The message received

On the BIG TOM Part 3 training, we explore how the behaviours of a driving instructor can be perceived by pupils.  A great deal of communication is created not by what IS said, but by the method in which it is sent out to the pupil.  Generally speaking, people do not appreciate the effect this has on the 'receiver' of the communication.

If our PDI is from a background that has not involved 1:1 communication with people then this section of BIG TOM training can be enlightening.  As the years tick by, we all tend to develop personal characteristics of communication often without conscious awareness.  For example, some people will tend to:

speak too quickly or slowly

not make eye contact

pepper a sentence with overused words such as "obviously", "as you know", "of course", "but", "like", "kind of"

steer conversations around to the instructor or other pupils rather than the pupil in front of them

not check for understanding after giving an explanation

not attempt to smile 

speak in a monotone voice with no accentuation or lilt

do too much "telling" and not enough "asking"

structure a question so that it is 'loaded'

be facing away from a pupil when speaking rather than towards them

start talking before engaging brain (rambling)

The consequences for the person on the receiving end are profound.  If you receive enough of this kind of treatment, it stirs deep emotional feelings of resentment, anger and loathing.  Effective communication is effortful and must be centred around an interactive environment of respect.  As in all encounters with people, if you repeatedly show no respect, there typically will be consequences (and ignorance of this subject is rarely tolerated by the recipient).

BIG TOM franchise for driving instructors

Tom Ingram offers the following advice to any reader considering joining the BIG TOM franchise as a driving instructor:


"In a 1:1 learning environment, the quality of training often comes down to the working relationship you have with a pupil.  Over the years, I've heard people misinterpret this as being a kind of mate or friend to a pupil.  It is important to recognise that the instructor and pupil are working within a business contract; the pupil is the customer who has a need and is paying for a service being provided by the instructor.  Important elements reciprocated within the relationship are trust, understanding, clear communication, respect, effort, perseverance.  The reason why the instructor is able to charge for this service is that they act professionally, reliably and courteously giving a training service that complies with the DVSA driving standards.  But it is work.  The work involves the process by which the successful end result is achieved.  It is NOT to be confused with the end result of passing the driving test.  The work is in the means by which this is achieved.  BIG TOM instructors make that process enjoyable and satisfying for customers.  Effective learning is achieved within a safe and enjoyable learning environment."

Read here some feedback from previous customers to see the working relationship.

Spot the skill

On your Part 2 driving instructor training, we play a bit of a game where we have a race to see who can spot the driving skill first.  Developing driving skills in new drivers is a key role of a BIG TOM driving instructor so it is very logical to make sure that as a PDI you are aware of all the skills that are being used for every day driving.  

To give you just 3 examples:

You are waiting to emerge right out of a minor road.  To your left is nothing.  To your right are 3 cars, the first of which has a left signal on.  It appears that it is turning left into your minor road.  You proceed with great caution as you know, this is potentially very hazardous.

When following a vehicle on a single carriageway road, at 50mph, the vehicle's right signal goes on.  You automatically start trying to identify where the right turn is up ahead.  The sooner you can see where this car is intending to turn right, the better you will feel.  

Sitting at give ways in a minor road, waiting to turn left into a busy major road.  You notice that a pedestrian has just approached a "puffin" pedestrian crossing to your right in the major road.  Happy days, you KNOW you will be able to emerge any time soon.

It's a great game, a lot of fun, and will get you thinking about learning to drive in terms of skills rather than driving faults.

 

Location of reverse parallel park

On a car driving test this morning, the examiner asked my pupil to do the reverse parallel park in the location shown as above (literally using the car as shown).

You perhaps might be able to see that it is extremely tight.  My pupil even said as such before she started to attempt the manoeuvre.  The distance from the parked car and also the kerb is far from ideal as a starting point.  My pupil struggled to get the angle due to the kerb on the right and her wheel.  There was then a lot of shunting around to no avail with vehicles waiting front and back.  Eventually it was aborted.  The examiner used the dual brakes due to how close the car was to the parked car, and after aborting the manoeuvre helped my pupil with where to steer to get out of the situation.  

In the de-brief the examiner mentioned that she heard what my pupil said about the width or road and that she was prepared to "cut you some slack" [whatever that quite means?].  However, she failed the test due to the presence of the other vehicles waiting, the lack of observations out the rear, being too close to the corner of the parked car, not making all round observations, hitting the kerb to the right and all the shunts that were done. 

