It's so different from regular lectures, because it simulates real interactions. Robinson admits that some students don't feel entirely comfortable in this type of class, but she thinks the hesitant participants are those who have little experience in small group settings. For students whose education has been individually focused, this is a foreign concept. They see it as a strategy all students need to learn. The department of family medicine instituted a Faculty Development Program, which provides formal training to help small-group instructors adjust to this new teaching style.
Instructors have to be trained in group dynamics, role-playing and facilitating discussion.
They also have to recognize when to break character and how to guide the group if they get stuck. When Dr. Werner was playing the part of Mrs. Samples, for instance, he would periodically break character and suggest reviewing what had just occurred. You are the doctor, and you must decide how to sort it out. Remember, it's not always neat and easy. There may be more than one problem.