As a driving instructor
it can be tempting to think that our role is to be the ‘fountain of all
knowledge’, but this blog which has been created for driving instructors is
going to raise the pitfalls of having that mindset.
In a one to one
learning environment there is the potential for developing an effective working
relationship, the likes of which could never be achieved in a classroom of 30
pupils. In our past, most of us will
have been conditioned (to a certain extent) by the learning experience that we
received at school. It still consists
of the professional standing at the front, exchanging knowledge (in whichever
format) in to the minds of the pupils.
Except this is a fallacy; who can honestly say how much “knowledge” is
actually being transferred to the mind of the pupil? There are numerous ways that a teacher can
offer the opportunity for learning to take place, but honestly, how many of the
30 are actively engaged, and what is the depth of the learning?
Driving lessons
as learning environments go, offer more potential for learning. There is only the pupil and you in the
car. There is an opportunity to really
focus on our pupil to a depth that I honestly believe teachers could only dream
of.
You could take
the stance that many driving instructors still do; transfer the skills of
driving to the pupil in a compliance based relationship whereby the pupil is
required just to obey, don’t think, just listen and obey.
It doesn’t have
to be that way.
When a pupil has
taken the time and trouble to sit in your car, for the most part, they WANT to
learn. They are not wanting to waste
their time and money in your company.
They may not particularly like you, they tolerate you; be under no
illusions, the carrot is the full driving licence – they just want to learn to
drive.
How you
cultivate that desire is up to you. You
can harness the enthusiasm and help develop a safe, confident driver in a very
natural way. It basically involves disengaging
the mouth, and engaging the ears. If you
were to record one of your driving sessions (get your pupils permission first),
replay it, and note how much talking you are doing compared to how much talking
your pupil is doing. This will give you
a ready reckoner guide as to the source of the perceived responsibility for learning.
Pupils want to
learn, and they would prefer to learn in a manner that suits them. You rabbiting on irritates them, it really is
not welcome.
Put in a simple
form, if a pupil is not progressing to the degree that you are expecting, then
stop “expecting”. Getting frustrated
with your pupils lack of progress, and the consequent increase in your verbal
instruction is doing practically nothing for the well-being of your pupil.
We could all
take the easy option. I can tell someone
how to drive quite effectively and safely within about 4 hours. That is the easy, lazy, brainless and
extremely ineffective way of assisting a pupil.
They will think you are marvellous, they will think they are marvellous,
there will be much praise to you, many smiles and everything seems rosy…… until
the time comes when you stop telling them how to drive.
Equally robbing
your pupils of effective learning is repeating your demands until eventually
they actually start to predict what you are going to say! You have drowned your pupil in your words to
such an extent, that they will actually know what you would do in a given
circumstance before you tell them (as you were about to, one more time…. in the name of thoroughness and
professionalism). In effect, they have
become you. How wonderful that most make
you feel! Another replica you driving
around the streets. Except they don't copy your behaviour post-test do they? Equally as
superficial, impersonal and ineffective.
Passes driving tests for sure, but it lacks depth, understanding and
integrity.
What is the
answer then?
You could make
attempts to understand what actual needs your pupil has. They can vary enormously. Some will be grateful for some practical tips
on technique. Others will have mental
blocks that need dealing with. The attitude
a pupil takes to learning in general, as well as learning how to drive, will be
quite unique and personal. There is a
need for you to understand the pupil.
Unless you have some mind reading powers or some extraordinary ability
to make your pupils open up and talk personally about what learning to drive
means to them, there is going to be a need to accept what you don’t know, and
start listening.
'Not knowing' is
an opportunity not a weakness. It
requires courage, patience, understanding, self-belief and an unending respect
for your pupil. When you start to ask
questions of your pupils that you could not possibly have imagined they were
going to answer in the way they did, you are beginning to know them. This thirst for getting to know them makes
for an effective working relationship.
Don’t give up
the other stuff, the stuff that is just useful to know. All pupils will want to hear about that stuff
at least once, but get the balance right.
To
summarise. I am encouraging you to
experiment with the notion that you are not the most important person in the
car. You will need to facilitate a safe
environment. It is handy to pull on
experience of being in the right location at the right time to help your pupil
achieve the given goal. Progress does
still need to be made. But it is the
manner in which progress is made that is the important bit. School children can be present in a class
room, they can attempt to answer a question directly asked by the teacher, they
can behave but that does not mean that learning is taking place. When you are stimulating your pupils to think
about aspects of learning to drive that are deeply meaningful to them, learning
is taking place. Not only are you
learning about them, but importantly, they are learning about them too.
The author, Tom Ingram trains driving instructors. Interested? 0775 607 1464
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