After the de-brief, I had a private chat with the examiner asking if she felt that location was appropriate, which she said she did.  So I mentioned that I would be taking guidance from my customer, but I felt it was inappropriate to be doing a parallel park in that location - inappropriate for me having been a driver for 35 years, let alone a candidate on a driving test.  I informed the examiner that if my customer was unhappy with the result (the manoeuvre was the ONLY reason for the test fail), then we would be returning to the location to take photos prior to lodging a complaint.  The examiner said she would make a note of our chat.

Neither DT 1 nor ADI 1 makes mention of any stipulation regarding this.  Standards and Regulations of the DVSA have confirmed with me that there used to be a stipulation of sorts for the old Turn in the Road manoeuvre ("three point turn" in old money), but this TITR manoeuvre has been taken out of the learner car driving test.

So it is interesting.  I have lodged a complaint with the DVSA online.  There is no contact number for the Test Centre Manager displayed at the test centre where this occurred. We shall see what happens.  

I think for me, what this comes down to is two things:

a) Is the location appropriate for the manoeuvre, meaning would any ordinary driver contemplate doing the manoeuvre in that particular place?  When we returned to the location, while I was able to physically complete the manoeuvre, I think it fair to say that anyone looking at the situation would not choose to do a parallel park there.

b) Is it reasonable to expect a candidate on a driving test to manage that situation?  On this one, I think that the circumstances are so inappropriate for the manoeuvre that no, it is unreasonable to expect a candidate to have the clarity of thought, to actually deal with all that was going on.  In effect, one could say it was designed to cause a fail.  What I would emphasise is that no driver (either learner or qualified) would choose to do the manoeuvre in that location, so no, why should anyone have an expectation to be able to deal with it on a test?  

Crucially, part of preparing learners for everyday driving as per the DVSA Driving Standard, is to develop the skill of assessing risk independently.  The increased risk factors for this situation are hitting the kerb to the right, hitting the parked car, causing an unnecessary and perhaps unacceptable delay to other road users.  To include on an assessment an artificial situation that goes directly against this skill of taking responsibility for risk is not smart in my view.  It directly goes against everything I have been working hard with my pupil; and right at the last stage of learning to drive, dictates to my pupil, to undertake a manoeuvre in a place that opposes any dynamic risk assessment that she would personally have undertaken.

UPDATE 15/08/2018:  The DVSA have been in touch and the Test Centre Manager for the location concerned with the above driving test, has confirmed that in his opinion that location is unreasonable.  The examiner concerned is a newly qualified and has been appropriately advised.  The test fee is going to be refunded.  I am pleased to also announce that the pupil concerned in this incident, did go on to pass her driving test on her second attempt shortly after the original test fail.  I think it is fair to say however, that this kind of situation does demonstrate that there are driving instructors who are prepared to firstly, observe the tests for their pupils and secondly, raise a complaint if something crops up that is incorrect.  I would strongly advise and PDI's (and indeed ADI's) monitoring this blog to openly offer to observe as many driving tests as your pupils are happy for you to do so.

A new perspective

It's interesting to hear what is said when a new recruit to BIG TOM sits in the passenger seat and gets THIS view!  Brings it all home as to what the job is actually all about.  It's got very little to do with how well the recruit can drive, the skills needed involve:

Expressing driving techniques in a manner that engages with the pupil

Listening and watching intently

Accurately assessing driving performance

Effectively communicating how to assess risk

Demonstrating learning techniques

Paying attention to eye contact and non-verbal signals

Treating pupils with respect and openness

Fun and interesting part 3 driving instructor training

Paying attention to how you and your pupils think is a crucial skill for a driving instructor to possess.  There is a fun drill given to PDI's on Part 3 training that explores this fundamental point and helps to trigger some deep reflection.  The act of thinking about how one thinks is called metacognition. 

Providing driving training in a car on a 1:1 basis means that a driving instructor DOES have the opportunity to pay attention to this detail.  Consider it from two points of view:

The instructor's thoughts

Responding to a safety critical incident - the weight placed on preservation of the car compared to the needs of the pupil
Explanations provided for driving techniques - not only how pupils develop them, but why
Progress tracking - responding to a perceived lack of progress, whether this is a driving instructor or pupil issue
Authorising pupils to go to test - perceptions of pressure, attitudes to pass rates

The pupil's thoughts  

Responding to an open question with "I don't know" - possible reasons why this is utilised as a coping mechanism
Adopting the strategy of "trial and error" and the attitude to making mistakes while learning to drive
Responsibility for the learning process and making it effective
Who controls dangers and manages risky situations

Trainees at BIG TOM are invited to "know thy impact" meaning to be mindful of how a driving instructor behaves can affect pupil experiences, safety and learning outcomes.  This subject cuts across all the assessment criteria of the Part 3 test. There are interesting points to cover within "Lesson planning", "Risk management" & "Teaching and learning strategies".

