What are Massage Classes Like?

When considering going to a school, there are so many questions you'll be asking that you're bound to overlook, or forget, a few. One question you should be asking people you meet at that school is what the classes are actually like. Most of the time we're so focused on the financial and logistical aspects of school that we forget the day to day items. Considering a majority of your time on campus will be spent in classes, it's a good idea to get a feel for what they'll be like.

One important question to ask is how much time you'll be spending in the classroom versus hands on learning (particularly important in the fields of massage and acupuncture). Most of the classes at AMC will be in the traditional classroom setting and some will be combined with a different arrangement to accommodate the classes with the hands on portion depending on the section they are in. The students can expect to be comfortable with a classroom and clinic setting by the end of their first class. All of our classrooms turn into fully functional clinical rooms which we use to treat patients in our community clinic.

Another important question to ask is what are the instructors and their teaching styles like? This is particularly of interest in post-secondary education where there isn't necessarily a standard way of teaching. At AMC each instructor will have different teaching approaches which will keep the learning environment dynamic, yet still focused. My personal approach is very clinically based and I strive to help my students prepare not just for my class but for all classes and their personal lives. When in my class you can expect to be viscerally and kinesthetically involved. Also we like our professors to follow the syllabus which outlines the course. Doing this allows us to fundamentally implement the course material which they will need in order to be successful on their State MBLEX exam and in their future careers.

Now to a bit of the smaller picture: what an average day in a massage class may look like. In my massage class at AMC we begin each day by doing recall activities. This can range from reviewing the last lecture, playing a game called “brain dump” or prepping for the upcoming lecture with a quick “Crash Course” video to become familiarized with the terminology. Each chapter is taught alongside the textbook with guided power points and visual aides. Tactile exercises are a large part of the course and student participation and feedback is largely how the lecture is navigated. My classes, and many others here at AMC, include diverse teaching methodologies that will ask students to think about the course material, their careers, and their lives.

To learn more about the courses we have available at AMC request a copy of our course catalog here.