herbly

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/2/2003 9:14:52 AM Pacific Standard Time, herbbabe writes:

 

That said, single herbs are like weird little planets looking for an orbit: they make little sense outside a formula.

 

There are successful ways to teach formulas by teaching the singles. I've studied herbs in the traditional way - taking a materia medica and a formula class separately and try to connect them in some way. For the past couple of years I've been learning herbs at AFEA in Florida. They teach formulas by teaching every single within them. Its grouped into formulas that are earth formulas, wood formulas,... then qi formulas, yang formulas, blood formulas... It is a very cohesive way of learning herbs. We also really get an excellent understanding of each herb as an individual. Each herb makes sense on its own and as part of a formula.

-Anne

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/2/2003 12:52:50 PM Pacific Standard Time, zrosenbe writes:

 

Even though I like five phase theory, I am wondering how your school

classifies prescriptions according to five phase? I haven't seen this

done in any other institution.

 

 

 

I think that it was also done at Tai in Maryland - until recently, the two programs had the same Dean. Because it is a Five Element school teaching herbs, herbs are taught in an 8P format, but with a focus on constitutional application. Formulas and herbs are taught by element at first. So they start with Earth, and what patterns earth tends to produce. ie- Sp qi xu, Sp yang xu, Damp, Food Stagnation... Formulas are presented for each formula. ie- the first formulas is Si Jun Zi Tang. Each herb is presented individually - this is what Ren Shen does, this is what Bai Zhu does,... then the formula is covered as a group - this is how they work together. Each condition, formula and herb are discussed in terms of overall 8P, Zang/Fu patterns, and in terms of physical and psychospiritual symptomatology / states. Formulas and herbs are not presented separately. For me, it is a better way to present the material. It becomes easier to look at new formulas and break them down, and consider additions.

With Five Element diagnosis, we then look at the constitution of a patient, their Zang/Fu 8P pattern, and choose formulas with additions and subtractions that fit. Formulas tend to be more constitutionally based overall.

-Anne

[Guest guest]

In teaching a beginning herb class, I would come in with a paper with the herbs

of formulas grouped on one side. For example, I would have four seperate groups

of Si Wu Tang, Tao Hong Si wu Tang, Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang and Xue Fu zhu Yu Tang.

(no names of the formulas though) On

the other side would be four groups of the symptoms of the formulas. Students

would break into groups and try to match them using their Materia Medica books.

I thought it seemed to work pretty well. It was my first and last successful

innovation for teaching single herbs.

doug

 

 

>

>

> I have a hard time understanding how one would apply this method in herbs

> 1, for example, because one does not yet have many of the " tools " necessary

> to solve a case. And, arguably, the accumulation of data is most essential at

> this phase, moreso than the development of process and methodology. It

> would appear SIOM has found a solution to this dilemma and I am curious

> what that is. But I suspect I would have to see it to understand it.

>

 

[Guest guest]

Doug,

how does this teach single herbs? Looks like you’re comparing and contrasting different formulas. Also, why did you include BZYQT in a group of 3 blood formulas? As a distracter?

 

In my classes on single herbs I created handouts that grouped similar herbs- then described their mutual similarities and differences. Like chong wei zi and yi mu cao, e.g.. Chuan shan jia and wang bu liu xing and so on. You get the idea.

 

That said, single herbs are like weird little planets looking for an orbit: they make little sense outside a formula. And modifications only begin to make sense during a work shopping activity w/ in class. We’d have a “live” patient and then I’d group the students in teams to come up w/ tx strategies for a particular complaint- Headaches for example.

.. Which we’d then critique as a class.

 

I’ve played w/ several formats to make single herb study less like drudgery, but bottom line: nose to the grindstone!

