Students can participate in SPOTS in one of two ways:
• Sign up for and attend a SPOTS teaching elective; in this manner, students will receive credit for one clinical elective.
• Attend a designated SPOTS training session. Teach as a volunteer; add to your curriculum vitae.
Basic time commitment
• Elective credit: teach the number of courses listed in the elective catalog, but can teach more.
• Volunteer (no school credit): teach a minimum of two courses, but may be required to teach more.
Responsibilities
• All students (elective and volunteer) who plan to teach are required to attend the training sessions.
• Student teachers should have read the manual and have acquired a basic understanding of the curriculum.
• Student teachers should pair up and practice the lecture sections before teaching in the schools.
• If a student is ill or has a schedule conflict and is unable to teach a pre-scheduled class, it is essential that she/he find a replacement teacher, and contact the SPOTS student leaders a minimum of 24 hours in advance. Please be respectful of your commitment to teaching. The schools have allotted a specific date and time for our teaching purposes -- being punctual and committed furthers our program’s goals, reflects positively on our institution, and fosters a good relationship with the schools.
Policies
• Dress Code: Each student teacher will receive a SPOTS t-shirt that should be worn to class when teaching the SPOTS curriculum in local schools. Try to look professional -- please wear clean jeans or pants without tears or holes. You are representing your medical/allied health school.
• Language: Most presentations to the public should be geared to the sixth grade level for comprehension. Although medical terms can be used when necessary, it is important to define them with common words or examples and to avoid excessive medical jargon. Asking for feedback from the students as you teach will allow you to clarify points that may have been mistranslated or misunderstood, assess what the students are actually comprehending, and create an open environment more conducive to interactive learning. Remember, teenagers respond better to people who try to communicate with them on their own level.