First Aid Course For Teachers

Doing a first aid course is a requirement for many different professions, including lifeguards, hiking guides, personal trainers, scuba divers and more. This is because a first aid course is a vital way to keep an injured person stable and secure during an emergency or accident. While it is not a prerequisite for teaching, most teachers will undergo training in a first aid course to ensure that they can offer care to students who get hurt. Teachers deal with a massive array of issues, and administering aid with the help of first aid course training is one of the many tasks they are expected to fulfil. If you'd like to know more about how first aid course training fits into a teacher’s everyday responsibilities, then read this article.

Duties and Responsibilities of Teachers

• Administering care with the help of first aid course training
  
  While teachers also have to ensure that students receive emotional support and provide guidance with regard to seeking counsel for personal issues, they are also required to be trained to handle physical incidents and emergencies. Whenever a child gains an injury, be it during playtime or in the classroom, they will likely run to their teacher for help. If the injury is not incredibly serious, the educator will have to attend to the wound or issue by administering first aid - if the injury goes beyond their first aid course training, then the teacher must refer the child to the nurse or call paramedics as well as the child's parents. Teachers who have done a first aid course are more likely to be hired, as a first aid course shows that they know how to deal with emergencies professionally and carefully. This knowledge and know-how can be provided by established institutions such as EMCARE.
  

• Creating lesson plans and preparing the syllabus
  
  Every teacher is designated to deal with a distinct subject according to the syllabus. The school or department will likely provide a lesson plan overview and some frameworks for how to teach the students about the contents provided. However, overall it is the responsibility of the teacher to determine the manner in which they will present the subject to the class. Teachers will have to predetermine the aims and objectives of each lesson, as well as which resources and teaching materials they’d like to use. What’s more, if the teacher is new to the subject or syllabus, they will need to spend extra time researching and familiarising themselves with the program so that they are equipped to answer any questions that might arise.
  
  
• Developing teaching materials
  
  Once the educator has determined how they will structure the lesson during the planning phases, the next step will be to create or source teaching materials and resources. Most teachers are given the freedom to choose whether they would like to use physical visual aids or digital multimedia, such as videos and PowerPoint. Traditional teaching materials usually refer to homemade posters, picture books, and chalkboards or whiteboards where drawings and diagrams can be reproduced in person during class hours. Many modern teachers might prefer to find online games, social media channels or podcasts to help convey the course content.
  

• Deciphering teaching methods
  
  Every teacher has a unique teaching style and method that is aligned with the subject they teach. However, selecting a teaching style requires more than just a personal choice. Teaching methods are conditional to the subject matter, class size, teaching objective, assessment type and physical context. For example, a drama teacher is more likely to encourage students to stand up and act out scenarios for a more practically-based syllabus, while an English teacher must be more passive when presenting a more theoretical course that requires students to think critically and write more frequently.
  
  
• Engaging with students and encouraging them to participate
  
  Without active engagement sessions, children and teenagers are far less likely to absorb and recall class content and subject matter. This is why it is important for teachers to incorporate different teaching strategies and techniques into a lesson plan. Many teachers choose to present theoretical work in the first half of the class, and then call on students to answer questions and feedback in the second half of the lesson. This kind of engagement incites better active recall and helps students to retain more information.
  
  
• Marking homework, tests and assignments
  
  This is a very important part of any work, and it is also a very time-consuming part of the day. Whenever students have homework to do or assignments to hand in, the teachers will have to spend time correcting and grading their work so that students can make improvements. This will determine student progress, and help teachers get an idea of how their class is managing the workload and content of the course. If the marks are low, the teacher should consider trying a different technique or offering more teaching assistance - if the marks are high, it means that the lessons have been effective.
  

• Creating assessments, invigilating exams and writing reports
  
  Teachers have to develop unique assessments and examinations that are up to school regulations and codes of practice - they can do this by comparing past papers and yearly rubrics or expectations. These assessments must be kept confidential at all costs, as their completion will count towards students’ final marks. Teachers will then have to invigilate these assessments and examinations to ensure that no cheating or tampering occurs, and then record the marks achieved. Once these marks have been recorded, the teachers will be able to use these marks, as well as class attendance and performance, to comment on the students’ ability and conduct during end-of-term report compilations.
  
  
• Providing emotional support and counsel to students
  
  Teachers are deemed to be the authority and superiors on school grounds. For this reason, they are responsible for the health and wellbeing of students during school hours, and are expected to offer them the care and support they need. Many students will suffer from common adolescent and schooling issues such as a learning disability or a social behavioural issue, so it is the teacher’s responsibility to keep watch and alert the parents or offer advice if anything goes wrong. For example, if students are bullying each other, the teacher is required to intervene and ensure that learning is not disrupted and disciplinary measures are taken.