 

Cara

 

In teaching a beginning herb class, I would come in with a paper with the herbs of formulas grouped on one side. For example, I would have four seperate groups of Si Wu Tang, Tao Hong Si wu Tang, Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang and Xue Fu zhu Yu Tang. (no names of the formulas though) On

the other side would be four groups of the symptoms of the formulas. Students would break into groups and try to match them using their Materia Medica books. I thought it seemed to work pretty well. It was my first and last successful innovation for teaching single herbs.

doug

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/2/2003 2:05:51 PM Pacific Standard Time, herbbabe writes:

 

Anne,

the problem I ran into continually in my class is that 5 elem doesn’t include concepts of EPF’s or even blood for that matter. And besides- constitutional medicine is important but the groovy thing about herbs is that we get to fix stuff. Headaches- gone. Bronchitis- better in 24 hours. Do you get that training as well?

Cara

 

 

Absolutely. One of the things that the program does is present EPI's, Blood, Phlegm and all to 5E practitioners. You can't practice herbal medicine without it - its based ultimately on an 8P / zang-fu model. We also look at the underlying dynamic long-term as well. Its a complete herbal program. Acute and chronic, symptomatic and constitutional.

That being said, in 5E acupuncture we also get to fix stuff - HA's, tendonitis, etc... and we get to support the person's who's ultimately doing the fixing.

-Anne (btw - I'm originally trained in TCM, and have been doing 5E for 9 years)

[Guest guest]

, Cara Frank <herbbabe@e...>

wrote:

 

>

> I've played w/ several formats to make single herb study less like drudgery,

> but bottom line: nose to the grindstone!

>

 

Hypothetically, couldn't one require students to study the attributes of materia

medica on their own and use class time for something else? they would still

have to memorize the data but on their own time. then class could be used to

present a series of " problems " , such as a symptom sign complex and TCM

diagnosis. then the class could answer a series of questions for each

problem, such as

 

1. what flavor, temp, entering channel and direction of an herb would be best

for this patient. why?

 

2. What category, function and best herb within that category to address that

s/s complex. At first, I thought this might be too artifical since we do not

treat

patients with herbs, but with formulas. Then it occurred to me that formulas

begin with chief herbs, which are considered the " best " to lead the formula

against a particular s/s complex. And when we modify formulas, the process

often begins with a single herb to address the secondary pattern or symptom.

In both cases, this is just the beginning of a process that involves combining

herbs based upon the seven interactions and the hierarchy of ingredients. So

it is a clinically relevant exercise.

 

3. what processing should be done to the herb to optimize its use in this

function

 

4. what herbs is it typically combined with to address this s/s complex

 

Classtime would still be used to lecture on the category and background

theory, but not the rote herb data.

 

I see a couple of pitfalls to this. It requires self motivation. Not every

herb

would be discussed in class. Instead students would have to memorize on

their own and would be tested on their applications of the data. this model

would still require evidence of learning the data on examinations. In addition,

while materia medicas can easily substitute for rote reciation of " data " like

entering channels, etc. Standard materia medica do not make explicit

connections between herb attributes and functions. so the text may list bo he

as acrid, but the body of the text does not explicitly go on to say that bo he

releases the exterior because of its floating, acrid nature or that all bo he's

diverse actions are linked by its ability to disperse and cool.

 

I find it essential to make these connections explicit when discussing the

herbs in class. We may take them for granted, but students need to have

them reinforced. It is a great way to remember all the details of this huge

body

of knowledge if we consistently make the connections between the " data "

explicit. That newish book, comparison and characteristics (C & C), does some

of this, but it differs from bensky in a number of areas that are problematic

for

board exam purposes. I wonder if there is a way to avoid doing this over and

over again in class to make room for more " problem-solving " .

 

Well, the connections between herb attributes and functions are one of the

" problems " I listed above in 1-4. So perhaps this material does not have to be

taught for each herb, but just studied in the form of problems. In fact

students

could use a book like C & C to see how to think about these connections and

then apply the process to the " data " from bensky. In order to facilitate this,

one

would spend the first few weeks of class going through the basic organizing

theory, such as what each flavor does or what it means to enter a channel.

this would include numerous examples of how to apply this theory to herb

analysis. that way students would be prepared to tackle the " problems " put

before them. Would this be too challenging and demanding or would it

actually be an improvement in herbal education?

