Tennessee Teacher Saves Time While Managing Multiple Courses

A four-course load is something every health science teacher dreads. The long hours spent preparing for different courses. A mismatched curriculum leaves you scrambling through textbooks, trying to remember what material to teach in which class. Lost time with family and friends as you spend your evenings and weekends planning and grading.

Every year, passionate educators, many new to their profession, are forced to cover heavy course loads. Often, this is because they are the only health science teacher in their school. This leaves them feeling alone, overwhelmed, and without others to turn to.

One teacher who met this challenge–and overcame it–is Patryce Gleeton, a health science educator at Trezevant Career and Technology Center, part of Memphis-Shelby County Schools in Tennessee.

Patryce teaches high school students at courses in every grade level:

• Health Science Foundations
• Anatomy & Physiology
• Medical Therapeutics
• Clinical Internships
• Work-Based Learning (WBL) Opportunities

Despite managing large course loads, she’s still found time to add personality and creativity to her curriculum, all while meeting her standards and preparing students for important professional certifications.

Finding a Passion for Teaching Health Science

Like many successful CTE instructors, Patryce Gleeton didn’t start her career in health science education. She began by working directly in the healthcare field, spending over a decade as a health technician in a clinical setting.

“I had never thought about teaching,” Patryce recalls. “It really was never anything on my radar.”

A friend from Patryce’s church founded a new CTE school and approached her about becoming a health science instructor. Using the knowledge she gained in healthcare, she took the opportunity to switch careers and start teaching students. She’s been with Trezevant CTC ever since, working directly with Memphis high school students for over twenty years.

Patryce’s passion for education was evident from the beginning, but her lessons didn’t always resonate with her students. Her school didn’t have many digital resources, so she was limited in the teaching techniques she could use.

“Teaching before I used HealthCenter21,” Patryce says, looking back. “I guess I won’t necessarily use the term boring, but there were not a lot of options. It was just pretty much straight from a textbook.”

Her students were able to learn the material, but working from a textbook gave Patryce little room for creativity.

Discovering the Blended Learning Difference

Patryce was introduced to HealthCenter21 over a decade ago by her state HOSA advisor, who encouraged Patryce and her colleagues at Trezevant to consider it for their program.

When Trezevant purchased HealthCenter21, she quickly saw how it made her life in the classroom easier. Patryce found the curriculum system easy to use, especially when managing multiple courses simultaneously.

By using the same comprehensive curriculum system in every class, she provided students with a uniform learning experience. This helps reinforce the same core concepts across the entire CTE health science program.

Her students seemed better engaged, too, adapting quickly to the blended learning format and responding positively to using the curriculum system.

“I think my students like the system,” Patryce reports. “They like being able to go at their own pace.”

Saving Time and Personalizing the Student Experience

Using HealthCenter21 has saved Patryce countless hours in the classroom. Instead of turning to multiple materials for each class, the resources and teaching tools in HealthCenter21 help make teaching easier and more rewarding.

“The lesson plans are there…for me to pull from,” she reiterates. Plus, the automatically graded assessments make it easier for her to keep track of her students’ progress. “I can look to see what their status is, what they're having problems with, and what they did well with.”

With the hours she saves planning and grading each week, Patryce has the flexibility to individualize and inject creativity into her lessons.

Now Patryce spends her planning periods picking and choosing the materials, projects, and activities that will best engage her learners.

“I was able to come up with more creative ways to present the lessons,” she shares. “I don’t always just go directly through the modules.”

When students are engaged in various ways, they are more likely to remember critical course material when it comes time for assessments.

Patryce’s students have seen the difference on a personal level, too. With additional time to devote to her classes, she can concentrate on helping students one on one and in small groups.

“It gives me a way to individualize my instruction, as well. I may have one group over here doing one thing, and I can assign HealthCenter21 to some other students.”

Concentrating on the individual student gives Patryce a better understanding of how her class is performing, where they might need additional support, and how she can ensure every student succeeds.

Preparing Students for Certification Success

In 2021, Trezevant added a course focused on the NHA Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) exam to their health science program. Patryce quickly discovered that the NHA test preparation materials didn't fully prepare her students to sit for their certification exams.

Because she and her colleagues had already successfully used HealthCenter21 in her other courses, Patryce trusted it to help her prepare students for professional certifications.

Now, Patryce relies on HealthCenter21 to teach and review the knowledge and skills candidates must master before taking the CCMA certification. Then she uses the NHA practice tests and study materials ahead of students sitting for their exams. 

“The students have their study materials, but I use HealthCenter21 in the background,” she summarizes. “I can assign them a module because I know it’s on the NHA test.”

Growing with a CTE Health Science Program

Many teachers experience the challenge of handling multiple CTE courses simultaneously. But Patryce Gleeton has gained the confidence to effectively manage a substantial course load, even as her CTE program has grown.

By relying on a continually updated curriculum system, she’s saved hours on planning grading. This has given Patryce more time to invest in her students and prepare them for success.