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Expanding your expertise as an educator

After teaching the same set of courses for a number of sessions an instructor can become bored with both the content and the dlelivery methods.  This is the time to stop and think about introducing something new to the class format.  Look at your lesson plans and select one topic that you are going to try a new method with.  If you have always lectured over the content think about how you might deliver the content differently.  Would it work to have the students make presentations, would learning groups, case studies, etc. provide the same learning opportunities?  Select the method you are going to use and them prepare to use it.  Gather the needed resources and format supports and you will be ready to go.

The exciting part about doing something like this is that you don't know the outcome so there is a bit of mystery as you introduce this method to the class.  You have not used this procedure before so you are not sure what the outcome will be.  This increases the excitement factor so you will be coming to class well prepared but not for sure about the outcome.  This will help you to revisit your content at a more indepth level while exploring delivery options.  With all of these components coming together it is like teaching a brand new mini course.  We all like change and you are introducing change into your own professional life.  By undertaking just one area of the course you are reducing the risk of failure to a minimum.  Once you have had success with this one area of the course you can try another area and then another.  Before long you will have introduced a variety of different activities and delivery mehtods into your course without having had to totally revamp the course in one major effort.

I do not mind teaching the same courses.  I find that I challenge myself to find unique ways to deliver the information and see which deliveries work best for student interest and student retention.  Students seem to really enjoy the clinical experiences that I bring to the classroom. 

Some fun learning moments include: 

using pop rocks for sensory learning,

using glitter on my hands and shake everyone's hand as they enter the classroom therefore sharing the glitter "pathogens"

making a huge heart with 6 pieces of poster board and having the students walk through as a blood cell. 

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