Taking control of your diary

I'm being asked to explain how it works from a timing point of view, and I'm guessing that might be on other people's mind too so here is some guidance.  The ultimate answer is that you, the franchisee are in control of how many courses you run and the timing of them.  But let me give the above example just as a sample.  

You'll see that in the month of December you might choose to run three BIG TOM intensive courses.  There is a weekend course for Amy running 10am - 2pm, and two x weekday courses: a daytime morning one for Sue (that's nice because it gives you the afternoon and evenings all to yourself), and lastly an afternoon/evening one for John running 4-8pm.  You will have been paid £700 for each course, three weeks prior to the start of them, so in this case, in November.

So in the month of December, you are off more days than you are working.  You are only working with three different customers all month (limits the risk to Covid exposure).  When you are working it fits perfectly in line with your own commitments.  Even when you take into account the taking of driving tests (at 2 hours per test), this means that the total hours worked is 66 = £31.82/hr. Remember, you don't have to pay for test fees or even book them, that is all done for you by BIG TOM Admin. And look at all the days off you have around Christmas!

There is no need to work weekends if you don't want to.  You might work three courses in a month, perhaps more, maybe less.  You are managing outcomes here; less risk, more control. 

Why we do what we do

 

There are three components of BIG TOM driving training that are key performance indicators: safety, enjoyment and positivity.  It is the presence of these elements in our methodology that makes the training matter.

The first thing to appreciate is that our pupils do not necessarily recognise all three. However, you would like to think that they could immediately tell you whether a session was enjoyable.

If you are considering a career change and like the idea of being a BIG TOM driving instructor, then perhaps the issue of safety is paramount in your mind.  It does need to be; you have a large portion of the responsibility for maintaining safety throughout training sessions.  As our pupils develop, they are more able to own some of that responsibility, but for sure, if a driving instructor has a history of accidents while training, they simply aren't keeping things safe for their customers (or anyone!).

It might surprise you, but pupils do not necessarily appreciate a near miss, it is one of our responsibilities to help them to recognise increased risk and possible consequences.  This skill is demonstrably lacking on our roads where full licence holders behave in a manner that proves they have little self-evaluation.  In BIG TOM driving training, trainee instructors are shown how to develop this vital skill.

The second key ingredient of BIG TOM driving training is how enjoyable the session is.  We must take care of this one as a pupil may have a delightful time driving in blissful ignorance of how safe they are or indeed if they are actually learning anything.  Our role is one of facilitating learning as opposed to providing an opportunity to entertain.  How a pupil engages with our training is complex and emotional, while we want our pupil to enjoy the training, it must have meaning (which I will come on to in a minute).  But in my experience, the pupils that we need to think of when considering enjoyment levels are the ones who might be overwhelmed, confused or frantically trying with little reward for their efforts.  The reason why I emphasise the point is that an instructor may well be keeping training safe, they may also be contributing to learning, but in the process, our poor pupil is really suffering; and that could be downright cruel if we don't identify it is happening.  There are effective techniques to incorporate into driving training that will help you appreciate the enjoyment levels of our pupils.  We must all remember that with deep learning, come moments of frustration.  Our goal here at BIG TOM is to look beyond the assessment criteria of the driving test, and deep learning is effortful.  It is easy to superficially teach pupils in order to pass driving tests, but that is not our objective in this driving school. 

Lastly, I mention the need for positivity.  When customers pay for our service, they expect an experience that is long-lasting.  When instructors train pupils to pass the driving test, is it really any wonder that once that goal is achieved, the content of the training is no longer retained in mind?  It stands to reason that if you set up your programme with that limited objective, the extent of your input is likewise constrained.  So our training must have a long-lasting, positive effect on our pupils; it must have relevance.  We should not confuse the casual or calm air of the training environment with this aspect of relevance.  Remember that our job is to create effective learning, and that will inevitably result in encouraging pupils to dig deep; this kind of learning is effortful.  That very point is the first sentence that our customers read in one of our key resources.  It is for this precise reason that I find little favour with addressing the DVSA Standards Check criteria by rote.  This superficial learning is not adequate - yes, it will pass your test with an A grade, but that will be entirely meaningless because your training lacks relevance.  One of the main advantages of joining this franchise is that you can rest assured that we truly understand the difference between these approaches to learning.  This is why we remain successful despite the recent threats to the business and economy from Brexit and Covid.  Our customers understand what we provide for them, and now, having read this blog, so do you.

To summarise, the experience that our customers have with BIG TOM matters.  Keeping training safe, enjoyable and positive is not some theoretically fanciful notion; it is the bedrock of our training.  And because we are all human with our flaws and strengths, when you look at the image above, the circles will be skewed accordingly.  What I am attempting to ensure, though, is a balance.  BIG TOM driving instructors need to be able to perform with all three factors in mind.  I perfectly understand and accept that it would be unreasonable to expect any instructor, myself included, to have the perfect equal proportions of all of them, but it is important to recognise that it is our duty to serve our pupil rather than our pupil serve our expectations.

