Day 63

Over the last 7-8 years, I have been called upon to teach several different types of classes at work. Sometimes the material is preset, such as Advanced Cardiopulmonary Life Support (ACLS). Other times my classes have stemmed from a need on the unit and it has been left to me to figure out how best to lay out the education.

I don't mind either way, but the latter at first was intimidating. I have had no formal training on Powerpoint, public speaking, or teaching for that matter. I struggled with how to find material that could be trusted, and how to lay it out so that people weren't asleep in 15 minutes.

If you were in one of my first classes- I deeply apologize. But over the years, I have learned tricks of the trade- such as how to insert Clip Art that keeps people engaged in the slide. I have graduated to using Google Images and You Tube, inserting links to my Powerpoint that then whisks us away to a video that demonstrates whatever point I was making. And a word of advice- Clip Art is definately "PG" compared to Google Images. You just don't know what's gonna pop up when you type a word into the Google Search bar....

I have learned that bringing food to share lessens the sting of a "mandatory" education requirement on a day off. And bringing candy to throw at people who participate in the lecture helps to keep them listening, not wanting to miss out on something I may ask later. I talk loudly,  and purposely talk about what is on the slide- not read word-for-word from it. I move around, make silly jokes and hand gestures, and tell real life stories to keep them from becoming disinterested. I try to break down what can be complex thoughts and processes into "layman's" terms, knowing that until you understand things at a very basic level, there is no room to grow to understand more complex things.

But all of that is no easy task. It takes a lot of time to build a class, and figure out how best to present material. Today I finished the last of three classes that I gave our staff on how to care for patients who have had open heart surgery. Each class was 4 hours long, and at the end I thought I woudl be relieved. Instead, I was a little giddy, and already thinking about how to tweek the class to make it better the next time. Of course, I could have just been giddy from eating the donuts I had brought to share....

Today's picture represents something it seems I was just kind of made to do- teach. I love to see the lightbulb come on above their head. I love knowing maybe I helped them understand something that will allow them to care for their patients better. I even love the process of building the class and using Google Images to find funny pictures that make people laugh. So a big thank you to those who have listened to me teach a class, mandatory or not. Because in all honesty you give me as much as I give you.