 

[Guest guest]

Sigh- self study doesn’t work because it doesn’t. Students just don’t grasp what is important- nor would they have a framework for it w/o all the prefacing you’ve outlined. As you know, I am nearly obsessed w/ the functions of the flavors: there I said it; the flavor is the function. I drive this point home in my classes again and again. The tastes or sapors, I think, create the most meaningful clues regarding an herbs actions. Secondarily, I guess it would be the channels. Or just the herbs actions themselves.

 

And yes, I agree- single herbs set the tone for many formulas: I even teach ma huang tang in lay lectures to illustrate the structure and inherent logic in Chinese herb formulas. If, in a class we “pretend” that we only have singles, we can choose different herbs for different situations. One can do this w/ in a particular category or a particular syndrome. (i.e. wind cold or headaches). I really want my students to have enough mastery over the material that they can spit out why they would choose one herb over another.

 

Another crucial bridge is teaching combinations- dui yao. Understanding mutual enhancement and restraint between different materials is the perfect springboard for getting into prescriptions.

 

Cara

 

, Cara Frank <herbbabe@e...>

wrote:

 

>

> I've played w/ several formats to make single herb study less like drudgery,

> but bottom line: nose to the grindstone!

>

 

Hypothetically, couldn't one require students to study the attributes of materia

medica on their own and use class time for something else? they would still

have to memorize the data but on their own time. then class could be used to

present a series of " problems " , such as a symptom sign complex and TCM

diagnosis. then the class could answer a series of questions for each

problem, such as

 

1. what flavor, temp, entering channel and direction of an herb would be best

for this patient. why?

 

2. What category, function and best herb within that category to address that

s/s complex. At first, I thought this might be too artifical since we do not treat

patients with herbs, but with formulas. Then it occurred to me that formulas

begin with chief herbs, which are considered the " best " to lead the formula

against a particular s/s complex. And when we modify formulas, the process

often begins with a single herb to address the secondary pattern or symptom.

In both cases, this is just the beginning of a process that involves combining

herbs based upon the seven interactions and the hierarchy of ingredients. So

it is a clinically relevant exercise.

 

3. what processing should be done to the herb to optimize its use in this

function

 

4. what herbs is it typically combined with to address this s/s complex

 

Classtime would still be used to lecture on the category and background

theory, but not the rote herb data.

 

I see a couple of pitfalls to this. It requires self motivation. Not every herb

would be discussed in class. Instead students would have to memorize on

their own and would be tested on their applications of the data. this model

would still require evidence of learning the data on examinations. In addition,

while materia medicas can easily substitute for rote reciation of " data " like

entering channels, etc. Standard materia medica do not make explicit

connections between herb attributes and functions. so the text may list bo he

as acrid, but the body of the text does not explicitly go on to say that bo he

releases the exterior because of its floating, acrid nature or that all bo he's

diverse actions are linked by its ability to disperse and cool.

 

I find it essential to make these connections explicit when discussing the

herbs in class. We may take them for granted, but students need to have

them reinforced. It is a great way to remember all the details of this huge body

of knowledge if we consistently make the connections between the " data "

explicit. That newish book, comparison and characteristics (C & C), does some

of this, but it differs from bensky in a number of areas that are problematic for

board exam purposes. I wonder if there is a way to avoid doing this over and

over again in class to make room for more " problem-solving " .

