How do most schools grade "Hands On" work?

[My Puppet Hands]

I have a friend in school that has a 90% average on her written test and said when she does her "Hands On" testing--she's required to massage the owner of the school. She feels as though he grades harder than the other instructors and she gets really nervous. She does really good work (better than most) on me, but she's required to re-take her "Hands On" test every time. Now she's afraid she's not going to graduate as planned because the owner told her she has to re-take her "Final" again, and he's not sure she should graduate. How do most schools test the "Hands On" part?

 

[Jingjing]

While going through school, we had to take hands-on exams for every semester. They were in two sections: IOA and technique. For the final exam: it was one of the longest hours in my life. We had to do a massage with specific concentration of one or two areas. The tests were all administered by the teachers and not the owner of the school. If Bob King (the owner of CSMT before it became a part of Cortiva ), I might still be in school. LOL

Good luck to your friend.

 

[Mizzylicious]

She said as far as she knows the other students do their "Hands On" with the other instructors. Also said she's heard other instructors make comments about what other students did wrong or didn't do, but they let it go. I asked about her clinicals and she said they don't do clinicals??? Go figure!!!

 

[Campbell]

Marc,
At my school, hands-on evals were given points on specific criteria, and you got whatever you got. At the end of the class, your final grade was tallied (taking into account written, hands-on, homework, etc) and that decided whether you retook the class.

Also, the administrators were divvied up fairly; ie, either everybody had the same administrator (if there was only one), or if there were more than one, some random method was used, such as drawing names to find out who your administrator would be.

That sounds a little odd that she (and only she??) is required to be tested by the owner of the school (unless he happened to be teaching the class, which was the case some of the time, for me).

 

[Tressa Marie]

I'm still in school, and for our Swedish and Deep Tissue test, we had do massage an instructor from the school. Each instructor had a sheet with categories they had to grade us on. The school also brings in alumni at the end of each modality for us to work on and they give us feedback.

 

[Latina<3]

to me this was the hardest thing across the board to be judged on in school. We had different instructors assigned to us for the hands on test. The critera was for a specific focus area and you did not get to know which it would be beforehand. Lets face it, we are human, they are human and it was widely known that if you got some of the instructors, they where going to be harder and you would most likely retake. Others, you knew where going to be more forgiving. Just the nature of it. For your friend, if I where her I would ask and get really clear on what this instructor is looking for in accomplishing this. Suck it up and do it. Then when she is on her own she can do it how she wants. I think a lot of teachers are really into their way of doing things and maybe its a few simple things that is not conveying what they feel is the right method. Don't put them on a pedastal and be nervous or think to much. Just do your best work, get in, get out and into the work force. Really most care and just want you to be the best you can (at least my experience) which is one of the reasons they are so tough on you. good luck to your friend

 

[Ali G]

Consider this: Once they're on the table, it's just another naked body in need of work.

Kept me calm and focused every time.

 

[Shasiti]

You need to treat the situation like you would a client coming to you for massage. Do your verbal intake...check the table height...give them privacy to get on the table...prep hot packs if indicated...don't forget the bolster (I always did!)...breathe...good body mechanics...plan your sequence taking into account the "client's" stated needs...breathe...superficial to deep...pressure towards the heart...beware the endangerment sites...breathe...communicate with the client throughout (ask about pressure, temperature, comfort, etc.)...flow from one area to the next...did I mention breathing?...give parting instructions...fill out your paperwork thoroughly and professionally. Oh, and breathe.

 

[Been]

Way back in the dark ages when I was in school.....

We tested on paper for theory, laws, anatomy, physiology type stuff.... THEN, the very same night, [4 hour class] we drew numbers to see who we paired off with in the class to take the hands-on portion of the test....

one partner on the table, other taking the test.... both instructors testing one table of students at a time.....

10 questions to be done -- first one was always showing your hands, nails, lab jacket, etc. for "professional appearance assessment"

other 9 questions were things like.... "show tapping technique to affect sartorius" or, "demonstrate palmar kneading of gluteus minimus".... "briefly show Zabludowski's technique for constipation and impaction"............. fun stuff like that.... LOL

You had to know where each specific muscle was, what each requested technique was and be correct in what you were asked to do AND, for a kicker, when asked specifics while demonstrating you knew what they asked for, you had to give the specifics back just as written in the books or loose up to 5 points on the question...... WHEEEEEEE

Made each week's test night a real treat, truly a real treat.