Introduction
According to the National Council on Family Relations, “Family Life Education Methodology is an understanding of the general philosophy and broad principles of family life education in conjunction with the ability to plan, implement, and evaluate such educational programs.”
It is important as a professional to be able to plan and implement education programs to fit the needs of the clients. Fitting the needs in the best way possible includes understanding the values and concerns of the clients. A professional is able to plan and provide an effective program that implements educational techniques.
Coursework
- Professional Seminar in Family Life Education– This class taught me the basics of Family Life Education. It helped me to understand what it takes to be a Family Life Educator and has prepared me to start out in a helping profession.
- Working with Parents – I had the opportunity in this class to learn how to prepare a teaching unit for parents. I prepared a parent education class that can be taught over the course of a month.
- The Helping Relationship – This class prepared me to be able to be involved in relationships within the helping profession. It taught me how to balance my career and my own personal life to be as an effective educator as possible.
Experience
- Life Choice Ministries – During the course of my internship I was able to construct a one-night class for mothers that have been clients of LCM. I worked around the needs of these clients to best fit my program to them.
- Pregnancy Testing Center – As a consultant of pregnancy testing, I have learned how to be sensitive to individuals in the way that I teach and provide information. This experience helped me grow as a professional in the way that I share information.
Reflection
Throughout the course of college I have learned all about families, family structures, and the curriculum of a Family Life Educator. I have learned different ways to teach families and individuals in a way that is both sensitive to their needs and also to their values. As a pregnancy testing consultant, I have learned how to put my knowledge into play. I have gotten the chance to meet with many different clients from a wide array of backgrounds. With each one of these clients came both a learning opportunity and a time to display my knowledge as a Family Life Educator. It is especially important in these situations to be able to implement my education and also be sensitive to what the client is telling me and wanting to hear.
During my internship at Life Choice Ministries I had the opportunity to research the link between smoking and infertility. I had a client that was wanting to become pregnant but couldn’t figure out why it wasn’t happening. After the consultation I began to research this issue. If it weren’t for my knowledge from my previous college courses, I wouldn’t have thought to start researching the link between these two. I had the opportunity to learn about this and then implement the information into an upcoming meeting with the client. Through my observations and learning at my internship I found the best way possible to expand my education, share the information, and still be sensitive to the client.
Educating parents is a normal part of a doula’s job. As a Family Life Educator I will be able to continue my learning within the findings in the health profession and the birth doula profession. Sharing my knowledge with parents and then providing the best help based on my teachings is what is going to make me the best doula that I can be. I believe that I have to be involved with life-long learning as a doula to be able to plan, implement, and evaluate educational programs.
ERIKA JUST 