 

Well, the connections between herb attributes and functions are one of the

" problems " I listed above in 1-4. So perhaps this material does not have to be

taught for each herb, but just studied in the form of problems. In fact students

could use a book like C & C to see how to think about these connections and

then apply the process to the " data " from bensky. In order to facilitate this, one

would spend the first few weeks of class going through the basic organizing

theory, such as what each flavor does or what it means to enter a channel.

this would include numerous examples of how to apply this theory to herb

analysis. that way students would be prepared to tackle the " problems " put

before them. Would this be too challenging and demanding or would it

actually be an improvement in herbal education?

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

, Cara Frank <herbbabe@e...>

wrote:

> Sigh- self study doesn1t work because it doesn1t. Students just don1t grasp

> what is important- nor would they have a framework for it w/o all the

> prefacing you1ve outlined.

 

hopefully, everyone noticed I prefaced my post with, " hypothetically " so as to

distinguish this from something I actually do or believe to be correct.

 

However, while I tend to agree with Cara, there are some caveats. This

method seems to work at SIOM, not the exact one I described, but this

approach in general. It also works at Jonh Hopkins and Harvard, which

adopted self-study/problem solving teaching starting in first semster med

school over a decade ago. I learned materia medica and formulas on my own

from the self study materials from ITM and OHAI and CS Cheung. I learned

internal medicine and formulation from my teachers in clinic mostly. so self

study is not only effective for some students, but actually superior for some

students. the question is rather why we have not found it effective in TCM

training at this level. I think perhaps it is because we have not yet fully and

properly applied the problem solving model. Without being centered on

problem solving, self motivated study will fail for most students. It is

interesting to me that professional educators in our field (as opposed to

administrators with no education background) tend to favor the self motivated

problem solving model even at the early stages of education because it has

been PROVEN successful in just about every other field where it has been

applied. this really is evidence based education where actual clinical

effectiveness outcomes are used to measure effective teaching.

 

[Guest guest]

, Cara Frank <herbbabe@e...>

wrote:

As you know, I am nearly obsessed w/ the

> functions of the flavors: there I said it; the flavor is the function. I

> drive this point home in my classes again and again. The tastes or sapors,

> I think, create the most meaningful clues regarding an herbs actions.

> Secondarily, I guess it would be the channels. Or just the herbs actions

> themselves.

 

Cara

 

do you teach in a setting that allows you to see how your materia medica

students eventually perform in clinic? that is the way I ultimately gauge the

success of my teaching, not by how students do on my quizzes or on board

exams. I have no doubt that the problem solving method produces better

results in higher level classes than rote education when measured by clinical

outcomes. the difference is almost dayand night, in my experience. Adult

education theory says that done properly this model should be effective in the

early stages, as well. Like I said, I am skeptical, but curious.

 

[Guest guest]

Even though I like five phase theory, I am wondering how your school

classifies prescriptions according to five phase? I haven't seen this

done in any other institution.

 

 

On Sunday, February 2, 2003, at 12:45 PM, ajeffres wrote:

 

> There are successful ways to teach formulas by teaching the singles.

> I've studied herbs in the traditional way - taking a materia medica

> and a formula class separately and try to connect them in some way.

> For the past couple of years I've been learning herbs at AFEA in

> Florida. They teach formulas by teaching every single within them. Its

> grouped into formulas that are earth formulas, wood formulas,... then

> qi formulas, yang formulas, blood formulas... It is a very cohesive

> way of learning herbs. We also really get an excellent understanding

> of each herb as an individual. Each herb makes sense on its own and as

> part of a formula.

> -Anne

[Guest guest]

At 8:03 PM +0000 2/2/03, < wrote:

>This

>method seems to work at SIOM, not the exact one I described, but this

>approach in general.

--

 

I'm not at all clear from this discussion what is happening at SIOM.

I had hoped that Chris would be a bit more specific about their

educational techniques. To simply throw out the phrase " problem

solving " doesn't tell me much.