Driving Instructor Statistics

With only a third of trainee driving instructors qualifying and receiving their "green ADI  badge", it is sensible to be aware of some of the key performance measures in the industry.  This blog will give you the very latest available (up to March 2018).

There were 170 new ADI's (Approved Driving Instructors) added to the register in March and 328 renewals (occurs every 4 years).  The total on the register is 39,248 (it is declining register).

For qualifying test rates, the Part 1 (theory) test has a 53% pass rate, the Part 2 (driving) test has a 54% pass rate (marginally higher than the 'Learner' driving test pass rate (45%).  The Part 3 (instructional) pass rate is 36.1% - this rate has increased for the past 6 years.  Interesting to note that for month on month figures, the Part 2 (driving) test pass rates do often outperform the Part 1 (theory) pass rates, and yet people considering coming into the industry are often put off by the perceived standard of driving required of a driving instructor.

Already qualified ADI's and the Standards Check statistics for March 2018 across the UK are 9311 Grade A (22%), 19734 Grade B (47%) and 666 failed (1.3%).

There were 621 PDI applications in March (starting the qualification process) and 126 were "refused". 

Trusted training resources

When BIG TOM has a new member join up, they are joining a long established driving school that is deeply committed to DVSA systems and processes to ensure compliance with the Driving Standards.  

A recruit receives the latest DVSA literature, all publications used for training purposes are DVSA approved.  Training content is consistent and of high quality, aligned to the needs of assessment for qualification tests as well as post-qualification tests.

Trainees become aware of the driving syllabus as outlined in the DVSA National Standard for Driving Cars and Light Vans with regular reference to the DVSA National Standard for Driver and Rider Training.  The systems adopted by BIG TOM align to these requirements.

The over-riding objective is to create a learning environment for pupils that is safe, effective, and nurtures the development of long-term skills.  Assisting pupils to appreciate the importance of taking responsibility for the learning process, and to create trusting relationships between instructor, pupil and training funder.

No contracts or monthly payments. Training that delivers on the theory and the practical needs of assisting learning.

Franchise Locations

There is a beautiful range of work available for a BIG TOM driving instructor.  Assisting learner drivers on either weekday or weekend courses, presenting road safety at schools, writing articles, providing driving training for under 17's, training in automatics or manuals.  No week is the same as there are driving tests that crop up too.

With the BIG TOM franchise, you control the hours you work, which days, and where in the country you want to work.  It does give you control.

There is a calm consistency to the work schedule, no last minute changes of pupil or location, nothing that pops up unexpectedly.  This is important as it means that you have the best opportunity to adequately prepare for your pupils and give them your best attention.  Contrast this approach with a driving instructor that is dashing around between driving lessons only to find so many are last minute cancellations.

Right now, we have more demand than can be managed in Peterborough, Lincoln, Boston, Stamford, Spalding and Grantham.  But we are in no rush to recruit the wrong driving instructors; our customers would not thank us.

For a relaxed, no obligation chat get in touch with us today. 

Superb driving instructor franchise

How easy it is to become comfortable in our self-imposed expectations.  England goes through to the semi-finals of the World Cup with a team of players who have elements of youth, inexperience, passion and access to good management.

The BIG TOM franchise is one such opportunity that is just mouthwatering in what can be achieved.  Dependable income of £600+ per week, total control of working hours, and all the support that is needed to provide a professional, customer experience with real value.
As a BIG TOM driving instructor, you benefit from the total backing of tried and tested systems, a wealth of successful previous experience and resources that you can rely on.

“If you want to learn quickly this course is really useful.  I learnt so much from being a beginner driver to driving round Peterborough in the rush hour.  Theory resources online are really good and the videos, especially for watching prior to the course to make yourself more comfortable when meeting Tom for the first time.  Tara is super helpful and accommodating.”  Anna Forbes-Rogers from Bourne

Stop putting limits on what can be achieved, and take the first step to start controlling your life, get in touch with BIG TOM - a superb driving instructor franchise!

Do you like to coach or preach?

The BIG TOM franchise attracts driving instructors who can assist a pupil to learn in a way that means something to them.  Contrast that approach to one where the driving instructor expects the pupil to learn in a way that means something to the instructor - an entirely different prospect.  One reason why pupils leave driving instructors is due to not feeling like they are making progress because they simply aren't learning.

