Happy new year and career!

Wishing you a happy, peaceful new year and hope that you achieve the goals you strive for.

Happy Christmas from BIG TOM

Wishing my readers a very Happy Christmas

Performance Output of ADI's

The DIA (Driving Instructors Association) have raised the subject of measuring ADI performance & conduct in their latest magazine after it was brought up at a recent > National Associations Strategic Partnership < (NASP) meeting.
Apparently consensus between the parties involved is hard to come by on this subject and I am not in the slightest bit surprised for reasons that I will explain.

Why would anyone want to be measuring the performance output of ADI's?  ADI's are in business as a result of customers choosing their driving school for training purposes - if the ADI(s) was not up to scratch, then by a process of natural deselection, the business would fold.  Consider for a moment how that differs significantly with the options parents have of choosing schools for their children to attend; and bear in mind also that there is no direct financial transaction between parents and schools - the State intervenes and OFSTED regulates school performance for this public service.

As such, it seems quite logical to me to re-frame this question of ADI performance, on behalf of the public.  What in particular would the public like to know prior to choosing their driving instructor?  The industry knows from historical evidence that the public places very little importance on the DVSA formal grading of a driving instructor (the DVSA would do well to ask themselves why that is the case).  So what would help the public to decide who to use?

It is my opinion (based on my experience) that they would have an interest in the following factors of the training provider:

• the price
• the dependability of the outcome & what happens if their son/daughter fails their driving test
• the safety record
• the reliability of the instructor

I have long held the view that our driving instructor associations and/or the DVSA could serve the industry well by surveying the public to confirm/deny the above by formal research - I rather suspect the second item listed would feature large.

The problem is that the likes of the NASP will keep 'chasing their tail' on this subject because the industry is too "inward looking" - this is something that I mentioned to Carly Brookfield when I attended the recent DIA Conference.  There is a culture in the industry which refuses to consider change that goes beyond its perceived needs of the stakeholders - that in a nutshell is all that is required to create deadlock. 

Until our industry stops looking after its own needs and starts genuinely serving the public, there will be no advancing on this issue.  If anyone involved in the NASP wants ADI's to start acting like professionals then they should start modelling the desired behaviour themselves which will inevitably involve treading on previously untrodden ground in order to raise standards.

Consistently good driving

This video for PDI's relates to driving instructor training from the BIG TOM foundation block "Pedagogy" and raises your awareness of the process of effective learning in order to raise driving ability to a consistently high standard.  This is one of the fundamental barriers to success for driving instructors and having knowledge on this subject will help you to run a more successful driving school.  

Dealing with obstacles to learning

This driving instructor training video offers some light on a subject that seriously affects how driving instructors feel while they are giving driving training on a day to day basis - obstacles to learning.  You will be encouraged to think of this issue in a different manner so as to begin to see self-improvement that will not only benefit you, but your pupils learning experience too.  Contact BIG TOM on 0775 607 1464 to book 1 hour online training for £10

Driving Instructor Training with BIG TOM

This driving instructor training video is aimed for PDI's and ADI's and will help you to get some clarity on the usefulness of consistent feedback to pupils and driving test pass rates.

There is a specific BIG TOM > foundation block < for "Customer Feedback" and if you want more details on how you can learn more about this very important subject do get in touch on 0775 607 1464

It's early days but....

I've been busying myself keeping my ear to the ground of late since this new driving test has been introduced; listening to the general reaction from the industry.

The overwhelming thrust of feedback that I have heard has been a step change in the quantity of candidates passing the new driving test.  One of the DVSA research findings (PPR828) had the figure at about 60% first time pass rate which is at least 10% higher than historical statistics involving the old format driving test.

I made mention of this point over a year ago in this blog - what is the measure of success when you change an assessment format?  Is success having more people pass, fail, or there being no discernible difference?  This very point was made by Mark Magee previously in relation to what he described as the unacceptably low pass rates for the PDI qualifying tests.

The little gem in the DVSA research however is the post-test data. That is where the industry could do so much more.  Their research found no difference in collision rates for pupils who trained and took the differing driving tests.  But they did discover that people who were on black box, telematic insurance policies were 50% more likely to have a collision regardless of which driving test they took.  

So what are we to conclude at this point?  It SEEMS that things are rolling out pretty much as the DVSA were expecting.  More people are passing with the increased emphasis in the new assessment of driving as opposed to reversing while steering.

I wonder why more pressure is not being put on telematic insurance companies to answer the fundamental concern regarding safety when people choose their policies?  Hmmmm...... why would that not be happening......  

Pass Rates

The subject of pass rates can sometimes be a rather thorny subject amongst driving instructors and what I intend to do in this blog is offer some guidance to PDI's.

Let's first of all look at the very latest available statistics that are  publicly available online from DfT.  If you pop on to the GOV.UK site and look for driving test pass rates in the search bar you will find there is a quarterly document published which contains in it many pass rates for various tests including car test (DRT02).

So at the time of writing this blog the latest available data is from April to June 2017.  It shows that there is an overall pass rate of 47% across the UK.  It is possible however to see how many are passing the driving test on their first attempt, and DRT0202 which refers to 2016-2017 gives that as 47.1% followed by a marginal increase on the second attempt at 48.4%.

So those figures relate to all driving tests being undertaken across the country.  You might think they are low?  But then again, if you have researched the pass rates of trainee driving instructors taking the qualifying tests you might think in comparison they are in fact not so low?  As is always the case with statistics they can be twisted and turned and published in a variety of ways, and so is the case with how they can be interpreted by the reader.

What they do offer though is a benchmark.  They offer us an opportunity to refer to a performance measurement which is being recorded in a stable and controlled format.  So one of the key questions that you have to consider right from the very start is whether they offer a performance measure of the instructor or the pupil, or possibly both?  This is an important point because what it does is it frames why the reader is bothering to take note of the data.  Let me explain.

