Sleepy eyed Paramedic

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 6/28/2006 1:36:36 P.M. Central Daylight Time,

FireMedic1633@... writes:

Just remember it takes both Instructor and Student to make a class

great.

I agree within that piece of wisdom but it is not a 90/10 nor a 50/50 thing.

I can't see how anyone would sleep through a Gandy class he's just too

engaging and his passion for the " business " is too evident.

Anyone sleeping though him needs to get a new career in my view.

Louis N. Molino, Sr., CET

FF/NREMT-B/FSI/EMSI

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[Guest guest]

I am going to give my penny's worth on this subject.

As a paramedic and a student, I can't count the number of times I

have walked into a class with questions on my mind, to be shut down

by the instructor. I have frequently attempted to have an

interchange of ideas only to find that the instructor was more

interested in presenting his power point than to challenge my

learning. If I am hearing for the millionth time that direct

pressure is the answer for mild bleeding.... Guess what.... I will go

to sleep on you. If the class isn't going to challenge my thoughts,

ideas or answer my questions, I don't want to be there. The last

couple of ACLS classes were just that. They didn't challenge me,

they didn't answer questions I brought with me. I had instructors

that were more interested in the check that I personally wrote to pay

for the class than to teach me something new. Now I am very

particular about where I go for my education classes. I won't pick

one just because its close/easy/short. These classes bore me and put

me to sleep.

Having set through a Gandy lecture, I can assure you that if I was in

your class as a medic, I would ask lots of questions, play with all

your tools. But never skip lunch. (Fat guys Hate to skip lunch) But I

just might want to sit with you at the table so I could pick your

brain.

Just remember it takes both Instructor and Student to make a class

great.

Tom LeNeveu

Sleepy Paramedic

[Guest guest]

Tom,

I've been in bad lectures myself and I know how deadly they can be. That's

why I hate sticking to PowerPoints and am notorious for taking a subject and

running with it. But I always try to run in a circle so that when the run is

over, we're back at the starting point.

One of my techniques is what I call " Connections " after the old PBS show of

the same name. I try to show how everything is connected, how everything

depends on everything else, and how if one thing is out of kilter it affects

everything else. That leads sometimes to expansion that ignores the schedule

and

seems to wander, until, all at once, things begin to fall into place. I love

to do that, and I think students like it also.

The schedule is the worst thing about teaching an ACLS course or any other

course. That's why I prefer scenario, or problem based, learning. It's open

ended, and it draws the students in. Even the bored ones sometimes get

excited and want to show what they know.

I usually start a section on pharmacology with a question: " What's the

difference between vasopressin and epinephrine and why do we use either one of

them in ventricular fibrillation? " One question leads to another and sooner or

later the truth comes out. It's like cross examination.

The PowerPoints are there as an outline, nothing more. If you just read the

PPts, you're not an instructor. It's the questions behind the PPts and the

information outside the slides that make the class interesting.

Most instructors do not ask nearly enough questions. Sometimes I start with

this: " If you were the instructor, what's the first question you would ask

this class? " After the humorous replies like, " Why are you here? " you can

usually hear brain engines starting up and then you're on your way.

Another technique that gets things going is, when someone answers a question,

I say, " We have a motion on the floor for 150 mg of amiodarone over 8-10

minutes. Do I hear a second? " Then the class votes. If the motion carries,

I

ask someone else, " why did you vote against the motion? or why did you vote

for the motion? "

Keep it lively. Keep it fun. Vary your approach. Get away from reading

the PPts and your students will like you better and learn more. Except for

the ones who are hopeless. That's another subject altogether.

Gene G.

>

> I am going to give my penny's worth on this subject.

>

> As a paramedic and a student, I can't count the number of times I

> have walked into a class with questions on my mind, to be shut down

> by the instructor. I have frequently attempted to have an

> interchange of ideas only to find that the instructor was more

> interested in presenting his power point than to challenge my

> learning. If I am hearing for the millionth time that direct

> pressure is the answer for mild bleeding.... Guess what.... I will go

> to sleep on you. If the class isn't going to challenge my thoughts,

> ideas or answer my questions, I don't want to be there. The last

> couple of ACLS classes were just that. They didn't challenge me,

> they didn't answer questions I brought with me. I had instructors

> that were more interested in the check that I personally wrote to pay

> for the class than to teach me something new. Now I am very

> particular about where I go for my education classes. I won't pick

> one just because its close/easy/short. These classes bore me and put

> me to sleep.

>

> Having set through a Gandy lecture, I can assure you that if I was in

> your class as a medic, I would ask lots of questions, play with all

> your tools. But never skip lunch. (Fat guys Hate to skip lunch) But I

> just might want to sit with you at the table so I could pick your

> brain.

>

> Just remember it takes both Instructor and Student to make a class

> great.

>

> Tom LeNeveu

> Sleepy Paramedic

>

>

>