A smart instructor attempts to understand how to facilitate learning by asking open questions of the pupil about how they like to learn.  BIG TOM driving instructors will have at their disposal a variety of techniques that can be utilised to suit the needs of the pupil.  Happy pupil - happy driving instructor.

Effective driving instruction is all about the relationship with the pupil, not whether the driving instructor "likes driving" or "is patient".  We want to hear from people that have a genuine interest in helping learner drivers learn, not comply with instructions.

"Helpful driving instructor, very informative five day course from beginning to end.  I could feel myself progressing as the days went on and as I was told about different ways of learning and developing new skills which is very good for confidence while driving especially as a learner” Billy Brooks from Castle Bytham

The reason why this is so important to us here at BIG TOM is because that is how we help franchisees who join us.  We tap in to how THEY like to learn too.  Once you witness how effective this approach is, you will be more inclined to stop TELLING pupils what to do, and instead, encourage them to LEARN what to do.

Skills to aid learning

Induction training for BIG TOM driving instructors involves understanding the importance of building trusting relationships with customers. In a learning environment, the pupil's thoughts and feelings are paramount. There can be a variety of reasons for obstacles to learning, and a BIG TOM driving instructor does not judge about outcomes.  Instead, to facilitate effective learning, it is necessary to develop skills in understanding how learning takes place. 

“BIG TOM was the only driving school in the area to provide an intensive course.  I had a brilliant instructor, he adapted to my needs and listened to me when I had concerns.  I couldn’t thank him enough for how quickly he helped me learn to drive and how nice and considerate he was to me throughout my experience.”  James Youds from Haconby

You would be able to remain calm and provide options to your pupil to help them learn.  In times of frustration, a pupil needs a supportive driving instructor who unlocks barriers to learning and opens the way for progress and motivation.

Positive learning environments.

Sounds interesting?  Want to learn more? 

Stress free working day

One of the many benefits of being a franchisee with BIG TOM is the admin support that is provided.  Customers are taken care of with BIG TOM resources and handed over to you for finalising the payment to your account.  You are paid three weeks IN ADVANCE of the training.  BIG TOM Admin make all the necessary arrangements for the customers driving test booking aligned to their needs.  Check out below how important this "behind the scenes" support is to BIG TOM customers.

This means that you can concentrate on the crucial work of providing top quality in-car training that is both enjoyable, safe and effective.
No cancellations, no hours of admin work waiting for you at home, no late payments.

“What can I say? Tom is a Legend! He helped a nervous driver gain confidence in a supportive atmosphere. I had very little driving experience, and in just 20 hours he had me test ready and I passed FIRST time!! If you are looking for a patient, knowledgeable instructor Big Tom is your man!

On a side note (but equally important) Tara made the test booking process seamless and kept me updated every step of the way. I was very impressed with the text message the night before my test wishing me luck! It was a nice touch and shows how much Tara, Tom and the rest of the Big Tom team really care about their students.

I will be recommending Big Tom Driving School at every opportunity.”  Jason Dean from Peterbororough

Pressure of a penalty shoot out

It's not often that England is successful at winning a match on penalties but last night, in Russia they only did it!  A feat never before accomplished by England in a World Cup match.  Listening to the players and Manager in post-match interviews there was much talk of "owning the process" and remaining "in the moment".  Fascinating comments because it very much reminds me of the situation that happens with pupils taking their driving test.  

How many times do you come out of an interview and as you reflect, you kick yourself for NOT saying something for a given question, or talking nonsense for a different question?  The moment in time gets the better of us; the pressure affects the behaviours.  

The England Manager Gareth Southgate mentioned about the preparations the squad have done should it come down to penalties.  There are stats on specific players' scoring rates as well as goalkeeper performance on saves.  The goalkeeper mentioned that he had researched where certain players like to place the ball in a penalty stating that of the five penalty takers for Columbia, only one player struck the ball in a different area of the goal than usual.  

So there is constant, meticulous tracking of performance by individual players when taking penalties.  There is meaningful, specific research.  And there is "owning the process"; an exciting phrase deserving exploring a little.

Often in these high-pressure situations that crop up in life, e.g. interviews, exams, driving tests, first dates, there is an "unknown" element to them which can quickly develop in the imagination and become a monster.  Many of the England players would have had to overcome this last night due to their relative inexperience - they just would not have been in that situation before.  They would have taken dozens if not hundreds of penalties in competitive games in their lives, but never in a World Cup game in front of billions of viewers where the consequence of not scoring is being knocked out of the competition.