If a potential customer makes an enquiry with my driving school and asks "So what is your pass rate?".  In my experience, that is a potentially troubling sign.  What the enquirer is in effect asking is, if I come to you, what is the chance of me passing my driving test.  A perfectly reasonable question to ask you might think?  Can you see how this kind of question, asked by a potential customer right at the start of the process is ALREADY putting some degree of responsibility for outcomes on your shoulders?  Be under no illusion here, that is precisely what is going on.  

When I reported here in this blog earlier this year that my local grammar school were disposing of lower performing students from the school, this is a symptom of an organisation that is literally prepared to break the law in order to sustain pass rates (grade levels).  Ask yourself why is that organisation behaving in that manner?  There is clearly for them, an awkward balance to be struck between maintaining high standards of student attainment so as to satisfy customer expectations vs treating each and every student with dignity and respect.

And so in our world of driving training, one wonders how customer expectations can affect outcomes.  Well, if a potential customer starts from the position of asking you what outcome is likely regarding passing the driving test, then they are letting you know in no uncertain terms that you are being monitored and assessed.  One could argue that is not only clear evidence of consumer power at work but it is only right and proper that a driving instructor SHOULD be held to account for their pass rates.  And on the surface this all seems quite logical, until of course you are the parent of one of the students who was kicked out of the grammar school due to your child not getting sufficiently high grades in an exam.  THEN you might hold a different opinion.  But I believe there is a much more important aspect to take into account, and as unpalatable as this might come across, this is a genuinely held belief of mine that whilst being unfashionable to write does not in itself make it incorrect.  

There is plenty of evidence around suggesting that driving training that is centred around solely assisting a pupil to pass a driving test does very little for the required development of a conscientious, continually improving newly qualified driver.  Coaching a Year 6 student to pass an 11+ test is not necessarily in the best interests of that student.  As such, it would be perfectly possible to have all driving instructors coaching their pupils to pass their driving test with no regard at all on the higher levels of the GDE matrix.  But the argument goes "Who cares?".  The customer, who after all is the person financing the training, wants a driving licence.  They are not interested in higher levels of the GDE matrix.  "JUST GET MY SON A LICENCE!"

Thankfully, I can happily report to you that I have successfully run a driving school not bending to this parental pressure, and my message to you as a PDI is, you do not need to either. There are very many people out there who can readily understand, accept and engage in my alternative approach to driving training.  These tend to be the people who put the safety of their son/daughter above the potential savings to be had of simply passing the driving test.

So the only time I will actually PREVENT a customer from attempting a driving test is if I feel there is a potential safety issue.  I feel qualified to make that assessment having the record of not one single accident in all the time my driving school has been established.  If a customer is adamant to go to test with no chance of passing, ignoring my feedback, then as long as they do not represent a safety risk, then they can go to test.  The option I give them if they DO represent a safety risk, is for them to present themselves for the test in their own car - that tends to focus the mind somewhat.

We can attempt to develop self-evaluation, risk assessment, self-awareness and we can advise our clients accordingly giving them the benefit of our experience gained over many years, but we can't control the decisions they make.... or can we?  Over the years I have heard of driving instructors who claim of pass rates in the high 90's percentage.

I took some personal CPD in 2016 (BTEC Level 4 Award in Coaching for Driver Development), which I qualified at the very end of the year.  So being very interested in knowing if that has had any impact on my pass rates, I recently wrote off to the DVSA asking for my formal statistics for 2017.  Unfortunately, they got back to me with my overall statistics since 2009.  I have re-requested the stats for the figures so far this year but not as yet had a response from them.  I will update the blog if and when I receive that data.  But for now, I am very happy to report an overall pass rate just higher than the national average at 48.53% and given my rationale above, not at all disheartened with my first time pass rate of 35.3%.  I fundamentally do not 'coach' my pupils to pass driving tests, never have, and never will (yes, I do sleep soundly).

I hope this blog has offered some insight into the subject of pass rates.  I do not for one second ask you to agree/disagree with my opinion expressed here but I hope it stimulates thought.  At the heart of my business is my customer, and I will do everything I personally can to assist them to develop life-long driving skills and confidence. 

UPDATE: On 11/12/2017 the DVSA gave me revised first time pass rate figures for period 01/01/2017-31/10/2017 which showed it to be increased to 50% which is 3% higher than the national average.  This is an interesting statistic as it would tend to suggest that by developing my pupils' sense of responsibility for outcomes has increased the pass rate by 15%.


Driving Instructor Training with BIG TOM (in-car and online)

Driving up standards

How very easy it is for little snippets of information to pass on by in these changing times.

Lesley Young, the DVSA Chief Driving Examiner recently stated in one of the dozens of communications recently been handed out to ADI's that it was an unfortunate fact that the driving test does affect how learner drivers are trained.  She then went on to explain the changes to the new test.

Pause for thought though.

It has always been the case since I have been in the industry that it is the DVSA Driving Standards that affects how learner drivers are trained.  The theory being that if ADI's follow the driving standard methodology, that will then hold them in good standing for any DVSA Standards Check.  But now, here we have the Chief Driving Examiner actually stating (it seems with some tinge of regret) that in fact, the structure/format of the driving test DIRECTLY affects how pupils are taught to drive.

This is no small point.  For many years I have argued that if the driving test standard was raised it would have positive outcomes to the standard of training that pupils receive - I've blogged here about it many, many times.

So it seems that when the time suits, and right now appears to be one such time, then the DVSA will happily change the driving test format IN ORDER to affect driving training standards.  The point is sound and very justified.  Only this morning I have read a post from an ADI who is expressing annoyance that now with the new driving test going out to locations further afield, he is going to have to raise his driving lesson prices to accommodate the extra mileage he now incurs - oh how inconvenient it clearly is to now have his pupils driving more.  Clearly the sooner he gets to grips with the new driving test routes, no doubt he will be much happier in that he can ensure these extra miles are ONLY covering the new routes.