 

I use a problem solving model almost exclusively in my third year

classes. I use case studies -- often cases from the clinic presented

by the students -- and make the students do the work. Then I make

them debate their differences, and I critique their conclusions. It

is highly interactive and I believe it is very helpful to them not

only in learning new material, but in rooting out errors of fact and

analysis. However, when I teach formulas, I can't see how this kind

of technique would help them understand the formulas well. The books

have a mass of information, but it really requires a teacher to give

the proper perspective on that information, IMO. Using a case study

is helpful in illustrating the use of the formula at this level, and

getting the students thinking for themselves, but surely that doesn't

replace studying the formulas themselves.

 

Rory

 

 

--

[Guest guest]

Rory, Cara, Doug, and anyone else teaching

or studying...

 

I'm curious to know how yin/yang theory plays

in this " problem solving " approach to teaching

and studying. Are teachers teaching how to

solve problems using yin/yang theory?

 

How?

 

Ken

 

, Rory Kerr <rorykerr@w...>

wrote:

> At 8:03 PM +0000 2/2/03, <@i...> wrote:

> >This

> >method seems to work at SIOM, not the exact one I described, but

this

> >approach in general.

> --

>

> I'm not at all clear from this discussion what is happening at

SIOM.

> I had hoped that Chris would be a bit more specific about their

> educational techniques. To simply throw out the phrase " problem

> solving " doesn't tell me much.

>

> I use a problem solving model almost exclusively in my third year

> classes. I use case studies -- often cases from the clinic

presented

> by the students -- and make the students do the work. Then I make

> them debate their differences, and I critique their conclusions.

It

> is highly interactive and I believe it is very helpful to them not

> only in learning new material, but in rooting out errors of fact

and

> analysis. However, when I teach formulas, I can't see how this

kind

> of technique would help them understand the formulas well. The

books

> have a mass of information, but it really requires a teacher to

give

> the proper perspective on that information, IMO. Using a case

study

> is helpful in illustrating the use of the formula at this level,

and

> getting the students thinking for themselves, but surely that

doesn't

> replace studying the formulas themselves.

>

> Rory

>

>

> --

[Guest guest]

Anne,

the problem I ran into continually in my class is that 5 elem doesn’t include concepts of EPF’s or even blood for that matter. And besides- constitutional medicine is important but the groovy thing about herbs is that we get to fix stuff. Headaches- gone. Bronchitis- better in 24 hours. Do you get that training as well?

Cara

 

 

 

I think that it was also done at Tai in Maryland - until recently, the two programs had the same Dean. Because it is a Five Element school teaching herbs, herbs are taught in an 8P format, but with a focus on constitutional application. Formulas and herbs are taught by element at first. So they start with Earth, and what patterns earth tends to produce. ie- Sp qi xu, Sp yang xu, Damp, Food Stagnation... Formulas are presented for each formula. ie- the first formulas is Si Jun Zi Tang. Each herb is presented individually - this is what Ren Shen does, this is what Bai Zhu does,... then the formula is covered as a group - this is how they work together. Each condition, formula and herb are discussed in terms of overall 8P, Zang/Fu patterns, and in terms of physical and psychospiritual symptomatology / states. Formulas and herbs are not presented separately. For me, it is a better way to present the material. It becomes easier to look at new formulas and break them down, and consider additions.

With Five Element diagnosis, we then look at the constitution of a patient, their Zang/Fu 8P pattern, and choose formulas with additions and subtractions that fit. Formulas tend to be more constitutionally based overall.

-Anne

[Guest guest]

I totally agree w/you on this

 

Cara

 

 

 

I use a problem solving model almost exclusively in my third year

classes. I use case studies -- often cases from the clinic presented

by the students -- and make the students do the work. Then I make

them debate their differences, and I critique their conclusions. It

is highly interactive and I believe it is very helpful to them not

only in learning new material, but in rooting out errors of fact and

analysis. However, when I teach formulas, I can't see how this kind

of technique would help them understand the formulas well. The books

have a mass of information, but it really requires a teacher to give

the proper perspective on that information, IMO. Using a case study

is helpful in illustrating the use of the formula at this level, and

getting the students thinking for themselves, but surely that doesn't

replace studying the formulas themselves.