The player either volunteers or would be expected to take a penalty.  The player is physically shattered.  He will have confidence levels which will be very personal to him.  Where in the line up of 5 does the player take the penalty?  What are the expectations of the Manager, peers, the nation?  Did the opposition score or not immediately prior to taking the penalty.  The long walk from the halfway line to take the penalty.  The possible verbal and non-verbal exchange with the opposing goalkeeper.  What the referee says/does.  The atmosphere in the stadium created by the fans.  The behaviour of the goalkeeper immediately before taking the penalty.  The run-up.  The execution of the strike.

What examiners say on a driving test, how they behave, what you think, how you act, what events surrounding the situation ARE you in control of, which things that happen do you have no say in at all?  How do you feel, is the adrenalin helpful or harmful, are nerves affecting performance, do you have external pressures with which you think you MUST pass the driving test?  Have you practised this situation by doing a mock test, what is your actual driving ability (not perceived, but real), are you in control of your body - is your leg shaking, your heart pumping out your chest, you have a headache, you are sweating like crazy, your hands are literally shaking, you cannot think straight?

When the England Manager talked about "owning the process" he is referring to his players being aware of these elements and taking responsibility for doing the best they possibly can to prepare for them.  I noticed he was quick to make mention of the team around him and the work they did with the players.  He has considered a strategy for dealing with the high-pressure situation of penalties in the World Cup; he has first-hand knowledge of how it feels not to score (not all unfortunate experience is negative).  He has arranged an array of resources to be available for the individual players.  Ultimately, it will be how effectively the players engage in those resources that will determine outcomes.  This is what it comes down to.  At some point, the player will need to take responsibility for owning how he prepares for this situation.

I have known pupils not accept my feedback of their driving ability, not engage in a mock test, not ask any questions about how the driving test is conducted or how the examiner behaves.  Some are not even aware of the structure of the test, how it is assessed or even how long it lasts. 

It is a matter for our pupil.  We can advise but what we can't do is force a pupil to take responsibility for "owning the process".  It is for this reason that making training providers responsible for pass marks is a minefield.  Look at schools for example.  The stress exerted on teachers and students at schools is primarily due to the exam grades being a key indicator for the OFSTED assessment.  There appears to be no limit as to what a school will now consider doing to maximise exam grades with seemingly little regard ironically to how it affects the well being of the student or indeed the staff members.  

If you are considering joining the BIG TOM franchise and growing concerned as you are reading this, then I am happy to state I do not fall into this trap of holding instructors to account for pupil pass rates.  The current national driving test pass rate is 45.4% for a good reason; everything to do with the contents of this blog.  One of the critical values of BIG TOM Driving School is to provide a safe, enjoyable environment in which to develop long-lasting driving behaviours in our pupils.  A 100% first-time pass rate does not feature in our BIG TOM Customer Charter.  I would go so far as to say it would be impossible to run a thriving and prosperous driving school if the school DID have a 100% first-time pass rate, such is the negative impact it would force on customers.  That methodology does not make for happy customers.  There is nothing long-lasting about forcing pupils to drive in a particular manner to pass a driving test, that is not the pupil "owning the process" that would be the driving instructor taking complete control of the process.  The problem is that those pupils who have been "coached" to behave in a particular manner to pass the driving test, don't continue with those behaviours post-test, they don't own them so they won't do them.  

If you are interested in road safety rather than 100% driving test pass rates then BIG TOM would be VERY interested to hear from you.

Controlling your workload

As I write England are still in the World Cup and Wimbledon has just started.  One of the joys of working as a sole trader within the BIG TOM franchise is that you can control how many hours you work in your typical week.  You can literally switch the hours on and off to suit your commitments.

To give you some indication of how it can work let me tell you about my own work schedule.  I have a family which includes 2 young sons so quality time with them and my wife is important to me.  I can block out various days and weekends from my diary so that I simply do not book over these important times eg school sports day, parents evening, weekend sports tournaments, Christmas play, family weekends away. 

Over the years of running BIG TOM intensive driving courses, I find that it is all about balance.  It is sometimes very handy to be able to turn on the revenue tap as needed, but equally, what price do we all put on quality time with family? 

One course represents £600 of revenue, this can be completed over a Monday to Friday weekday course or over weekends.  In addition, customers will ask for more training as required.  Rewarding loyalty from customers is a core value of the BIG TOM Franchise and offering them continued support through their training cycle is essential to maintain the high standards of customer experience.

I cannot recommend this way of working enough - I know I would say that as it is my franchise but it has been meticulously crafted over years of experience and I am telling you it works very effectively.  It means that I am maintaining a healthy, positive work/life balance and when I am working with my customers, I am energised, feeling good and able to give them my 100% support and assistance.