But it does then re-ignite the debate about how the test could be adapted to improve standards.  I have always been an advocate of Q&A between examiner and pupil while on the move to test understanding and application of key safe driving techniques.  The argument against has always spoken of the means by which this open dialogue can be accurately assessed.  

A driving test > undertaken this morning < by one of my own pupils highlights the necessity of a consistently fair approach adopted by driving examiners in the manner in which the test is conducted and how variances can affect outcomes. 

The means by which assessment of driving ability is conducted has always in my view, and no doubt will continue to affect standards of training going on in the industry.

Date for new ADI qualifying tests

The DVSA have now confirmed the long awaited date of the new qualifying tests (Pt 2 & 3) as 23/12/2017.  The link >HERE< gives a short summary of the changes.

These practical and realistic amendments, particularly to the Part 3 test are a very positive step forward and I predict that this will have extremely favourable effects on the historically very low pass rate for the test.

Not only does this change create a more meaningful assessment by making use of actual pupils rather than role play, but it also will focus the minds of PDI's on the DVSA Driving Standards from qualification through to future success as an ADI.  It also ensures examiners are left uninterrupted with the important task of accurate assessment rather than also trying to role-play at the same time.

Driving Instructor Training with BIG TOM 0775 607 1464

Is your pupil feedback effective?

Before we start working with pupils (and while it occurs) it is wise to discuss previous experiences.  When pupils have experience of trying to learn practical skills it can be very beneficial in raising awareness of the ‘learning path’.

If a pupil has very little experience then that is STILL worth a discussion; arguably more so.  Feedback to pupils comes in many forms and we should vary the methods so as to ‘tune in’ to our pupil.  If a pupil’s background offers them little assistance in the path of learning to drive then that needs to be said because some people will literally not appreciate that point and could have entirely unrealistic expectations of what is achievable. 

In my driving school we adopt a traffic light system denoting previous experience after we speak to our customers before they even sign up to us.  This is important because it manages customer’s expectations – particularly the customers who would not otherwise be aware of the significance previous experiences has on the rate of learning.

As I have mentioned in other blogs it cannot be over stated how important it is for feedback that we give to be clear and meaningful.  If you have discussions with pupils and they are not engaging with you or have little regard to what you say, then make every attempt to change the communication method.  Examples include the giving of formal typed feedback, playback of recorded in-car video footage, verbal 1:1 (facing each other), performance evaluation via their pupil book (acts as a handy reminder), either face to face or telephone conversations with parents/funders of trainers, emailing, targeted driving video suggestions, other ADI assessments, mock test results (including how it was scored), specific blog posts, driving test reports.  There are lots of ways in which pupils can receive feedback and we should never assume that just because some feedback provided is blindingly obvious to us, it will also be understood by the pupil.  Some pupils will not be practised in the receiving of feedback so they will be not appreciate or even respect the contents of the feedback.  By giving effective feedback we are managing risk, developing learning and working 'smart'.

In much the same way, one could stress a similar point in “client centred learning” – it will not be suitable for all pupils necessarily; which is why the DVSA have been careful of their wording in section 6.3.3

This subject of feedback is a very important point to us as driving instructors as it is assisting in 3 ways: the effectiveness of the learning process, maintaining of safety and the managing of customer expectations – significant for the benefit of a successful business and happy customers.

For more information contact Tara on 0800 689 4174   

Engage in your community

A common trait, sometimes deeply hidden, within professional driving instructors is that they lack the confidence to recognise the value they are adding to the industry.  It is like there is something invisible to the eye that prevents them from being heard regarding road safety.  That inhibition is a sad thing to witness as it is often unjustified and also disabling.

When I see driving instructors in my daily work life, they DEFINITELY are adding value to the industry.  Granted some will be more able to create effective working relationships with pupils and facilitate learning more effectively than others.  

I have had 2 conversations in as many days with established driving instructors who have almost appeared apologetic in expressing a view - the self-doubt has been palpable.  Now my intention here is not to ridicule or judge; many people would say that modesty is a fine personality trait.  But I do wonder how these inner feelings that affect confidence are inhibiting personal and business development.  That inner voice you can hear in your head?  Pay attention to that folks, that will affect your behaviour.

There are a ton of opportunities out there where you can make a very real, positive contribution to your local community.  Last night for example, on conclusion of an interview about the new driving test for a local community "radio" the interviewer said to me "Oh that will explain why I had the troubles I had."  When I asked what he was referring to, he told me that he had failed the test 4 times before obtaining his licence and he wished someone had given him advice like he had just heard.

There are opportunities to give road safety talks in your local schools, the local community magazines, your local business networking group.  There will be organisations within your home town that would love to hear your views: Mum groups regarding road safety outside schools at drop off and pick up time, charity groups who would be interested in fund raising efforts, voluntary OAP groups who would be grateful for information regarding how health and age affects driving ability.  There are organisations that specifically assist the less fortunate or able youth and would be grateful for your contribution.

If you do not feel confident with standing up in front of people then start a blog or get your phone camera working and start a vlog.

My point is that the experience you have is valuable.  I'm not necessarily saying that you can assume the rights as the authority on all technical matters regarding road safety, that would be a pedestal that only a few could rightly stand on.  But in assisting pupils achieve their goals as we do, our contribution is very, very real.  That point will not be lost on the public.  They will know only too well that the work required to develop a safe, confident, 'thinking' independent driver is not insignificant.

Breathe deep folks, pull those shoulders back and start to get your voice heard in your community!

