Stillness

One of the challenges that face people who are learning to drive is the awareness they have of their beliefs, attitudes, strengths and limitations.  As a BIG TOM driving instructor, this realisation forms an important part of our day to day work.

The following is a very short excerpt of a conversation I had this week with a 23-year-old university degree holder:

"So the very best of luck to you then with your theory test later."
"Thank you."
"What do you think are your chances of passing?"
"Oh 50:50, of course."
"Why's that?"
"Well, because there are only two possibilities; either I pass, or I fail."

The next day, we went on to explore this attitude in conversation.
 
Assisting our pupils in raising awareness of how they perceive things like the probability of passing theory or practical driving tests is essential.  Why we come to the conclusions we do is important to recognise.  In a learning environment, it matters, especially if a pupil is placing a great deal of expectation on successful outcomes.

When you start to get to know yourself, you begin to recognise patterns of behaviours and see links between experiences, thoughts and resulting outcomes.  At BIG TOM, we know that the time invested in these inner searchings is valuable.  We offer guidance in appreciating why and how to reflect.  For some people, it is unnatural to de-clutter the mind, and deeply focus the attention on oneself.  There are many distractions in day to day living, and stillness is not natural to all.

Let's say I said to you as a PDI, that qualifying as a driving instructor will be an effortful process.  As a standalone statement, the value of the message can easily become meaningless.  What any one person visualises by the word "effortful" can be very personal.  How does anyone gauge how much effort they are giving to a task?  How is effort measured or compared?  

Let's attempt to create a "bucket" in our mind, in which we can throw in our effort.  What is the range of activity that each of us perceives to go in the bucket?  How big is the bucket, and what is the strength of each drop of effort going in the bucket?  How regularly are the drops of effort being poured into the bucket?  Are there any holes in the bucket where effort is escaping?  With the passing of time is the effort evaporating?  What are the practical consequences if one PDI has a large bucketful of effort overflowing compared to another PDI with a bucket a 1/8th the size which is just half full?

When you have conversations with pupils, some will need help in gaining some clarity in their thought processes.  What may appear to be obvious to you (with the benefit of x number of years of life experience) is not necessarily so to your pupils.  A BIG TOM driving instructor assumes nothing when it comes to why pupils do what they do, say what they say and think what they think.