Think about how you teach

Is Cummings still hanging on for dear life? 

Someone who I've not seen as being too active prior to lockdown but has now sprung into life is Ken Robinson.  He seems to think that there is a great opportunity for us all to review our thoughts on how we "do" education.  For any newcomers to my blog, Ken represents something of a God to me.  Many years ago he did a Ted talk about education that has been viewed by the population of the globe about 5 times over (slight exaggeration but I think it fair to say, he struck a chord with many).  He's written books since that I've read, I am, unashamedly a fan.  The thrust of his thoughts on education involve discarding the standardisation of testing, do away with the models of mass learning in set size classes and ability.  He's a very interesting guy.  

The reason why I bring him up is because in our jobs, we "do" learning.  Would it be not too contentious if I said that some instructors do simply coach a pupil to pass the driving test?  The reason why schools fall into this trap is partly due to the influence of the multi-million-pound industry of the examining boards.  It's partly due to the shame Tory governments suffer when they see the UK position on the PISA list.  It's partly due to the insistence of OFSTED grading schools based upon exam results.  But we, as driving instructors, don't suffer from these problems.  Not yet, anyway.  The DVSA don't grade our standards checks based upon our pass rate.  They don't publicise our pass rates.  There really is no need for driving instructors to go down the route of coaching pupils to pass tests.  For any PDI reading, let me give just one example of what I am referring to.

Take a junction that is controlled by a STOP sign.  With these signs comes a solid white line, often accompanied by the word STOP on the road.   As an instructor, you could bowl up to this junction and say:

"So John, whenever you see that on the road if you want to pass the driving test, you really must stop."

"Oh, what?  Really stop?  I know loads of people who don't."

"Yes, you need to forget about them John for the purposes of passing this test, and just remember to stop.  Ok?"

"Right, thanks."

Your pupil continues to receive practise on all the test routes known to the instructor.  Whenever they arrive at a stop junction, the instructor prompts John to make sure he stops.  John complies.

When John goes to test, he knows there's the stop junction coming up, and he remembers to stop.  Hoorah.  Test passed.  John thinks his instructor is wonderful, so do John's parents and happy days.

Of course, now when John comes up to stop junctions, it's a different ball game.  He's not trying to pass tests now.  He isn't in compliance mode anymore.  John wasn't invited to consider if there is a theme to the characteristics of junctions that are controlled by a stop.  He doesn't really know why they exist.  He wasn't told about the significance of backing the white paint (on the road) up with an odd-shaped sign.  Why might you not see the white paint, why might you not see the details on the sign?  The poor lad has nothing to relate to.  All he knows is that to pass the test he had to stop.  What happens now if he doesn't necessarily stop?  Are there increased risks at these kinds of junctions, if so, what are they?  What are the possible implications for NOT complying with the conditions?

On one level of driving instruction, (instructor-led), what the instructor says is gold-dust.  I often (perhaps unfairly) associate this kind of instructor with a military or police background.  Just do what I tell you.  Then you have another level of driving instruction that attempts to make the learning meaningful to the pupil.  It encourages the pupil to think why these junctions exist, their importance, the value it provides to road users.  The beliefs and attitudes of the pupil are explored, and the learning is put into context.  

For instructors who express an interest in joining my franchise, I email them over a group of fictional scenario's that ultimately enables me to assess what kind of instructor the person is.  One recent unsuccessful applicant didn't quite appreciate the significance and returned the sheets with no other reply than:

"I will decide how I play these situations once I've built up a rapport with the pupil."  

Not with BIG TOM pupils you won't.

It might sound to you like I'm flippant here, but I'm really not.  I passionately believe in every word I say.  Pupils need to have the ability to be critical with knowledge.  They need to hear something, consider what it actually means, critically analyse the worth of it, and move on knowing that they have gone through that process.  

Arguably that is what has been missing throughout this saga with the virus.  The public have never questioned the science (or the members on SAGA) for the rationale behind the need for a lockdown.  They just accepted it, complied like brainless sheep and here we all are.  There is always variability in science, we can't blame the people who provide the science, but we sure can question how the politicians chose to interpret it.  Why was it ever going to be sensible to tackle such a live, fast-moving problem like a virus using the mechanisms of an enormous machine like the NHS; not allowing for any regional nuance?  The UK didn't respond quickly enough or smart enough because it was anchored by this almighty centralised, cumbersome monster that our government were hell-bent on protecting.