DIA Conference 17/11/2017

As a professional in your industry it is wise to invest time in your own development and driving instructors are no different.  We have around 39,000 driving instructors on the DVSA register yet less than 200 attended the DIA conference a few days ago.  If you are taking the trouble to read this blog I rather suspect you are not in need of having this point emphasised as you will recognise the relationship between inward investment and the benefit to your customers.  But if you do want a quick resume of the main speakers feel free to click through > HERE <

One of the essential ingredients that was unfortunately MISSING from the DIA conference was customer feedback.  I have attended other conferences and events from the other driving instructor associations and the DIA are by no means alone in making this most fundamental of errors.  This issue is deeply rooted in our industry; it is a cultural failing.  When I bumped into one of the trainers who ran my BTEC Level 4 award in Coaching for Driver Development course in 2016 he asked me what my thoughts were on the course.  Despite a whole year having passed, that was the first time that his organisation had actively sought customer feedback from me.  

The subject of Customer Feedback is so important to the long term health of an organisation that it is one of the 5 BIG TOM Foundation Blocks in the driving instructor training that we provide.  The idea that as the head of an organisation you have no systemised means by which you gain feedback from your paying customers would tell me there are fundamental limitations requiring some immediate personal development.

The reason that I say it is cultural though is partly to do with the nature of our work with customers.  Unlike other trades where repeat business from satisfied customers is a must, with driving training, when the driving licence is obtained, they do not have a 'need' for your services any more.  And that mindset seems to me to permeate through all aspects of the industry - even organisations that really ought to pay more attention to this, as there definitely would be the potential for repeat business.

Our own governing body, the DVSA are really getting to grips with this point and showing positive change.  It may be that they had a bit of a wake up call with the public outcry over driving test availability but that is not really for me to speculate on.  Only last week, an enquiry that I initially made on the DVSA "help me" desk on Twitter and ended with a lengthy conversation with a DVSA employee was concluded with them asking me to complete a survey of my experience.  Top marks - a form of systemised customer feedback. 

We go into this in more detail in our training, but 'systemised' means that it is firmly set in the processes of the organisation and occurs regardless of customer experience.  This is distinctly different to what is prevalent in our industry, customer reviews.  Customer reviews have an important part to play in the marketing effort of a business but they are entirely different to customer feedback.  When a business attempts to obtain customer feedback it does so because it has a desire to continually improve.  It is not requesting confirmation of how wonderful it is, it is ready and willing to hear of ANY feedback that will help it improve.  In the driving training industry there is a cultural problem with organisations being unwilling to request feedback that helps them monitor ALL customer feelings.  It is an arrogant stance to take, very unhealthy from a business point of view and unattractive to witness.

The reason why this is important regarding my experience at the conference last week is the bit that these organisations are either ignoring or perhaps unaware of.  When you are at the 'coal face' in the industry as my driving school is, you are aware that you are a very small (albeit vital) cog in a very large machine.  What these driving instructor associations provide for the likes of my business is a channel by which our voice can be heard.  So the service they are providing is the combined 'weight' of a significant proportion of the driving instructors out there.  But what they absolutely must ensure they do is REPRESENT those driving instructors (in the case of the DIA it currently stands at 11,500 members).  If the driving instructors do not feel that their voice is being heard, then no longer is that association providing any meaningful service to them.

Any business can go about their work with little regard to the thoughts of their customers, but boy is it not smart!

How to change behaviour

Ultimately, in the driving instructor world, we are all about behavioural change.  Pupils across the UK can be told to behave in a certain way but that does not necessarily effect behavioural change on a long term basis.

No, this is complex, and there needs to be an added ingredient to the mix for there to be long lasting change.

The traditional way that driving instructors attempt to effect behavioural change in pupils is by raising awareness of the need for change, giving assistance in how to behave, and giving praise when change is shown.  If change does not come about, then instructors will respond differently. 

My own driving instructor (30 odd years ago) slammed on the brakes real hard when I went to move off without doing a left blindspot check at traffic lights.  Decades ago, schools used to administer the cane to effect behavioural change.  These harsh tactics that involve immediate shock only succeed in achieving long term mental trauma.

The fact of the matter is that the responsibility for behavioural change must come from within our pupils. What is not helping matters for driving instructors is that school leaders and teachers are in this awful situation where often they are working harder to encourage learning from their pupils than the actual pupils... the responsibility for learning has flipped and students know it!  Consequently, when those same students then start to take up learning to drive, they are very used to the idea that the "teacher" (in this case the driving instructor), tries harder than they do to achieve the goal.

Driving instructors and teachers can provide smart, well timed, constructive feedback to pupils as much as they like, but if the pupils are not recognising the goal of changing behaviour, learning will inevitably be limited.  There is simply no getting away from the fact.... ask any teacher who is spending hour upon hour marking books and filling out lengthy term reports - utterly wasted energy.

So unreliable is the current situation to long term learning, that black box telematics is the only way many can afford car insurance because without this continual monitoring of behaviour, insurance providers quite literally see young newly qualified drivers as too high a liability.

The way we are educating our younger generation is fundamentally flawed and as much as we need our schools to start facing up to that fact, we as an industry also need to stop 'spoon feeding' our pupils to pass driving tests. This unending quest for improved pass rates (or exam grades) at any expense is undermining the integrity of the end product. 'Safe Driving For Life' talks about the effects when pupils own their learning:

"When people learn in this way they are more likely to retain information and skills" and "People are also more likely to keep learning if they are encouraged to take responsibility for their learning at an early stage".

For driving instructors monitoring, I absolutely am advocating the use of continual checking of learning, but where I suspect we differ is how we behave when we have established the pupil is not learning.  The responsibility for road safety goes on for years after passing a driving test, if you are absolutely hell bent on ensuring your pupil is coached to pass driving tests, you are doing them a great disservice for providing > long-term learning <.

Professional, high quality training attracts appropriate pricing; low quality, superficial training attracts gutter prices.  If you could just allow yourself some CPD to recognise this relationship you will start to serve your customers far more effectively.