    

Effectively using feedback

 

The topic of "feedback" is a very interesting component of the BIG TOM driving instructor training. It occurs by a variety of methods, should be two way (between pupil and instructor) and must be accurate and timely.

There is nothing more frustrating for pupils than being provided delayed feedback. Likewise, knowing how our pupils feel is also important to know in a timely manner so we can manage risk.  

Let's say that you feel there is a need to use the dual controls for a particular event in the session. Your pupil needs to know:

1.  You have used the dual controls (they may not actually realise)
2. Why you felt it was necessary (what you prevented from occurring)
3.  How is it best to proceed to prevent a re-occurrence (reflection is a powerful learning tool)

At BIG TOM we have systems in place to deal with managing 'safety critical incidents'. When you come on board, you are taught about these processes that have served us well and are proven to be effective.

The reason why this is important is that it impacts on your ability to manage risk. Risk factors increase & sometimes decrease within seconds in a driving training session, and in the early days, our responsibility is to keep things safe while this crucial skill is developed in our pupils. The balance of that responsibility eventually transfers increasingly over to our pupils.

We can go through typical scenarios with you either in-car or if you prefer online, remotely. This topic is a good example of how it is possible to train without the need for expensive 'in-car' sessions. We will cover interesting points relating to:

effective communication

timely intervention (verbal and physical)

developing self-evaluation in our pupils

anticipating risk

how feelings affect behaviours

analysing the rules of the road

double-checking for understanding

reviewing goals

By developing your instructional ability in this way, we are modelling how it is best to address issues with our pupils. This methodology is not likely to come across as a personal attack; there is no need for raised voices. We show our pupils that it is possible to learn by mistakes and we are keeping the learning environment calm and constructive. We are helping to provide context to situations, without such help, some pupils might be confused, frustrated or unaware of the risk.

 

You have needs too

 

No doubt you will have noticed the bias in the way BIG TOM trains people and how it puts the pupil very much at the centre of the process.   But all of us have needs, as Maslow neatly describes.  It would be short-sighted to expect all instructors to be able to accommodate all of their pupils' needs when they might sense being lost or isolated in their own personal lives.  Driving instruction is a uniquely lonely working environment.  Sat in a vehicle all week, having little interaction with others apart from our pupils is for sure going to wear anyone down after a time.  

Being part of the BIG TOM franchise means that you are not alone.  There will be plenty of time to meet in a relaxed environment and invest in some conversations outside of our pupil's mindset.  

It might be tempting to overlook this point.  Naturally, most of us don't like to consider our needs for social interaction outside the job.  But having an opportunity to de-stress, vent any frustration or even just talk about something entirely unrelated to driving can be a very welcome release.

The rapport that we develop with our pupils is a crucial part of our work.  It is a fine balance between being personal enough for our pupil to sense trust and honesty (otherwise they are very unlikely to describe their emotions while training), but it must stay within tight boundaries of professionalism and decency. 

Take a group of 12-15 driving instructors and put them in a room.  Have them do some training for a day, in each others company.  There you will witness diversity; people think, behave and interact in a variety of ways.  The only reason why it might not be quite so apparent to instructors on any given day is that most of us train on a 1:1 basis.  But a person's beliefs and feelings aren't diluted because we work 1:1—quite the contrary.  In a group environment such as these CPD days I refer to, I know I have certainly refrained from giving my thoughts because I'm in that group dynamic; I imagine many would concur.  When we work individually with pupils, there is a superb opportunity to tap into how they really feel.  It is a deeply regrettable fact that many instructors are not seizing this wonderful opportunity to create a very effective working relationship that can help mould long-term driving behaviours.

I don't pretend this is easy.  I've been doing this a while now, and we get invested in these working relationships.  It won't always be sweetness and light, because all of us are complex souls, and some of the barriers to learning run pretty deep within us.  But it is massively rewarding.  Driving tests come and go, but the need for the safety of our pupil when driving on their own lasts forever.

The pupil knows best

When I reflect on the mindset I had when I was training to be a driving instructor, I realise now, just how much I didn't know about learning.  The temptation is to think that it's just a case of relaying information so that the pupil complies.  With time, the pupil must start to pick up patterns; that was genuinely how I felt.  Undoubtedly, there is a grain of truth in that; but it does limit the learning.

The reason why my school is unashamedly an advocate of pupil-centred learning (see video 2) is that the driving training industry knows that having a learning environment that promotes learning is in the best interests of the pupil.  The pupil discovers far more about the subject than if they are repeatedly force-fed driving instructions.  Instructors can spoon-feed instructions for passing a driving test very easily, but the smart instructor takes a different approach.

Imagine that when an instructor is working with a pupil in the driving school car, there is a meter running.  The meter is displayed on the roof for all the public to see.   It is measuring the amount of learning going on inside the car.  Sometimes the meter is whizzing around in the positive, happy days; that pupil is getting value for money.  Other times, the meter is only slowly turning; perhaps our pupil doesn't want to be doing what they are working on, perhaps there are too many distractions.  Alternatively, perhaps the instructor is talking too much (over-instructing), and the poor pupil is very frustrated.  Maybe, the meter is turning the wrong way as our pupil is overwhelmed with practising in the wrong location; they aren't learning, they are barely surviving.

