Are you a practice owner with new graduates in your team? Do you supervise students on placement? Or lead a team of experienced physiotherapists in a hospital? You’re probably doing a lot of things a teacher or mentor does, though you may not call yourself either of these things.
Whatever your role as an educator, this group will provide you with insights and connections to others in the education world—whether they dip in occasionally or reside there full-time.
Members of the group receive emails, which include news of opportunities, relevant research articles, resources and updates on committee activities around the country.
Online and face-to-face professional development is also offered at a discount.
The Educators group is not just for those working solely in teaching roles, or performing academic research. Many private practice owners and team leaders find themselves playing mentoring roles to graduates and students. There is a responsibility to provide on-the-job learning, which sometimes extends to more experienced physiotherapists on your staff.
Many physiotherapists will present at least one conference during their career. Others work in academia, devoting their careers to sharing their knowledge with the next generation of physiotherapists, or in research where they continue to build the evidence-base of the profession.
How do you know whether your presentation style is effective? What does a good ‘teacher’ do? How do you know whether people are getting the most out of your presentation or guidance?
The Educators group aims to answer these questions through professional development courses—both online and face-to-face—which are offered at a discount to members of the group. There is also a wealth of knowledge sharing, which takes place through the Facebook group and emails.
There are opportunities to be involved in shaping the future of this group. You can volunteer for committee positions in your state or at a national level, or contribute your ideas for professional development and other activities.
Every two years, members of the Educators group National Committee are heavily involved in the planning of the business and leadership conference held by the APA. Key questions facing leaders, teachers and researchers are pondered at these conferences, and workshops are designed to equip you with new skills in presenting, learning, mentoring and more.
These skills are a vital part of every physiotherapist’s toolkit as they progress in their career. Don’t flounder or rely on guesswork. Connect with experienced educators and tackle questions together. Access high-quality resources and research articles. Attend relevant professional development and feel like you’re supported as an educator and presenter.