BIG TOM Driving Instructor Training for Professional Driving Instructors Click HERE

Pull up on the right

The PCS union has today issued its reasons for taking the strike action and it turns out there are concerns relating to safety of the new driving test alongside issues regarding work practices.  I have collected together the PCS stance and DVSA response in one handy blog for you HERE

In any case, what strikes me as odd out of all the changes relates to pulling up on the right.  Here is the wording for this manoeuvre as per the revised DT1:

1.35 The pull up on the right exercise This manoeuvre should be carried out during routine driving, on a general main road which would normally carry light to medium traffic flow, therefore it is not necessary to deviate from the test route, into a side road or housing estate. It is not always necessary for the candidate to encounter traffic whilst completing this manoeuvre however carrying this out on busy roads or busy times of day, should be avoided due to the excessive length of time it would take to complete the exercise. The chosen road should allow the candidate plenty of opportunity to pull up on the right on a straight section of road with clear visibility well ahead and behind. 
Whilst driving on a suitable road, and at a safe location, the candidate should be asked to pull up on the right when it is safe to do so. Once stationary, the candidate should then be asked to reverse for two car lengths before being asked to drive on again. If the candidates begins to select a location which is not suitable, then the exercise should be aborted before moving across to the right and attempted later in the test.
The candidate should show proper care for the safety of other road users while pulling across to the right, reversing and moving off.
Should the candidate ask the examiner to assist when reversing or moving off to re-join their side of the road, they should be informed that the purpose of the test is to prove their competence to drive it without the help of a supervisor, and that they should carry out the exercise as if they were unaccompanied. 
The examiner must not get out of the vehicle to direct or assist the candidate.
If a vehicle pulls in front of the candidate prior to the completion of the exercise, the examiner should take control of the situation and advise the candidate to reverse back further to allow a clear view ahead. If a vehicle blocks the candidate from reversing, the manoeuvre should be aborted and a manoeuvre attempted later in the test. If this situation causes the candidates view to be severely restricted then the examiner should offer some assistance.
The manoeuvre ends once the candidate has stopped reversing and selected neutral.

The bit that I find illogical is the highlighted sentence. I understand and completely agree why it would be necessary for an examiner to intervene should a candidate go to move across to the right side of the road in an inappropriate location but why is that not marked as such?  When examiners intervene, generally speaking that demonstrates a skill gap with the candidate.  So if a pupil has chosen a dangerous place to pull over, there is therefore a need to further develop that skill is there not? 
I only raise this issue as I can see there is a degree of ambiguity here.  With the old 'turn in the road', and 'reverse around the corner' manoeuvres, the variable of where to do the manoeuvre was taken out of the hands of the candidate - they literally had no choice. The examiner controlled them by pulling them over to a stop before introducing the manoeuvre. But look what is happening now with the bay park compared to the new 'right reverse' as it is being referred as.  The bay park you have every good opportunity to slow to a standstill and gather your thoughts about risk before choosing a bay, but with the right reverse manoeuvre, the candidate could be travelling up to a maximum of 40 mph on a road with light to medium traffic flow.  Now that is a skill and it would appear, as per the DT1 a skill that is unreasonable to expect a candidate to achieve - which kind of begs the question why the examiner isn't taking more control of precisely where it occurs.

Method of learning

One of the key aspects of a driving instructors work is how well they appreciate that people will > learn in different ways <.  This kind of sentence is often regarded as glib but in fact, this is the stuff that differentiates quality of training.  Let me give you a personal example to demonstrate the point.

I monitor a variety of people on social media relating to politics, music, driving training and education.  One such person popped up recently on Twitter making the point that a serious driving fault will be marked on a driving test if you do not use a bus lane that is legally available to you.  Whilst across the 5 driving test centres I use, this does not affect me at all, I've driven in London many times, and the significance of the point being made was not lost on me.  So with my curiosity spiked, I decided to investigate.  You could say that from the moment that I disbelieved the statement, I was now in "learning mode" - clearly, there was sufficient a knowledge gap in my own mind that meant I could not discount the statement.  Although I have personal experience of bus lanes in major cities, my daily routine does not include them, so in that regard, I have a lack of understanding because although I am under the impression it is not illegal to not be using an available bus lane, I have no knowledge AT ALL how these things are assessed on driving tests.

Let me briefly go through the steps I took to learn.

I watched the YouTube video of the ADI who put the statement up originally and that then put me through to another video created from a different provider who was also making the same claim - between just those 2 videos they had 125,000 views. Many of the watchers were commenting how unbelievable this situation was and unfair...... quite.

I contacted the ADI on his Tweet and asked a couple of questions which sparked just a one word reply - hardly comprehensive I thought.

I pulled out my copies of "Know Your Traffic Signs", "The Highway Code", "Driving the essential skills" and "Theory Test for Cars" - nothing.  I looked up DT1 online - nothing.

I contacted the DVSA helpdesk who could not help but knew a man who can.  I then initially emailed this chap from the DVSA and then 2 days later had a 15 minute telephone conversation with him.

It turns out that it is unwise to make such comments about the outcomes on driving tests like it is a given.  When a candidate goes on a driving test, an examiner will be assessing their ability to drive as though that is the first time they have ever driven in that area.  As such, would it be reasonable to expect ANY driver in those circumstances, to have the ability to read bus lane signs and know with confidence whether they could be using the bus lane?  Clearly not. 

So the statement being made is technically incorrect.  Let me be clear though.  To say "If you do not use a bus lane when it is legally available to you will fail your driving test" is technically incorrect.
Driving tests are assessed in their entirety, and a driving test that would otherwise result in a 'pass', would not become a 'fail' with the presence of this isolated incident.

There I have it.  My knowledge gap is now better than it was.  I accept I am no expert on this, but I now feel I have more accurate knowledge on the subject than I did a few days ago.

