A question to all reflexology students and tutors. I have been asked to teach a small introduction to reflexoogy course. I am wondering how involved a tutor should be in their practical classes. On my ITEC for example, we never worked on our tutor's feet as she said it meant she couldn't get round the class to supervise!
What are other people's experiences and preferences? As tutors, do you get people to work on your own feet? As students, did you work on your tutor's feet?
A bit nervous about this, so would appreciate your replies! THANKS!
Janet x
RE: TEACHING - how involved?
A few weeks ago we had an odd number of people in the class and one lady asked the tutor if she could do her feet - she said this was not allowed as.
1. She had to observe students at all times
2. there was a health and safety issue (pressume if the fire alarm went off or such like)
Also in my previous classes I have never seen the tutor getting a treatment - I would have thought if they felt the way you do a treatment they would be better able to access you - then, what do I know!
I think maybe the biggest thing if the tutor has a treatment is that she might have 'fun 'and be able to access one or 2 students better, however, what about the people who are unsure, or just quickly want to see a movement again or want to make sure they are doing it right. You are talking about a short introduction course so I suppose a lot would depened on what you want to cover in the time you have. I started my course in August -we have been practising on each other inclass and start on client later this month - still people are unsure of many things and keep asking for clarification or to be shown again.
What were you thinking of covering? How long do you have? How many people in the class?
RE: TEACHING - how involved?
Hi Jo,
Thanks for your reply! It's only a weekend introductory course and I'm expecting about ten or eleven students.
Interesting that your tutor wouldn't let her feet be used. I would have thought that was the obvious thing to do when there is an odd number! Is this what happens in classes generally I wonder? Anyone else have tutors giving safety reasons why they couldn't have their own feet treated?
Janet x
RE: TEACHING - how involved?
hi janet,
i teach intro to (ITEC) reflexology. it was a 2 hour a week, 5 week course. this term (i have just been told this minute actually that its not running :() it was being upped to 10 weeks. being enthusiastic about reflex, i think i cover a lot cos i want them to know it all, but by week 5 the learners are ok... heads stopped spinning!
yes, i have had my toes twiddled when i have had odd numbers, but not really until the last week, because, yes, my job is to check progress, help and give feedback.
i did have a back massage from a learner one week on an intro to massage course i was teaching, which was great! i realised what a good massage and routine i teach :D.
a colleague teaching ITEC massage, has a massage from all her students towards the end of the course as an assessment means. best way to tell how they are doing.
edited to add... odd numbers mean a group of three doing simultaneous reflex... at least there are 2 feet, not like a 4 handed back massage!
RE: TEACHING - how involved?
We had a session before Christmas when there was an odd number in our Reflexology course. Our tutor insisted that she should pair up with someone. Needless to say, we were all a bit nervous about being her partner! Mind you, it was a bit annoying that you couldn't call her over if you wanted to ask her something!
Just curious as to how in depth you can teach in a weekend if people have no A & P knowledge? If that was me I would get carried away and try and teach them too much!!!!
Good luck with it and let us know how you get on!
RE: TEACHING - how involved?
Thanks for your reply 5-star!
Obviously, I don't expect to teach them everything in a weekend, though some of them know other therapies so they may have some A & P already. I'll just have to see how many we get. Any other tactics for dealing with odd numbers?
Janet x
RE: TEACHING - how involved?
Any other tactics for dealing with odd numbers?
Yes, one week our tutor had an odd number.Most worked in pairs, but one was agroup of 3; I person in the chair, the other two had one foot each and swopped over at half time.
It worked really well, and was very interesting for the one in the chair!
FootsieX
RE: TEACHING - how involved?
It's entirely up to you, I would rather keep an eye on the class than pu my feet up from a teaching point of view, however, one thing our tutor did was to put her feet up and we all do a section of the treatment, so she could see how our touch was and is it was good an gave us feedback, it was great.
RE: TEACHING - how involved?
That's very very interesting. At the college where I did my ITEC Reflexology course (you know who you are!) the tutor stayed on a couch throughout the sessions for treatments. I do not remember her supervising us at all.
Any comments from anyone??
RE: TEACHING - how involved?
That's interesting Andromeda - your tutor must really like having her feet done! Responses seem very divided on this one. Did you feel it was a disadvantage if the tutor was not coming around as you worked, or had she already done plenty of that?
Janet x
RE: TEACHING - how involved?
Hi Janetheal - unfortunately the tutor merely showed us the sequence once and then let us get on with it on each other while she was having treatments. We all had to go to other experienced therapists to ask questions and then pooled the answers! I actually did another course immediately afterwards with more supervised practicals because I just didn't trust the teaching or the pass I received after the examination.
Maybe I'm just a little long in the tooth to cope adequately with modern teaching practices!