Teaching Techniques for Perinatal Educators are essential in providing comprehensive and effective guidance to expectant parents. These techniques help birth keepers in their mission to educate and empower expectant parents with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the childbirth process and their maternity system confidently.
Here are some Teaching Techniques for Perinatal Educators
Lecture – The simplest teaching method is to stand in front of the class and share all the necessary information. This method offers several advantages. First and foremost, it allows for the efficient delivery of a large amount of information in a relatively short time span. Furthermore, lectures provide an opportunity for students to gain knowledge without having to conduct extensive research on their own. Additionally, lectures facilitate the dissemination of complex ideas and concepts in a structured manner. However, despite its benefits, the lecture method has its drawbacks. One significant disadvantage is that students typically retain only about 20% of the information presented during a lecture. This limited retention can be attributed to various factors such as the passive nature of the learning experience and the inability to actively engage with the material.
Use visual aids – Posters, banners, illustrations, and videos can effectively enhance understanding and retention of information. By incorporating visual aids, childbirth educators can create a more engaging and interactive learning environment, making complex concepts easier to grasp.
Create an engaging and active learning experience – Another valuable technique is active learning. Encouraging expectant parents to actively participate in discussions, group activities, and role-plays can greatly enhance their learning experience. This approach allows parents to practice the skills they will need during childbirth and fosters a sense of empowerment and confidence.
Storytelling – Learning through the use of storytelling can also be a powerful teaching technique. Sharing real-life birth stories and experiences can provide expectant parents with practical insights and emotional support. Storytelling helps build empathy and creates a connection between the childbirth educator and the parents, fostering a sense of trust and openness.
Brainstorming – is a valuable activity that encourages expecting parents to come together and share their thoughts and ideas regarding various aspects of pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting. This provides a platform for open discussions and allow participants to exchange their experiences, concerns, and knowledge surrounding this transformative period in their lives. Through the process of brainstorming, attendees can explore different strategies, techniques, and coping mechanisms to navigate the challenges and joys of pregnancy and early parenthood. Moreover, this collaborative approach fosters a sense of community and support, enabling individuals to feel more prepared and empowered as they embark on their journey to becoming parents.
Q&A – Allow some time for questions and answers. When people come up with questions, it helps them to think more. They will understand the information they hear in response to questions better than the information given in a lecture.
Incorporate technology into your teaching – Utilizing online resources, interactive apps, and virtual platforms can provide additional opportunities for learning and accessibility. Technology allows childbirth educators to reach a wider audience and provide resources and support beyond the classroom. Ultimately, by combining these teaching techniques, perinatal educators can create a dynamic and inclusive learning environment that promotes knowledge acquisition, skill development, and emotional support for expectant parents.
Card Sort – is a practical activity where you prepare cards with various prompts such as signs of the onset of labour, myths and truths about newborns, or a hormone picture and statement hunt. During a card sort activity, participants categorize these prompts into different groups based on their similarities. This method allows for a visual and interactive way to understand and organize information related to childbirth and parenting. By engaging in this activity, individuals can gain a deeper understanding of these topics and explore the connections between different concepts, options and ideas.
Demonstrations – To effectively convey breathing techniques, positions, and movement for birth (and other related topics), it is important to utilize demonstrations. By visually demonstrating these techniques, you can provide a clear understanding and promote effective learning for both visual and kinesthetic learners. Encourage expectant parents to actively participate in trying these techniques during the sessions. This will will not only enhance their understanding but also help them retain the information better.
Goodie Bag – Another great teaching technique for perinatal educators! You pass around a bag or container of props (e.g. things which may be helpful/useful during the early postpartum period). They pick an object out of the container, say what it is, and why they think it could be helpful.
Quizzes – A quiz is a type of activity that can be done in a small group, as homework, or as a worksheet given in class. It is useful for reviewing information that has already been taught, especially information that is easy to understand, such as “Name three things that help you relax”. It is also helpful for providing information that is good to know, but not necessary to remember the answers to, like the advantages of having a doula.
Small group discussions – When it comes to facilitating better communication in a classroom setting, one effective strategy is to divide the class into smaller groups. By doing so, we create an environment where individuals can engage in more intimate conversations and exchange ideas freely. Sometimes it may be beneficial to keep couples together and other times there are instances where it’s more beneficial to separate couples. Overall, implementing small group discussions fosters active participation and enhances the overall learning experience.
Games – There are many different styles of games you can utilise in your antenatal education setting. I have a labour board game and a labour revision game which I use regularly on my antenatal classes. Games are fun, interactive, people solve problems and retain the memory however they can take up a lot of time for how much information gets covered.
Homework – Worksheets to take home, lists of skills to practice, book recommendations and other further reading are a great way to encourage expectant parents to think about their journey between classes/sessions. However, many of your clients will not actually do their homework…
Sources and further reading
- Brookfield, S.D., 2013. Powerful techniques for teaching adults. John Wiley & Sons.
- Future Learn: https://www.futurelearn.com/info/blog/how-to-teach-adult-learners
- Kerka, S., 2002. Teaching adults: Is it different?. ERIC Clearinghouse on Adult, Career, and Vocational Education, Center on Education and Training for Employment, College of Education, the Ohio State University.
- Nesbit, T., Leach, L. and Foley, G., 2020. Teaching adults. In Dimensions of adult learning (pp. 74-95). Routledge.
- Rogers, A. and Horrocks, N., 2010. Teaching adults. McGraw-Hill Education (UK).