If you just think through the process there for a minute, this is important to acknowledge.  Firstly, my previous experience sparked a curiosity on a subject that whilst it had no direct relevance on me, I did feel the need to ascertain for sure what the situation was.  I knew that by not driving in the available bus lane was NOT illegal, that again was from my own experience and knowledge but I did not know how it would be assessed on a driving test.  None of the driving test centres that I use daily has this particular situation crop up, so I had no first hand knowledge.

I started down the integrity/authenticity route.  I recognised that the (incorrect) opinion was not isolated.  I saw that dozens upon dozens of viewers of the videos were very much affected by what was being claimed - and this sparked my interest more.  I engaged with the author.  I sought knowledge in my resources.  I checked a DVSA driving examiner document online.  And lastly I engaged direct with the DVSA and then specifically with someone who has that degree of knowledge.

The path I took is personal to me.  The options I had available were varied.  But my point is the degree to which I learn is directly related to the method I choose to learn.  Our learners are just the same.  My PDI's are no different.  ADI's that I assist.... just the same.  It is about as fundamental a point as I could possibly make ESPECIALLY to a PDI coming into the industry.  

I don't see it as my responsibility to enforce learning in any particular way; if you think it is your responsibility to get your pupils to learn YOUR WAY then that really is a mugs game and is why car insurance for newly qualified drivers is as high as it is.  Trying to force pupils to learn to drive in the manner in which you prescribe is at best amateurish bordering on unprofessional.  

BIG TOM - Driving Instructor Training.  Engage HERE

How do our pupils "own" their learning?

Our Driving Standard makes it very clear that there is an expectation on US to develop ownership for effective learning within our pupils. It says:

“This element is about creating a relationship with the learner, and a context for their learning, that helps them to take ownership of their learning process”.

It makes mention of the advantage of helping to create “active learners”.

The DVSA re-state this objective by way of the assessment criteria in which we are all measured on our Standards Check.  One of the 17 points of assessment is:

“Was the pupil encouraged to analyse problems and take responsibility for their learning?”

One of the problems that I regularly encounter as I speak to ADI’s and PDI’s is what I call the “wall of jargon” that exists between what our monitoring authority expects of us compared to what we understand our monitoring authority expects of us…. do you take my point?  In essence, this comes down to effective communication and actual understanding of what the DVSA are truly wanting to see.  I feel that this “wall of jargon” is responsible for much of the problems relating to “teaching and learning strategies” in our industry.   We are not alone, teachers have to deal with the same issue relating to understanding what OFSTED mean too.

For some readers, you will like to see an example of where I am coming from in order to understand the point.  When I give you following example, do not get bogged down in the content of the message regarding intensive driving courses; that is NOT the point of this example.  The point is the wording that I use regarding key skills that my pupils are being encouraged to develop as safe drivers.  So look at this example beyond the ‘intensive driving course’ message, instead pick out the bits where I am actively encouraging pupils to develop ownership for how they learn. 

DO REMEMBER TO COME BACK TO HERE AFTER READING THE FOLLOWING!

Here it is:

http://www.bigtom.org.uk/how-to-gain-most-from-the-big-tom-course/

So the important message I am attempting to get over here is that it is important to ensure you are being very precise in the message you give your pupil so that they understand what is being expected of them.  Raising self-awareness, developing the ability to analyse the effectiveness of their learning, deeply reflecting on personal strengths and weaknesses are not skills that naturally develop in us – in any of us!  (I am going to provide you very soon with a perfect example of this very point in a blog which will demonstrate the point of how each of us learn, and the consequences for neglecting this point.)

Of course, HOW you go about this will be a deeply personal choice.  But go about it you, me, all of us must!  It is an expectation of the DVSA that we demonstrate this point in all our day to day work.  When driving instructors ignore this point, they are depriving their pupils of the opportunity to develop into “thinking drivers” – there we go again, another bit of jargon for you.  A “thinking driver” is intended to differentiate drivers who drive within the glass ceiling of the lower 2 levels of the GDE matrix and those who break through into the upper 2 levels of the GDE matrix.

Join the BIG TOM Q&A Webinar for more like this - 0800 689 4174

Dealing with change

Another Friday spins around, where do all these weeks go?

Last night, I attended a DVSA meeting regarding the new driving test set to come in on 4/12/2017 yesterday in Peterborough.  It was well attended and I think it fair to say there was a degree of confusion and anxiety expressed by some.  I'm off to the DIA conference in a week or so where there will be hundreds of peers present and no doubt there will also be similar reactions vented.  I'm sure the qualifying Part 3 changes will also crop up in the discussions.

How we all deal with change is quite a personal matter.  If we do not have a network around us where we can air our thoughts and listen to others' opinions then it is natural for 'change' to be perceived as threatening in some way.  Our imagination runs away with us.  This is perfectly natural, we are not designed to instinctively welcome change, we are creatures of habit, and prefer stability.

It doesn't need to be this way.  Social media groups and forums of course do offer an opportunity for networking but even they can get bogged down in negativity quite easily. 

There is a BIG TOM Q&A webinar that driving instructors can sign up to.  It is a form of CPD within driving instructor training because it develops self-improvement.  It is an hour chat with me heading the discussion about all things in our industry.  There are a number of others also in the session, you see their face, you hear their questions and it offers a welcome 'space' for expression and reflection but it will be kept on track as a positive environment.  It is a 'paid for' event and part of the service that you can rightly expect is that unlike other social media events it is indeed kept positive, professional and respectful at all times.  You can have as much or as little involvement at the time with no pressure placed on you.  If you prefer to 'attend' without the video feature, that is also perfectly acceptable.  This offers you a chance to step off 'the ride' for a moment, relax, breathe and enjoy some non-pressure CPD within a friendly environment.

