Gonna be teaching a CNA class...

Nascar nurse, ASN, RN · Nov 14, 2010

I'm nervous. I'm pretty good at teaching in the clinical setting, but I'm nervous about the classroom portion. I can barely order at Starbucks without sounding like I'm having a stroke, and am concerned that the nice bosses I have that asked me to teach will sorely regret this. Any advice?

I did this for a few years and loved it! The first class seems a little rough but it gets easier. The students became my "kids" and I took such a great satisfaction watching them grow. Best of all was when two different students eventually left my facility, we lost touch and then after some time passed they came back to find me to let me know they were now nurses. Both giving me credit for setting them on the path to being a nurse.

Good luck. You will be fine.

CNABESS · Nov 14, 2010

I have just finished the course in my state. I am a middle aged adult woman who has some teaching experience, so I might sound judgemental, it is not intended, just trying to throw out some observations. Our class started with 40 students. We graduated 21. The teacher spent so much time telling us how she would help us "all the way through" and has "never had a student fail her class". This led many younger students to believe they would get serious help and not need to study. The teacher also came in very unprepared most days, and that is not something you can cover up. PLEASE, be prepared to discuss the material. Also, our teacher was a push-over. She would loose total control of the class by allowing students to go off on rants about insurance, bad employers, things their Alzheimers afflicted grandparents do,etc.... One day we lost 40 minutes while students compared tatoos and discussed the costs and different varieties of tatooing!!! We accomplished nothing on that day. So please keep charge of the class. Also, being a teacher of anything means knowing how to present material in an interesting, clear fashion and get the important aspects accross. Our teacher simply read the material from the book in a monotone voice. It was awful! Give students an idea of what to expect out there in the real world. Tell them stories about incidents that relate to the subject (obviously without too much patient information). Let them know that cute little old ladies with demetia can turn on you and throw baseballs of poop at you.

Something tells me that you were asked to do this because people recognize a teacher in you. Don't be nervous. You are going to be giving information about an area you have a great deal of knowledge in. This is you field and your comfort zone. The students will appreciate a good teacher. I wish you the best in this endeavor

lovingtheunloved, ASN, RN · Nov 14, 2010

Thanks!:)

Laurab14 · Nov 14, 2010

What I always tell my new instructors is this "the students don't know any better, or what to expect" meaning they have no idea if your "perfect" lecture doesn't go as planned. You will make adjustments as you go, the students appreciate a caring patient teacher much better that someone who can't relate because they know too much. Be approachable, and pretend like everything is deliberate, even if it isn't.

Kolohe99 · Nov 15, 2010

I have no doubt your bosses are nice. But I'm sure that's not why they asked you to teach. They asked you because they have the confidence that you can do it. (Like Bess said) I bet they're right. Years ago when I was in school (albeit non nursing field) I enjoyed the instructors who had actually been out in the "real world" more than the ones who had spent their entire time in academia. Their lectures were always more interesting; and I had more confidence that they knew what they were talking about. I bet you do fine.

BTW, "attagirl" for being asked. :yeah: