Teaching Tips

• Remember that everyone learns differently, so it is important to use teaching-learning approaches that are specific to your student.

Many times your personal style of learning may be different than your student's. It will help to understand how your student learns best so that you can adapt your teaching style to one that is best-suited for them. Flexibility is important!

• Offer information upfront.

Establish and share what you expect from the student and determine what their expectations of you and the experience are as well. Determine goals, both short and long-term, and discuss how the student can best prepare to obtain those goals. This will help you to assess the student’s learning needs and plan activities that will ensure a safe, valuable experience.

• Don't wait until the end to give feedback; this should be done throughout the experience.

Focus on the student's performance and allow them to be a part of the evaluation process. Don't just offer information; ask for feedback on how they feel they are doing. Sometimes there are concerns that the student may have that you as the preceptor are not able to see.

• If a task is complex, break it into a step-by-step process.

Give the student rationales for each step of the process (they have been taught that the "why" is usually more important than the "what"). Offer guidance and feedback as they demonstrate each step.

• Get to know your student.

Knowing the student’s current knowledge base and readiness to learn helps both of you to identify where they are and where they need to be. Make sure that the student feels welcome. This will make them more comfortable to ask questions, communicate openly, and be fully engaged in the experience.

• Discuss how and why you are making your patient-care decisions.

Share your thought processes and what led to your decisions. Encourage the student to make decisions on their own and then share them with you so that you can evaluate their critical thinking and decision-making skills. These are both critical skills that should be worked on continually throughout this experience.