Guest guest Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 This is a question directed at students and teachers, How do other programs deal with the issue of studying herb identification? In past classes, I had students prepare large books of herb samples, with labels on one side. This activity is time consuming and I am not sure it was an effective teaching tool. Are people using the flash cards that can be purchased now? Do you prepare your own samples? Take your own digital pictures? I would appreciate feedback from you. -- Cara O. Frank, R.Ac, Dipl Ac & Ch.H. President China Herb Company Program Director of the Chinese Herb Program Tai Sophia Institute for the Healing Arts office: 215- 438-2977 fax: 215-849-3338 Www.chinaherbco.com Www.carafrank.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Hi Cara, I'm a student at CSTCM and our pharmacy supplies the herb sample packets. I also have the herb flash cards. I like using both. I find I use every resource, visual, tactile and sometimes even smelling the herbs helps. We are tested on herb ID in every category and on midterm and final exams as well. We are required to put together a Materia Medica but do not have to include the herb pictures or samples. Some students make posters of individual herbs and put them up in their homes, they see them every day. They have done very well on exams, however their walls haven't done so well! Hope this helps! Ann E. , Cara Frank <herbbabe wrote: > > This is a question directed at students and teachers, > > How do other programs deal with the issue of studying herb identification? > In past classes, I had students prepare large books of herb samples, with > labels on one side. This activity is time consuming and I am not sure it was > an effective teaching tool. > > Are people using the flash cards that can be purchased now? Do you prepare > your own samples? Take your own digital pictures? > > I would appreciate feedback from you. > -- > Cara O. Frank, R.Ac, Dipl Ac & Ch.H. > President China Herb Company > Program Director of the Chinese Herb Program > Tai Sophia Institute for the Healing Arts > office: 215- 438-2977 > fax: 215-849-3338 > Www.chinaherbco.com > Www.carafrank.com > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 I still think the book is good although not as good as sticking your hands in a drawer or jar of the herbs. One can also make gorgeous images by putting the herbs right on a scanner. doug > Are people using the flash cards that can be purchased now? Do you prepare > your own samples? Take your own digital pictures? > > I would appreciate feedback from you. > -- > Cara O. Frank, R.Ac, Dipl Ac & Ch.H. > President China Herb Company > Program Director of the Chinese Herb Program > Tai Sophia Institute for the Healing Arts > office: 215- 438-2977 > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 I studied at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, and I found that collecting herb samples was a very good way of learning to identify herbs. We just put them in little bags with labels instead of making a book, so you end up giving them away or throwing them out after you finish studying. I think its much better to use the real deal than flash cards as you need to be able to be tactile and smell them to really get the idea, especially with some of the herbaceous stuff that looks very similar. Of course we werent allowed to take little sample bags of some things. We only had one human placenta to go around;) I think its very important too, because I dont know if this is a common experience for others, but often here in Melbourne I get a bag of something with completely contradictory chinese character and latin name, and sometimes, rarely, you just get something that NOBODY knows what it is. I do remember though, that the University got a little huffy about the expense, and we were castigated to take very small samples, but thats acadaemia for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 Thanks Ann. Cara > Hi Cara, > I'm a student at CSTCM and our pharmacy supplies the herb sample > packets. I also have the herb flash cards. I like using both. I > find I use every resource, visual, tactile and sometimes even > smelling the herbs helps. We are tested on herb ID in every > category and on midterm and final exams as well. We are required to > put together a Materia Medica but do not have to include the herb > pictures or samples. Some students make posters of individual herbs > and put them up in their homes, they see them every day. They have > done very well on exams, however their walls haven't done so well! > Hope this helps! > Ann E. > > , Cara Frank <herbbabe > wrote: >> > >> > This is a question directed at students and teachers, >> > >> > How do other programs deal with the issue of studying herb > identification? >> > In past classes, I had students prepare large books of herb > samples, with >> > labels on one side. This activity is time consuming and I am not > sure it was >> > an effective teaching tool. >> > >> > Are people using the flash cards that can be purchased now? Do you > prepare >> > your own samples? Take your own digital pictures? >> > >> > I would appreciate feedback from you. >> > -- >> > Cara O. Frank, R.Ac, Dipl Ac & Ch.H. >> > President China Herb Company >> > Program Director of the Chinese Herb Program >> > Tai Sophia Institute for the Healing Arts >> > office: 215- 438-2977 >> > fax: 215-849-3338 >> > Www.chinaherbco.com >> > Www.carafrank.com >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 Herbs in the scanner! What a cool idea. I am going to encourage everyone to get an ipod to download pictures into it. plus I record my classes with a digital recorder on my ipod. So they can also load the lectures to listen to later. Hmmm. Pod casts? Cara > I still think the book is good although not as good as sticking your > hands in a drawer or jar of the herbs. One can also make gorgeous > images by putting the herbs right on a scanner. > doug > > > >> > Are people using the flash cards that can be purchased now? Do you > prepare >> > your own samples? Take your own digital pictures? >> > >> > I would appreciate feedback from you. >> > -- >> > Cara O. Frank, R.Ac, Dipl Ac & Ch.H. >> > President China Herb Company >> > Program Director of the Chinese Herb Program >> > Tai Sophia Institute for the Healing Arts >> > office: 215- 438-2977 >> Chinese Herbal Medicine offers various professional services, including board > approved continuing education classes, an annual conference and a free > discussion forum in Chinese Herbal Medicine. > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 Cara - Several of the herb companies sell pre-packaged herb samples to schools. They are fully labeled with the name, (Character, pinyin, latin)and some also have category, nature, taste etc. What we have done in the past is to send the company a list of all of the herbs we want samples for (for the entire year) and the number of students and the name of the students enrolled in the classes. Then, either they can ship the herbs directly to the program and you can distribute them or they can ship to the students. We usually make students pay up front (as a lab fee). The nice thing about the samples that you can't get on a power point is the smell/taste and the ability to look at several substances next to each other (sticks, leaves, etc.). If you do this, depending upon who you order your herbs from in your pharmacy you will need to make sure that students check their samples against your herbs. If you are getting herbs from Spring Wind and your samples are from another company many of them will look very different. Then, when you go to give an ID exam there is a problem. You may be able to solve this also with scans of the herbs. I don't have the name of the company we currently order from but I'm sure if you call around you will find out who does it. Marnae --- Cara Frank <herbbabe wrote: > Thanks Ann. > Cara > > > > > > Hi Cara, > > I'm a student at CSTCM and our pharmacy supplies > the herb sample > > packets. I also have the herb flash cards. I > like using both. I > > find I use every resource, visual, tactile and > sometimes even > > smelling the herbs helps. We are tested on herb > ID in every > > category and on midterm and final exams as well. > We are required to > > put together a Materia Medica but do not have to > include the herb > > pictures or samples. Some students make posters of > individual herbs > > and put them up in their homes, they see them > every day. They have > > done very well on exams, however their walls > haven't done so well! > > Hope this helps! > > Ann E. > > > > , Cara > Frank <herbbabe > > wrote: > >> > > >> > This is a question directed at students and > teachers, > >> > > >> > How do other programs deal with the issue of > studying herb > > identification? > >> > In past classes, I had students prepare large > books of herb > > samples, with > >> > labels on one side. This activity is time > consuming and I am not > > sure it was > >> > an effective teaching tool. > >> > > >> > Are people using the flash cards that can be > purchased now? Do you > > prepare > >> > your own samples? Take your own digital > pictures? > >> > > >> > I would appreciate feedback from you. > >> > -- > >> > Cara O. Frank, R.Ac, Dipl Ac & Ch.H. > >> > President China Herb Company > >> > Program Director of the Chinese Herb Program > >> > Tai Sophia Institute for the Healing Arts > >> > office: 215- 438-2977 > >> > fax: 215-849-3338 > >> > Www.chinaherbco.com > >> > Www.carafrank.com > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > [Non-text portions of this message have been > removed] > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Chinese Herbal Medicine offers various > professional services, including board > > approved continuing education classes, an annual > conference and a free > > discussion forum in Chinese Herbal Medicine. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > * Visit your group " > > <> > " on the web. > > * > > * Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 We have labels with Chinese, pin yin, botanical names, channel, temp, category that I sell to students. I have them buy card holders- like for baseball cards, and do it themselves during class breaks. Cheaper and they get to touch, smell, play with them. But I want to play with the scanning idea. Thanks for the feedback. > Cara - > > Several of the herb companies sell pre-packaged herb > samples to schools. They are fully labeled with the > name, (Character, pinyin, latin)and some also have > category, nature, taste etc. > > What we have done in the past is to send the company a > list of all of the herbs we want samples for (for the > entire year) and the number of students and the name > of the students enrolled in the classes. Then, either > they can ship the herbs directly to the program and > you can distribute them or they can ship to the > students. We usually make students pay up front (as a > lab fee). The nice thing about the samples that you > can't get on a power point is the smell/taste and the > ability to look at several substances next to each > other (sticks, leaves, etc.). If you do this, > depending upon who you order your herbs from in your > pharmacy you will need to make sure that students > check their samples against your herbs. If you are > getting herbs from Spring Wind and your samples are > from another company many of them will look very > different. Then, when you go to give an ID exam there > is a problem. You may be able to solve this also with > scans of the herbs. I don't have the name of the > company we currently order from but I'm sure if you > call around you will find out who does it. > > Marnae > > --- Cara Frank <herbbabe wrote: > >> > Thanks Ann. >> > Cara >> > >> > >> > >> > >>> > > Hi Cara, >>> > > I'm a student at CSTCM and our pharmacy supplies >> > the herb sample >>> > > packets. I also have the herb flash cards. I >> > like using both. I >>> > > find I use every resource, visual, tactile and >> > sometimes even >>> > > smelling the herbs helps. We are tested on herb >> > ID in every >>> > > category and on midterm and final exams as well. >> > We are required to >>> > > put together a Materia Medica but do not have to >> > include the herb >>> > > pictures or samples. Some students make posters of >> > individual herbs >>> > > and put them up in their homes, they see them >> > every day. They have >>> > > done very well on exams, however their