Health 101: First Aid

HEALTH 101 covers prevention and causes of accidents or sudden illness. It meets the requirements of the American Red Cross for certification in Community First Aid and CPR. This course enables students to better acquaint themselves with current and proven first aid skills and techniques to better help themselves and others when emergencies take place. Life saving skills are also introduced and covered. Instructor feedback is key and student-to-student interactions are encourage throughout the course.

Reflection on Instructional Change:

Looking back at the entirety of this training, it appears that many of the suggestions and practices that were in the modules, have continually been echoing in my mind. There truly has been an abundant number of resources and practices that can revolutionize some of our teaching experiences with students and staff. One thing that I am consistent with is the fact that I share my own personal stories and encounters with my students. I truly see this act as a meeting zone for getting acquainted with each other. By giving and sharing a little bit of myself, I find that this helps ease some hesitation with students that are less likely to raise their hand and/or volunteer in conversations.

The one area that I myself want to dive more deeply into is the "Cultural Competence vs. Cultural Humility." At Glendale Community College, we have a rich and diverse student population coexisting among one another. Having been part (on and off for the last 18 years) of this semblance of ethnic and cultural enrichment on our campus- I have found that as educators, have come a long way. I truly believe that the cultural competence on our campus has made some exciting strides toward positive results. I particularly would like to engage myself and my course(s) with a deeper connectedness with my students and staff members alike. Respectfully, I would like to embrace a more synergistic approach to getting cultural relevant information and dialogue started within my surroundings. By this, I hope to gather a clearer perspective into the varied cultures and ethnic make-up of our student body. This has presented itself in my past courses. I have seen and heard the varied methods of how one provides first aid care within the specific cultures and original homeland. Their experiences and accounts lend themselves to our global approach to learning and exchanging ideas. What I would like to dive deeper into is the connection with more of my students within our class meetings. Whether it is in-person contact, remote learning, or asynchronous teaching, I do feel that if I can open a direct and guided form of communication within this course that deals with these topics. Then, ultimately I am providing a forum for all persons to safely join and express their thoughts. Pointing out and addressing these relevant cultural dynamics of difference appears to be a guiding point for more interactive and overall "buy in" by the student population.

As coined by Dr. Maelanie Tervalon and Dr. Jann Murray-Garcia, Cultural Humility was pivotal in pointing out how health care could be improved dramatically to medical students. Theory and practice was moved and encouraged to include self-evaluation and self-critique. I too would like to incorporate a more inclusive multicultural educational approach to my teaching and interaction within my courses. By this I will seek out to explore my understanding of the student population I serve and provide for a better understanding of race & ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic position, and social needs. I do provide some of this within the responses to assignment in Health 101. I approach a suggested method of practice by students coming from a non-Americanized culture, with open ears, eyes, and interest. I attempt to make these exchanges relevant and affirm that the practice that was done in the students country of origin, can connect and lend itself to the practice that we are attempting to teach within our first aid courses. Often times, there are medical personnel that are taking my course and appreciate the validation of their experience to be acknowledged, as they become more willing to participate.

By recognizing the equity that can be created by validating the various cultures and ideas we come across. We can better serve and connect with a common practice of inclusion that is widely needed in our teaching space. Cultural Humility starts with identifying the rich and diverse differences that our student population bring to the table. I particularly have found that by being cognizant of the students that express their multiculturalism and background, we are able to point to relevant and identifiable traits that make their life-long experience in education and learning- relevant and worthwhile. I will seek to connect more with my students and will make efforts to identify and broadcast the many factors that inhibit the learning process for our clientele.

Student Success Manifesto:

Student Success Manifesto: Why? How? What?

Faculty Biography- Jesse Garcia (Pictured below)

My parents came to the United States with a clear sense of providing for their immediate family and future children. I was fortunate to be part of this Journey that has evolved around this multi-national and multicultural experience. Growing up in the true eastern part of Los Angeles was both difficult and rewarding. You definitely needed to become grounded and self reliant, from an early age. I was able to grow up around a large family of seven siblings, mom, and dad. The community I grew up in was filled with many young people my age, which provided me with daily ongoing social interactions and group dynamics. Looking back now, I can see how going away to a local community college and a University was the best decision for my personal growth.

A few of the positive and motivational factors for my presence here at Glendale Community College, are deeply rooted in my life-long desire to impact students at this level. My experience at the middle, high school, and college levels has given me a wonderful opportunity to explore and conduct myself with varied forms of Pedagogical practice. Each level I have attempted and impacted, has to some degree benefitted both my students and I. A variety of experiences in these educational settings, has allowed me to serve a multitude of student populations. Raising a family and providing some detailed practice that helped each one of my children excel and grow as learners. This has been ultimately rewarding. Hopefully, each one of my three children can find their individual path where they can impact the world. My families connection I feel toward them, is both a motivator and a blessing. Having had many experiences within sports participation, has helped pave the way for me to continue on my educational path toward college. Coaching at the collegiate level and recruiting young people to join in on the similar journey I had undertaken many years ago, was and has been very humbling. Being able to counsel and assist these student-athletes in their process to matriculate out to a university, has been rewarding. I constantly look inward and see the excitement and eagerness to meet new people, find a new cultural experience, and connect with those whom are both similar and different than me. We all have a different story to tell- often times there could be similarities in these. But, in the end, we find that the road we have traveled is different than the one we were on. My hope is to continue to be on this road and meet dynamic and eager people in the crossroads of life.

This work was supported by the Title V Hispanic-Serving Institutions Grant, Adelante GCC, and the Innovation Grant.