PandA Povenmire & Associates Aviation Safety Consultants Training Design, Evaluation and Instruction

Seven Golden Rules of Instruction

TWO - REMIND THE STUDENTS OF  THEIR OWN MOTIVATION

 

     This one came to me very young as I sat unhappily practicing the piano.  It was a beautiful Saturday morning, and my friends were all outside playing baseball. 

 

YOU CAN NOT TEACH ANYBODY ANYTHING IF THEY DO NOT WANT TO LEARN.

 

It does no good to provide the best possible instruction.  You can not project your own motivations onto the student.  Unless the instructor can show students how learning will enhance their own goals and values, the will not learn.  

 

     To succeed in this, instructors need to be like (are you ready for this?)  used car salesmen.  Have you ever walked onto a used car lot and gone directly into the glass building to ask if there is a salesman that can sell you a car?  No.  We usually sneak onto the corner of the lot to get an uninterrupted peak at an "attention getter" parked strategically on the corner of the lot.  The salesman is watching from behind the window like a fisherman.  After a polite interval, the door swings open and here he comes - straw hat, cigar, red blazer, yellow pants, white shoes and belt. 

 

     Now put yourself in his shoes for a minute.  If he is to be successful, what is the first big question in his mind?  "Why did this person walk onto the lot?"  Have you ever been asked, "Are you married?"  "Do you have any kids?"  Do you drive a lot in your business?"  He is building himself a catalogue of your motivations, which he will be able to drop back on you at the appropriate time.  "Do you think the kids will like all that room?"  or "You'll save a bundle on fuel over what you are driving now."

 

     As instructors, we need to borrow this technique.  I usually ask my students why the want to learn to fly.  One told me that he wanted to become an airline pilot.  Later on in the traffic pattern I was able to say "Airline pilots fly very precisely.  See if you can hold your altitude within 50 feet."  Another told me that he wanted to be an aerobatics champion.  "Aerobatics requires precise aircraft control.  See if you can hold your altitude within 50 feet."  A third said he wanted to be an aerial applicator (crop duster).  I said "Crop dusters have to be able to control their altitude within - uh - well never mind, just try to keep within 50 feet on down wind." 

     As it was with me learning the piano, it would do no good to tell the future aerobatics champion that his passengers would not like his abrupt maneuvering.  He would react more favorably if I mentioned the smoothness required in aerobatics maneuvers.

 

     Some learning activities can be quite remote from anyone's goals and values.  The commercial maneuver "On-Pylon Eights" has no apparent practical value.  Students often ask "Why do I have to learn this?"  Two answers are acceptable.  "It will help you recognize unsafe situations while showing people something on the ground."  or "You have to do it to pass the check ride."  Either answer directs the students to their own goals and values.

 

     I wish I had learned to play the piano.

 

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