walls >> > haven't done so well! >>> > > Hope this helps! >>> > > Ann E. >>> > > >>> > > , Cara >> > Frank <herbbabe >>> > > wrote: >>>>> > >> > >>>>> > >> > This is a question directed at students and >> > teachers, >>>>> > >> > >>>>> > >> > How do other programs deal with the issue of >> > studying herb >>> > > identification? >>>>> > >> > In past classes, I had students prepare large >> > books of herb >>> > > samples, with >>>>> > >> > labels on one side. This activity is time >> > consuming and I am not >>> > > sure it was >>>>> > >> > an effective teaching tool. >>>>> > >> > >>>>> > >> > Are people using the flash cards that can be >> > purchased now? Do you >>> > > prepare >>>>> > >> > your own samples? Take your own digital >> > pictures? >>>>> > >> > >>>>> > >> > I would appreciate feedback from you. >>>>> > >> > -- >>>>> > >> > Cara O. Frank, R.Ac, Dipl Ac & Ch.H. >>>>> > >> > President China Herb Company >>>>> > >> > Program Director of the Chinese Herb Program >>>>> > >> > Tai Sophia Institute for the Healing Arts >>>>> > >> > office: 215- 438-2977 >>>>> > >> > fax: 215-849-3338 >>>>> > >> > Www.chinaherbco.com >>>>> > >> > Www.carafrank.com >>>>> > >> > >>>>> > >> > >>>>> > >> > >>>>> > >> > >>>>> > >> > [Non-text portions of this message have been >> > removed] >>>>> > >> > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > Chinese Herbal Medicine offers various >> > professional services, including board >>> > > approved continuing education classes, an annual >> > conference and a free >>> > > discussion forum in Chinese Herbal Medicine. >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > * Visit your group " >>> > > <> >> > " on the web. >>> > > * >>> > > * Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 At Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in San Diego, California (USA), herb samples for most of the herbs were provided as part of the class fee. Excluded were medicinals from rare or endangered species, and items that were particularly expensive, or as in the example of human placenta, difficult to obtain for hygiene and sanitation reasons. I know all about this, because for several years, I was the person who single-handedly purchased large quantities for samples, and then spent a few weeks in-between each term identifying them, printing labels for baggies, filling the baggies, and then coordinating filling one paper bag for each student with one sample of each herb. It was a huge and sometimes daunting task - between 45,000 and 60,000 individual baggies per year. I started this as a student, which really helped with my herb identification skills, and continued for a year or two after graduating. Then the school transferred the job to a company in Los Angeles that could prepare the samples all in a day, and for less than the school had been paying me. I still don't know how that was possible, except for the use of sweat shop-style labor, but that is another issue. --- leabun1 <leabun1 wrote: > I studied at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, and I found that > collecting herb samples was a very good way of learning to identify > herbs. We just put them in little bags with labels instead of making a > book, so you end up giving them away or throwing them out after you > finish studying. I think its much better to use the real deal than > flash cards as you need to be able to be tactile and smell them to > really get the idea, especially with some of the herbaceous stuff that > looks very similar. Of course we werent allowed to take little sample > bags of some things. We only had one human placenta to go around;) > I think its very important too, because I dont know if this is a common > experience for others, but often here in Melbourne I get a bag of > something with completely contradictory chinese character and latin > name, and sometimes, rarely, you just get something that NOBODY knows > what it is. I do remember though, that the University got a little > huffy about the expense, and we were castigated to take very small > samples, but thats acadaemia for you. > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 3, 2006 Report Share Posted March 3, 2006 This brings up another question. I thought that we were actually using pork placenta. Is it really still human? Cara > or as in the example of human placenta, difficult to obtain for hygiene and sanitation reasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 3, 2006 Report Share Posted March 3, 2006 It is a big job. That¹s why I have them do it themselves. > At Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in San Diego, California (USA), herb > samples for most of > the herbs were provided as part of the class fee. Excluded were medicinals > from rare or > endangered species, and items that were particularly expensive, or as in the > example of human > placenta, difficult to obtain for hygiene and sanitation reasons. I know all > about this, because > for several years, I was the person who single-handedly purchased large > quantities for samples, > and then spent a few weeks in-between each term identifying them, printing > labels for baggies, > filling the baggies, and then coordinating filling one paper bag for each > student with one sample > of each herb. It was a huge and sometimes daunting task - between 45,000 and > 60,000 individual > baggies per year. I started this as a student, which really helped with my > herb identification > skills, and continued for a year or two after graduating. Then the school > transferred the job to > a company in Los Angeles that could prepare the samples all in a day, and for > less than the school > had been paying me. I still don't know how that was possible, except for the > use of sweat > shop-style labor, but that is another issue. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 3, 2006 Report Share Posted March 3, 2006 To be perfectly honest, I don't know. We had some in the school clinic, and I never checked into it. Cara Frank <herbbabe wrote: This brings up another question. I thought that we were actually using pork placenta. Is it really still human? Cara > or as in the example of human placenta, difficult to obtain for hygiene and sanitation reasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.