GRRACEE National Doula Academy

Greetings Doulas!

I want to thank  you for embarking on this journey! Today is the first day of the rest of your life and I write this to you to thank you for spending it at the bedside of Bellies everywhere!

Now…lets get started!

I thought it would be proper to send word as to how this will run. First, every day of class, you will be required to log into this site, follow it (with your blog or one you create for this class) and check for any updates and, of course, for the lecture.

Class Lectures

The lectures that follow, will be a voice recording that be labeled (“Week 1, Day 1″, Week 1, Day 2″, etc). each day that you have class you will log onto the appropriate link.  I will leave the links up, once posted, so you will be able to return to them for review. Each blog  will outline the topic of the lecture (i.e., Week 1/1 – Intro to Course Series, etc.) with the audible lecture for each class. Please listen to them in an area where you are not disturbed and you can listen intently.

Attendance 

Each lecture (about) an hour in length; some will be a bit shorter and I’m sure some topics will take us over that time, but my intention is not to keep you too long each class. You will have four (4), one-hour lectures for each day of class. You are welcome to listen to them at any time of the day. Attendance will be based on the comments you leave, so, I would ask that each day of class that you would log on, check the blog and then leave a comment of some sort (i.e. “I got it“…”Im listening now“…”Im here“…etc) so I will know that you have received the lecture and will mark you present for class. As long as you comment before midnight of each class, you will be present for the day! Any missed classes will be accounted for based on your comments! If you feel that a connection is faulty, you are welcome to text me (770-870-0845) or email me  amotherspeace@gmail.com when you are logging on and I will mark you “present” using your text as your attendance.

Tests/Final Exam

I will email you the tests and I will ask that you take them within two hours of you receiving them. The tests are timed and will begin within 5 minutes of you opening the link so please be ready to take it  as soon as you open the link. Integrity is a factor so I am hoping that the time will be honored. Your word (and your timing) will be VITAL to  the Bellies you will service so we will begin that practice, with taking of our tests. If, for whatever reason, you are not able to take the test the date we release it, then I would ask that you email me or text me the date and time that you are ready, so I can release a different test to you. Please don’t forget this; the tests you miss will count as a zero (0%) on your grade sheet and will you not be able to retake that test again until the end of the program.

Essays/Projects

Essays/Projects are written on your essay sheet as outlined and attached to the email I sent labeled, “First Day Documents”. Please read them and complete them accordingly. ALL ESSAYS/PROJECTS ARE TO BE IN WORD FORM and emailed to me by midnight of the date they are due. This is important too as your Bellies will rely on you to be on-time to their requests as well. Please limit the excuses and the procrastinations, in this, as it is not deserving of the Bellies you service. I am a real “stickler” for promptness and no procrastinations/excuses as this  will reflect on how you treat and handle the Bellies you service.

You are able to add pictures and even audio to your essays/projects as long as they are in a WORD document (no pdf or jpeg docs will be opened) and ATTACHED to an email;  it CANNOT BE the email. Again the essays and projects have due dates and will be due at Midnight of that date, for a reason…this will help you to prepare for impending Due Dates of your Bellies and will get you used to handling all your other business affairs (essays, vocabulary,  reading assignments, etc) prior, so you can leave yourself open for your Belly when she is due! See…there is a method to my madness…LOL

Questions

Of course, you will ave questions. I would be fooling myself if I thought that this would be a fully-understood craft! But trust…where’s there is a  will there is a way! I am not perfect in this and don’t want to be.  I  have learned more from teaching over the years, than I have in practicing the subject matter itself! You will be the same way. Your Bellies have questions that you may not know the answers to. This will promote you to learn as you go along, as well, so you can get them the answers as well! This is the great method of learning and teaching; making both Midwife and Belly more empowered in this great art we call Birthwork!

The questions you have in (either of) the lectures will be asked (and answered) by the comments you leave. I will receive your comment and will answer them as they are posted.I would like for you to try it now. After you are finished with this blog, please add a comment (below) about what you thought of this information. Once you have left it, I will be able to reply and add a response to you! Its that simple…go ahead and try it!

If I am birthing or getting some rest, is the only time I will not answer quickly, but I will answer soon as my body is ‘trained’ not to sleep too long or too soundly, because of the call to duty. As most of you know, I take great pride in returning phone calls, text and even Facebook messages! This is so you will know that I am always available and ready to answer the call as it arrives…this will be a great practice for you as well so I will be testing that notion while you are in class; I will be making random calls to you, at all hours of the day and night, to test your theory of readiness and response times for your Bellies. It is a test but should get you familiar with getting the late night and midday calls to serve your Bellies!

Well…I think that’s it…please re-read this again if you need to review the outline. I will be more than available to answer your questions and will be ready to help you begin this voyage!

Talk with you soon; don’t forget to leave a comment and look for the email marked, “First Day Documents”!

Much love to all of you fabulous Doulas!

Dr. Ameena Ali

Now look to your right and type in Week 1 Day 1 (Lecture 1) First day of Class in the search box to get the next lecture