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TEACHING TIPS
TYPES OF ACTIVITIES
There are many ways to make classes interactive and engaging, which helps facilitate learning. Appendix B includes eight activities. You will also find suggestions to use these activities in the corresponding topics. Below are other tried-and-true activities( not created by us) that many educators use. There are many ways to get creative.
• Clay or Play-Doh: Parents mold a closed cervix, and then mold it into a cervix that has dilated and effaced.
• Balloon and ping-pong ball: Beginning with an inflated balloon containing a ping-pong ball inside blocking the opening, parents squeeze the balloon to push the ping-pong ball through the opening and“ give birth.” The balloon opening“ dilates” and“ effaces” as they squeeze it through.
• Household comfort: Hand out an assortment of household items and ask parents to brainstorm ways they can be used to provide comfort. Parents can explore ways to help cope with labor. Examples include: tennis ball, tissues, cup, wash cloth, etc.
Preview
• Bingo: Create bingo cards with labor signs, interventions or other topics.
• True or false: Create a list of“ facts” about pregnancy, labor, postpartum or other topics and ask parents to determine if the statement is true or false.
An internet search can give you more direction and video examples of these activities. In addition, the Connecting the Dots series by Lamaze features many ideas.
In the lesson plans, we have suggested one or more of the following activity types for each topic. Varying the structure of the activities throughout the class can help keep parents engaged, break up long topics and facilitate bonding with their partners or the other parents in class.
• Individual reflection: This is time set aside for parents to reflect on the information learned, complete forms and handouts or discuss information with their partner.
• Discussion: The instructor provides information, answers questions and prompts discussion with the entire class. Each topic in the curriculum contains discussion prompts. In addition the Warm Up Activities and Wrap-Up Ideas on the following pages contain additional prompts.
• Hands-on practice: Parents practice what they have learned.
• Small group activity: The class is divided into small groups( i. e. 2 – 4 individuals / pairs). Each small group completes a discussion or activity together. When completed, the small groups may be asked to report on their activity to the larger group.
Within each topic, we include suggestions for managing each activity and key points to include in your discussion.
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