If you find yourself feeling in any way 'threatened' by these new changes coming into our industry, get in touch.  Whether you like to admit this or not, your thoughts and feelings are directly and indirectly conveyed to your customers, so investing some time in you, will also positively benefit your business.

Ring 0800 689 4174 and quote "BIG TOM Q&A Webinar" - we will handle the rest.  Have a great weekend.

BIG TOM Self Improvement Model

In the BIG TOM “Pedagogy” Foundation block, you will be introduced to the BIG TOM Self-Improvement Model.  This model is as appropriate for your own personal self-improvement as it will be for your pupils learning to drive.  The purpose of this blog is to introduce to you, as a trainee driving instructor, how this model can assist our pupils achieve goals.  Learning to drive is a unique experience because there are many variables that develop within the learning environment that make it fluid and fast changing.  Unlike many other learning experiences where the environment in which practise occurs is controllable and stable, with driving, there is a complexity to situations that often means there is more than one way to achieve a given goal.  This model enables pupils to recognise this fact and start to open their mind to the options available to achieve goals, practise making positive decisions and then reflecting on the outcomes to see if there is an opportunity to improve by re-assessing that situation.  Whilst it should be stated that not all pupils will respond to such a model for a variety of reasons, the advantage with this approach is that it is highly personal and develops a key skill that enables pupils to continue improving their driving competence post-test.

My intention here is not to devalue the model by way of a brief, superficial explanation.  To gain knowledge of the full power of this learning technique I would advise you to > sign up < to a BIG TOM “Pedagogy” webinar slot with Tara.

There is no limit as to how this can be applied in day to day working.  It not only has practical uses in conventional applications such as roundabouts, parking manoeuvres, meeting situations, emerging, but also in more complex situations where it assists in providing coping mechanisms for barriers to learning.  The model works equally well in achieving learning to manage driving situations as well as reflecting on driving actions.

I have used this model extensively for many years and can confidently state that with the right training in how to implement this into your pupil training, the outcomes for pupil development are incredibly powerful and will equip them for continued learning after they pass their driving test.

Inner belief drives behaviour

When you are working with a pupil it is wise to really pay attention to what they say and how they behave because if you can get into the habit of properly listening and watching, it will give you an insight into beliefs and attitudes.

Regarding listening, take this example here which you will find on my twitter feed “tukkr”.

A person by the name of “Rico” recently put up on his twitter account:

“Ever think of how disappointed your driving instructor would be if he saw you now?”

Which I re-tweeted with the message to my followers of:

“Ever wonder why the insurance premiums for newly qualified drivers are as high as they are?”

To which (I can only assume) Rico was thinking was a question directed to him and he responded:

“Uhhhh no literally never….”

Which prompted me to say:

“Which is precisely my point”

Rico’s initial post would tend to suggest that he has some appreciation that how he is now driving is not to the standard that was expected of him when he was with his driving instructor.  True?  The thought has had to come into his head (possibly been mulling around there for a while) for him to take the trouble to tweet it…. in other words, no-one has forced Rico to tweet this thought.  All he has fallen short of doing is writing it in the first person; he could have written for example:

“I wonder how disappointed my driving instructor would be if he saw me now”

His actual tweet is a question, with the object being an imaginary third person, this alternative is a ‘reflection’ demonstrating a form of self-evaluation.

So as a driving instructor, if you have an interest in the ability of newly qualified drivers to stay safe once they pass their driving test, then you might look at the above exchange and wonder what to make of it.  I wonder if “Rico” was as open with his attitude to road safety, post-test, while he was training with his driving instructor for example.  Perhaps he was….. just perhaps….. he was.

The purpose of Rico’s tweet?  It may be completely random, possibly having no “point” to it whatsoever.  However, with over 500 followers he might be feeling a bit uncomfortable with how he is driving currently, and he might be wanting to hear the views of his peers.  (Never under-estimate the influence of peers on our pupils when they are learning to drive, and driving post-test).  So it is possible that he is needing some affirmation of his beliefs.  What response did he get?  At the time of writing, his tweet has 166 impressions, 18 engagements, 13 profile clicks, 1 like and 1 reply.  The solitary reply?

“idk he’d be pretty fuckin proud”

So listen to what your pupil says, it is a window as to how they truly feel.

The other thing to look out for is behaviours.  Again, this is another opportunity for those who are interested in these things, to gain some insight into beliefs and attitudes.  For this one, let me take the example of a driving instructor who never observes their pupil taking a driving test.

Firstly, let’s think of why WOULD an instructor observe a driving test.  They would see first hand what happens, so should there be need for further development in any aspect, they have witnessed it rather than relying on either the examiner’s de-brief or their pupil’s recollections.  Secondly, by observing tests it would enable the instructor to perform really accurate mock tests for their customers.  Thirdly, by seeing a variety of examiners doing their work, possibly from a variety of test centres, the driving instructor would personally feel trust in the professionalism and training of the examiners and that opinion would be reflected on to their pupils.  Lastly, but by no means least, the pupil might unconsciously or consciously gain a great deal of benefit by having their instructor in the car at the time of the test – for whatever reason…. it matters not.

Now, let’s think why an instructor WOULD NOT observe a driving test.  They might be fearful of the outcome; rather suspecting the pupil will fail or even worse have an accident, and they don’t want to be seen to be directly connected with failure.  They do not want to be held to account – in their view, whatever happens in the car on that driving test is solely down to the pupil…. nothing to do with them.  It may be that they just have no regard for their pupil’s wishes at all about the benefits of them observing the test, instead, they want a bacon roll and cup of tea at the test centre.  They may get nervous on behalf of pupils, and would prefer not to endure the experience.