 

Rory

 

 

 

--

Cara O. Frank, R.Ac

herbbabe

China Herb Company

[Guest guest]

Ken

I’m a little dense here. What do you mean? Y/Y theories of transformation and control permeate every level of herbal studies. Every category of herbal function. A formula like gui zhi tang is a perfect example of this: sweet, spicy gui zhi to expel and sour cool bai shao to restrain. Is this what you mean?

Cara

 

Rory, Cara, Doug, and anyone else teaching

or studying...

 

I'm curious to know how yin/yang theory plays

in this " problem solving " approach to teaching

and studying. Are teachers teaching how to

solve problems using yin/yang theory?

[Guest guest]

, Cara Frank

<herbbabe@e...> wrote:

> Ken

> I¹m a little dense here. What do you mean? Y/Y theories of

transformation

> and control permeate every level of herbal studies. Every category

of herbal

> function. A formula like gui zhi tang is a perfect example of

this: sweet,

> spicy gui zhi to expel and sour cool bai shao to restrain. Is this

what you

> mean?

> Cara

 

Cara,

 

I was thinking in a broad or basic sense

of how teachers taught...or students learn

to manipulate the elements of yin/yang

theory in the course of clinical problem

solving.

 

Is it done with the various charts and

tables? Is it done with other concepts

or tools?

 

Is it all done with mirrors?

 

Several of my teachers over the years

have spent a relatively large amount

of time trying to impress upon me the

importance of yin/yang theory in solving

clinical problems. The recent discussions

about teaching clinical problem solving

reminded me of this, and as I've been

reviewing things that teachers have

said to me and experiences they have

suggested and provided in order to illustrate

these various teachings, I was just wondering

how others found it and reveal it to students.

 

Education, in its literal sense is drawing

people out, leading them to knowledge.

 

So I'm curious to know how people have

been guided to yin/yang theory as an

element of problem solving.

 

Ken

 

 

>

>

[Guest guest]

, " dragon90405 <

yulong@m...> " <yulong@m...> wrote:

 

Are teachers teaching how to

> solve problems using yin/yang theory?

>

 

 

of course, Ken. the solution is the TCM methodology. it is only a matter of

making this clear through case study versus rote lecture. what other theory

would we use? I don't understand the question?

 

[Guest guest]

, " dragon90405 <

yulong@m...> " <yulong@m...> wrote:

 

> So I'm curious to know how people have

> been guided to yin/yang theory as an

> element of problem solving.

>

> Ken

>

 

 

it is the essence of all TCM problem solving and one must explicitly come

back to it over and over again.

 

todd

[Guest guest]

, Cara Frank <herbbabe@e...>

wrote:

> > I totally agree w/you on this

> >

> > Cara

> >

Using a case study

> > is helpful in illustrating the use of the formula at this level, and

> > getting the students thinking for themselves, but surely that doesn't

> > replace studying the formulas themselves.

> >

> > Rory

 

I suspect you guys are right. Did I play devil's advocate OK? :-)

 

[Guest guest]

 

 

>

> > So I'm curious to know how people have

> > been guided to yin/yang theory as an

> > element of problem solving.

> >

> > Ken

> >

>

>

> it is the essence of all TCM problem solving and one must

explicitly come

> back to it over and over again.

>

> todd

 

I agree. I'm sorry that I'm not putting

this question very clearly. But what I'm

asking about is when explicitly coming

back over it again and again, what do

you say/do?

 

What materials are used? What information

given? What methodology employed?

 

For instance, because several of my

teachers are both doctors and martial

artists, they always used a hands-on

approach to teaching me about yin/yang

theory. It was first and foremost a

feeling, a palpable experience.

 

This aspect of the transmission of

the knowledge about yin and yang

emerges in my review of the teachings

that I've received as probably the most

critical element.