Now you have that in your mind, take a look at that meter.  Take a look at the instructor and take a look at the pupil.  Who inside that car has an idea of what that meter is doing above their heads?  It's the pupil; the pupil has an excellent idea of how much they are learning.  The more that the instructor can gain an insight into their mind while training, the better.  There may be a sound reason why that meter is turning slowly to do with the personal circumstances the pupil is feeling, perhaps entirely unrelated to the topic of driving.  

Instructor-led training can pass driving tests, but it doesn't prepare pupils for life after the test.  It ignores how willing or able the pupil is to continue learning post-test.  These pupils are also not used to analysing what is happening or why; they haven't needed to, because their instructor did it for them.  

Instead, when you come on board with the BIG TOM franchise, you'll learn how important it is to pay attention to the working relationship with your pupils.  A great deal of communication can occur without a word being spoken, and that meter above will be whizzing around for all to see.

The problem is, of course; there is no meter.  The public doesn't get to see the rate of learning.  Lazy instruction goes undetected, and yet it still manages to pass driving tests.  Do you see the dilemma?  

At BIG TOM, we don't trouble ourselves with meaningless instructor grades from the DVSA that can have absolutely no connection to how an instructor works with pupils.  What we concern ourselves with is the value our service provides.  I want my instructors to know what that meter is doing on the roof - not think they know, actually know.  And if it isn't turning around, I like the BIG TOM instructor to understand why.  

This blog is an example of the type of training you can reasonably expect to receive when you train to be a driving instructor with BIG TOM.  I'm not interested in fake "Grade A" virtue signalling, but I'm passionate about high-quality tuition and that includes paying attention to the rate and depth of learning.

Feel free to chat with me about joining my franchise, no obligation, just clear, concise communication.  Be brave and call now on 0749 836 4211

How we can help our pupils deal with pressure

 

A key skill of a BIG TOM driving instructor is to be able to appreciate the pressures that pupils sometimes suffer.  How could I know?  Asking is undoubtedly an idea, although we must be mindful how that may trigger an emotional response.  Perhaps explaining in more general terms that pressures come to pupils in different forms is a more diplomatic way of doing things.  If I were to say "Do you feel like you are under pressure learning to drive?", that manner of straight-talking might appeal to some but not others.  Some pupils may not quite know how to relate to that question - let's face it, sometimes all of us are under pressure and yet we hardly would know it.

If I pay attention to the detail, I could pick up clues.  The demeanour of my pupil.  Can I see any signs in body language, facial expression, a movement that would tend to suggest anxiety or stress?  

Some pupils may look tired, be yawning, frequently arrive late and look harried.  

And we should pay attention to the mood of our pupil.  When people are under pressure, it might affect their social skills, for example.  They may show signs of wanting to "cut to the chase".  They have little time for explanation or learning in-depth, the timescale pressures they feel mean they get into your car with a bunch of issues that they want to address - all at once.   

In your training with us, we would explore this important topic.  

This is necessary because the thoughts and feelings of our pupils will affect their driving behaviours.  Investing the time to explore any pressures that a pupil feels can be time very well spent as it can be an obstacle to learning.

The good news is that we have systems and resources in place that help you as an instructor to facilitate these kinds of discussions.  I cannot emphasise enough to you how important it is to be armed with practical tools and techniques while you go through our day to day work.  It is the difference between fighting a battle with appropriate armoury and munitions, or not.  That may sound rather dramatic, but I do mean it.  

It is this level of support that is needed to deliver better training, and with BIG TOM, that comes with your franchise.

And finally...

 

One of the things that I would say to anyone considering coming on board is to come into it with an open mind.  Try not to get too bogged down with preconceived ideas of how easy or hard the job is.  

The fact is that all of us have our strengths and weaknesses that we discover (or not) in our day to day lives at home and work.  So if you got in touch with me about becoming a BIG TOM driving instructor, have no fears about me judging you in any way.  I would no more judge you as I would a customer of ours.  It's an essential point because it sets up the basis of our working relationship (see video 2).  

I have deliberately left this blog running for many years; I'm in no doubt that my weaknesses will be exposed for all to see.  But the reason why I leave them in plain view for all is that I don't pretend to be flawless.   

Fundamentally, this driving school of mine is all about helping customers to achieve their goal as opposed to finding reasons why they can't.  It is sporadic for a pupil not to have a formative learning experience with us; but one thing a pupil definitely does not need is to have the seed of doubt planted in their mind.  Learning to drive is a complex process for some, we are dealing with human emotions here, and no driving instructor of mine should forget that point.  And as such, it should be no surprise that I feel precisely the same way with you as a trainee driving instructor.  You will be supported, guided, encouraged, challenged and given every bit of help that can be given to facilitate you achieving your goal.

  Of that, you have my word.   

[This is the last blog in this mini-series.  Any questions?  Email: recruit@BIGTOM.org.uk  Tel: 0749 836 4211   Twitter: @driving_big  Facebook: bigtomfranchise]