You have decided to teach children cardiopulmonary resuscitation, an addition to your already challenging curriculum. Teaching children CPR is a lifestyle change. Teaching children CPR requires a mindset shift in the way we see children as part of a rescue team. Delivering the dense content of CPR requires CPR Instructors to use a fun and engaging approach when teaching children concepts and terms associated with CPR.
It is inspiring when CPR Instructors search for meaningful ways to teach children
life saving skills. Instructors will have to take care in using the best approach in teaching high quality CPR to children.
While the content remains the same, teaching an adult CPR is different from teaching children.
Why is it important to teach children CPR?
- 23% of all households in America are single parent households. Only children and ONE adult. If that adult becomes unresponsive, how prepared is that child/children to leap into action after calling 911?
- It takes an ambulance approximately 7 minutes to arrive at the location of an emergency. Sometimes longer depending on the acuity of the emergency and if it’s rural.
- The brain can function for 3-6 minutes without oxygen. That is fewer minutes than the time it takes an ambulance to arrive at the location of the emergency.
- Parents teach their children to call 911. But then what?
What is required of a CPR Instructor teaching children life saving skills?
The characteristics of an Instructor should include EAPP: Energetic, Animated, Planned, and Proactive.
Energetic
A CPR Instructor teaching children life saving skills needs to be energetic and enthusiasm. Energetic and enthusiasm goes hand in hand. Both spark children’s curiosity, ignite children’s motivation for wanting to learn, and are associated with better student performance and participation.
Animated
When teaching adults CPR, the content is delivered in a matter-of-fact format. When teaching children, while the content should remain the same, the delivery should change. Engaging children sometimes requires becoming animated, which equates to not being boring. A CPR Instructor should be upbeat and passionate about content
delivery; should exaggerate when asking a question, both of which get children’s attention. For example, talking a bit louder while tapping the shoulder of the person who is not responding, gets children’s attention of the importance of identifying when someone is not responding versus sleeping.
Planned
Planning for a class of children as participants is different from planning for a class with adults. A CPR Instructor should know the PowerPoint with the content being taught, to the tune of an expert. This will prevent monotonous teaching, and prepare the Instructor for those moments when animation is needed.
Proactive
CPR Instructors can only be proactive if they have effectively planned for class. Being proactive means scanning the room at all times to assess children learners. This helps Instructors to decide when to shift the Gear of Animation. An example of being proactive is a Kids Alive!® Instructor bringing lollipops to reward children for correct answers. This helps to inspire motivation. This encourages participation.
When a decision is made to teach CPR to children, it is one of the most conscious decisions a CPR Instructor can make. When instructing children on life saving skills, an Instructor should be energetic, animated, planned, and proactive. Teaching children CPR is a lifestyle change. It requires a mindset shift in the way we see children as part of a rescue team, because children are never too young to start learning to save lives.
The mission of Kids Alive!® is to train as many children across America in high quality CPR, because it is never too young to start saving lives!
To request a class for children in your community, email us at kidsalive@cprtrainingacademyofct.com
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