My point is, by choosing NOT to observe driving tests, that behaviour offers a direct window into the attitudes and beliefs of the driving instructor.  I don’t say this in moral judgement, no blog or opinion is ever going to affect change in itself, change will only ever come from within.  No amount of tweets to Rico will change his mind, it will be Rico and only Rico who changes his attitude.

To summarise.  Pay attention to what your pupils say, don’t say, how they behave, the choices they make while training with you.  This offers a window into their inner beliefs and if we take the trouble to notice this, we can discuss it with them, and help raise their awareness.  Our inner consciousness is a mightily powerful influencer, and often we are not aware just how powerful it is!

Develop your professional skills 0800 689 4174

Lambs to the slaughter

Setting up a successful business does not just magically get created with a good dose of effort and expenditure.  This is not a 'light switch' event where if you give it a few months, suddenly the custom just starts banging at your door wondering how they managed to survive before you decided to start up your business.

Being a self-employed driving instructor > running a successful driving school < requires very specific skills, actions and vision that are essential ingredients.  

How many people I wonder stumble into the industry thinking that it is a given.  I have mentioned on previous vlogs about the DVSA driving instructor register statistics - sombre viewing for anyone.

It takes time, effort and expense to qualify.  It takes even more time, effort and expense to set up the successful business.  Time, effort and expense DOING THE RIGHT THINGS.

We can all be busy fools; working hours we don't want to, filling up our diary with pupils who cancel last minute or don't pay, or just want to use your driving school car to go to test.  That isn't in any way clever.  That is the result of making poor business decisions, not having a clear strategy, and being unaware of essential marketing techniques and business acumen.

The > 5 foundation blocks < that BIG TOM offers are just that, the content within them will set your business on firm foundations so that your business can develop, sustain, endure, thrive and prosper, and you can become a success.

If you think you can put your pride to the back of your mind for a couple of minutes to enable you to > contact us <, it will be the first positive step you can make to invest wisely in your business.

How to show respect to your pupils

Canvassing the thoughts of driving instructors about the challenges of the job would most certainly raise the issue of how frustrating it is when pupils behave "out of character" on their driving lessons and driving tests.  I have lost count of the times I have heard at test centres, on forums, in driving instructor facebook groups, driving instructors in utter amazement how a pupil's ability to drive can be so inconsistent.  This blog will really zoom in to this issue and offer the reader some light at the end of the tunnel.

The ability of driving instructors to empathize varies enormously.  The noun empathy is: "the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person".

Notice the word "ability"?  This is a skill.  We don't change careers and come into the world of being a driving instructor with a natural ability to empathize.  People come into this industry from a wide variety of backgrounds including some where there was no previous expectation or requirement to demonstrate empathy to another.  So this is not a given, and we would do well to stop assuming that just because we are in the training industry, often working 1:1 with pupils that therefore it is assumed that we will show empathy.  Not so.  This is a wake up call.  Really, not so.

My role here is not to rubbish or demean all the good work going on out there, or to generalize all instructors and place them in the "requires improvement" category.  But if you have had any thoughts or discussions that reflect a mood of frustration directed at your pupil's progress or driving ability then you would really do well to start looking at yourself rather than wasting your time expressing your judgemental views upon others.

Have you taken time out to reflect on the experience a pupil goes through when they learn how to drive?  For the sake of your own CPD I thoroughly recommend you do.  Put aside 30 minutes from your busy schedule, find somewhere quiet, and over a coffee jot down some thoughts.  Do a mind map on it if you like - model the behaviour that you would be encouraging your pupils to develop when training with you.

What you will see if you really start to think about it deeply is that there are many factors that will affect the experience a pupil will encounter, some of these factors are self-generated, and others are externally thrust upon your pupils.  Without wanting to appear in any way patronising or insulting to my reader, I would like to emphasize that your pupils carry around with them a deeply complex emotional baggage of thoughts and feelings that are forever evolving.  It would be naïve bordering on arrogant to assume that as a driving instructor you can overlook this point due to it being irrelevant or insignificant.  How your pupil interprets events when training with you will be deeply personal and you will be doing your pupils a disservice to not make attempts to understand their feelings. 

I put it in that way because the easy, lazy thing to do would be to second guess.  Second guessing is the root of all evil in the driving training world.  Instructors do it though for a number of possible reasons.  They think they are so experienced they don't need to ask, instead, they prefer to tell their pupils what their pupils are thinking.  Asking questions would require some thought as to how to structure the question in a meaningful way.  Asking a question would place an expectation on the pupil to think and answer; some instructors would feel very uncomfortable making their pupils work in that manner and fear their pupil would not return for more training.  Asking questions might unearth any number of different responses and some instructors would feel very uncomfortable allowing a driving lesson to sail into unchartered territory where the instructor is not controlling the course it takes. 

So I really do get why an instructor would prefer not to stray down this path of meaningful engagement with pupils that personalizes the training, and if you have the courage to accept you fall into that category, then you have just taken the first step towards self-improvement; many instructors would be unwilling to accept any weaknesses on their part on a matter of principle.

Pupils can be self-conscious, inexperienced in learning practical skills, over confident, unaware of the need to focus and concentrate for lengthy periods, easily distracted, unwilling to share beliefs, fearful of inconveniencing anyone, unable to recognise danger, self-critical, frightened of failure, unashamedly arrogant, unable to analyse obstacles to learning.  By inviting your pupil to learn about what makes them perceive and behave as they do, you are providing them with the means to effectively learn.  This kind of learning is based around self-discovery as opposed to complying with driving instructor's demands.

It is this kind of reflection that will make you a valued driving instructor because when you start to truly empathize whereby your pupil can actually SEE that you are recognising how they feel, then it fosters a working relationship that is based around trust and understanding.  

BIG TOM offers driving instructor training from £10/hour to develop the effectiveness of your working relationships with your pupils.  Be brave and start to see how you can serve your pupils so much better. 

Call 0800 689 4174 to see how we can start helping you