 

But there've been a lot of other

modes of expression and methods of

transmitting information employed

over the course of many years by

those who have tried to teach me

something about yin and yang.

 

So I'm wondering how you and others

were taught it, how you teach it,

how you study it, and so on.

 

Does that make any clearer sense?

 

Ken

[Guest guest]

, Cara Frank <herbbabe@e...>

wrote:

 

> >

> > how do you think your students are doing?

> > Cara

> >

 

I have not yet had the chance to gauge how changes in my herbs 1 teaching

strategies over the last 1.5 years have played out in clinic yet. I have

feedback that they have improved test scores and retention in continuing

classes of the sequence. However, the changes I have made involve

 

1. being very explicit about how to study and what is on each exam

 

2. being more rigorous in cumulative examination

 

I have not adopted problem solving as the central method at this stage.

However I do like to mix rote regurgitation with certain thought exercises such

as the " herb problems " described in an earlier post.

 

[Guest guest]

, " dragon90405 <

yulong@m...> " <yulong@m...> wrote:

 

>

> So I'm wondering how you and others

> were taught it, how you teach it,

> how you study it, and so on.

>

> Does that make any clearer sense?

 

 

I'll have to chew on this one awhile before replying. But I get your point now.

 

[Guest guest]

you’re a devil dog! :-)

 

Cara

 

 

I suspect you guys are right. Did I play devil's advocate OK? :-)

 

[Guest guest]

At 11:49 PM +0000 2/2/03, dragon90405 <yulong wrote:

>What materials are used? What information

>given? What methodology employed?

--

 

It depends on the level of the student and the type of class. So far

as case studies are concerned, I usually ask for an eight principles

pattern prior to any other analysis. That then becomes a sort of

anchor for further analysis.

 

So far as learning it in the first place, the students in our school

practice t'ai chi for a year or more, they get a year of Chinese

theory based body work, and they get theory and acupuncture classes;

so in the first year they are learning yin/yang in various ways.

 

Rory

--

[Guest guest]

Talking about how to teach herbs...

 

The template for my class (ECTOM Introduction to Herbology) is based on

the way in which I found it best to study herbs myself.

 

It really came from Denise Neumark who was an instructor at ECTOM for a

while. She told me that if I just learn the generalities for each herb

category, I can get a " B " on all of my herb tests.

 

Not having a problem with the letter " B " (which is just an " A " with its

toes touching, lol) I sought to incorporate what she suggested. I was

also a working adult who had little time nor patience for memorization,

so I got clear on the fact that diaphoretics tend to be pungent... and why.

 

I'm also a firm believe in connecting the what to the why. Gotta be as

clear on mechanisms as is possible. That reduces the amount of info you

have to memorize by an astounding percentage. There is much less to

memorize when you WHY herbs do what they do. In a word: mechanisms.

 

The goal here is to simply make the four following herb classes, that go

through the 365 state board herbs, more doable. There's much less to

memorize when you understand why diaphoretics tend to be pungent.

 

I've also moved the testing to the internet to give me more time in

class for interaction and lecture. Here's an example of a current test.

Not only does this test assess the student's ability to understand the

premise of the course, but it also teaches them at the same time as it

is an open book test.

http://gancao.net/exam/cha.htm

 

Most teachers assume that our job is to teach , then assess. I like to

teach while I'm assessing.

 

-al.

 

Cara Frank wrote:

 

> 450 hours of herbs training is grueling, but it can be made

> more fun. we have an obligation to balance didactic lecture

> w/ a hands on work shopping, real-live clinic approach. And

> we have an obligation to think outside the box and try any

> strategy that improves our outcomes. I’m totally open to

> ideas that make me a better teacher. For me, going to china

> was what I needed to plunge forward.

 

--

Al Stone L.Ac.

<AlStone

http://www.BeyondWellBeing.com

 

Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.