just not exactly how we expected it to be. The thing is: it is always
better to go to a battle prepared. Last Friday marked the end of this course,
and what better way to end it than a culminating activity to apply all that we
have learned in the past two weeks. On this day, we engage into a battle
fingers crossed, hoping we are prepared enough to win.
We were ready. But the thing
is, our participants weren’t.
We ran around CAMP trying to
convince the kuyas to attend the
teaching session. Some of them reasoned that they had to go home; others said
they still have tasks to do. I won’t blame them. I know they have duties to
fulfill and us interfering is beyond their schedule and control. We almost gave
up. We almost started with only two participants at hand instead of the five
originally planned. In the end, four of them attended the session.
The teaching session went
better than I expected it to be. At first, the kuyas were uncertain about the session and I owe this to the fact
that we were not able to establish rapport effectively. As pointed out by our
mentor, we only introduced ourselves and did not let them introduce theirs
because we already know their names. We missed the fact that it could have been
better if we let them talk about what they actually do in CAMP instead of just
assuming based on what has been told to us beforehand. Slowly, though, I saw
them ease into it especially during the return demonstrations. It was
exhilarating to see them very engaged and participative. Maybe this can be
attributed to the fact that we utilized what they always use at work in our
demonstrations. We were also commended for the flow of the teaching session,
however, it would have been better had the set-up been improved. Another thing we forgot to take into
consideration was that most of the exercises we taught were mat exercises.
Since they are at work most of the time, we could have taught them exercises
that can be done while at work (while standing or sitting), those which would
not require them to use mats anymore. This is probably one of the most
important things pointed out because as physical therapists, we do not only
want what is best for the client but also that of which is most practical for
them. That way, they will be more faithful and engaged into the exercises. The
importance of knowing what you are teaching was also reflected in this
activity. To be able to give the correct feedback (especially during the
exercises), you should know even the littlest detail of what you are teaching.
Overall, it was a very fulfilling
experience. No reward could have been better than seeing them walk out the room
with satisfaction and pride. I have appreciated the complexity and beauty of
teaching especially in this profession. The experiences and lessons I have
earned from the day one will be with me as I continue to become better. There
are still a lot to learn, a couple of things I do feel the lack of confidence
and skill to perform but this is what I hope to gain through more exposures
like these in the future.
Lastly, I have realized that in
a teaching profession, preparation is key. There will be times that a situation
will call for a change of plans, but you will always go back to step one:
planning – what to do next or how to proceed. You may need to revise but you
must still have to have objectives and goals in mind for you to be able to
carry out an activity with success. You have to prepare. Prepare for the best;
prepare for the worst.
No comments:
Post a Comment