Teaching in PT

I have always known that teaching is a difficult profession. It requires multitasking abilities, good social skills, expertise in the chosen field, and copious amounts of patience. I am not entirely confident with my teaching abilities and so with some apprehension I started the journey to teaching in physical therapy that is PT 138.

Day one was unexpectedly enjoyable. It was a hectic yet constructive experience. Our group started off with a yoga session. In this activity, we were learners. And as a learner, I was expected to keep track of only myself for the whole exercise. As a teacher, you need to keep track of not only yourself but every single one of your students; providing feedback, instructing students, and demonstrating the exercises.

The second activity was video critiquing. This time, we were tasked to give feedback on our previous videos on ACBT. Critiquing your own work is hard because we have the tendency to be harder on ourselves than others. I saw a lot of points that need improvement with my own performance. And the thought that I know what I needed to improve on and what I can do to improve it gives me the sense of achievement that comes with progress gained. It also comes with the realization that it is progress but it does not stop there.

The last activity for the day was role playing. This was the next most difficult activity, second only to yoga. We did not come unequipped to deal with patients like the ones given to us but we did, however, lack experience. As novice PTs, mastery of the different conditions and how to deal with them seems the most important factor at the moment. I am hoping that efficiency in dealing with patients comes more naturally through experience.