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Posted on Jun 5, 2015
Instructors and trainers, what are your successful tips and strategies for conducting training?
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This is for all instructors out there, both active and prior, as well as civilian counterparts. Though not all-inclusive, I compiled a tentative list of questions I'd like to hear your answers on. Please include additional input as you see fit.
How do you prepare to instruct your people?
How do you make your presentation on point when delivering it?
How do you deal with stress and uncertainty should one occur?
How do you recover/rebounce from not being able to answer questions?
I'd like to hear your ideas and all major lessons that you've learned over time to better yourself as instructor. Thank you for sharing and God bless your expertise!
How do you prepare to instruct your people?
How do you make your presentation on point when delivering it?
How do you deal with stress and uncertainty should one occur?
How do you recover/rebounce from not being able to answer questions?
I'd like to hear your ideas and all major lessons that you've learned over time to better yourself as instructor. Thank you for sharing and God bless your expertise!
Instructor
Training
Schools
Education
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 14
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Be prompt, be clear in communication, be patient because they maybe learning something new, compliment and build them up-it is about them, not you; because you already know how to do it, be confident and competent, task, condition, and standard. Start off with a relative story to the task you are training on or a self-deprecating joke. And read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
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PO1 (Join to see)
I LOVE that book! So much that I started reading it a couple of years back. Still reading it from time to time. Thanks for response!
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Know the materials your teaching and have your instructors practice. Enjoy the class, use proper delivery don't read from the PowerPoint be the example and again have fun. Set the tone with your tone, eye contact and demeanor.
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SSG Sean Thoman
Back in the days when our lesson plan we used were hieroglyphics hammered out on the walls of the cave and I went to ITC, our final presentation we could only use two words on a 3x5 index card for a point to remember on the 30 minute block of instruction we were presenting. Talked to the trees a lot to prepare for that, know your stuff you are training on, somebody that reads from a book or power point presentation word for word does not deliver the point well, preaching it from your heart like a Sunday Fire and Brimstone Preacher will make you look good.
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When instructing I think the biggest key to a successful class is to not be the monotone up tight instructor. Be the one that makes the class enjoyable.
1. I prepare by reading the material over and over and then I teach the invisible class in my living room.......
2. As far as an onpoint presentation, I always ask my self if I missed anything. Most of the time tho the class will let you know if they are struggling and ask for guidance(part of being that instructor they look forward to)
3. You can deal with stress in many different ways just don't deal with it In front of your class.
4. Most of the time if you can't answer a question right off the bat I'm sure you have a general idea where to look it's never wrong to tell a student actually I don't know hold on ill go look that up or have them come with you to look it up either way both you and the student gain knowledge
1. I prepare by reading the material over and over and then I teach the invisible class in my living room.......
2. As far as an onpoint presentation, I always ask my self if I missed anything. Most of the time tho the class will let you know if they are struggling and ask for guidance(part of being that instructor they look forward to)
3. You can deal with stress in many different ways just don't deal with it In front of your class.
4. Most of the time if you can't answer a question right off the bat I'm sure you have a general idea where to look it's never wrong to tell a student actually I don't know hold on ill go look that up or have them come with you to look it up either way both you and the student gain knowledge
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I will frame my answer as an instructor and standardization pilot.
How do you prepare to instruct your people? By having a detailed plan with a desired endstate/objective. Much like having a pilot pickup a general officer or platoon and have a hard time at a location. I know what I wish them to gain from the scenario and then work the rest of the training/evaluation around that.
How do you make your presentation on point when delivering it? I notify them via a air mission request and utilize real weather and situations around them. On point they must know or capture the mission and execute it. Change is the only constant in any training/mission as an aviator and capturing that is key.
How do you deal with stress and uncertainty should one occur? I tend to know what stresses most pilots BEFORE the flight, hence I usually do NOT conduct the 3-4 hour oral evaluation/training prior to the actual flight/task. Usually if someone misses a question or is having blocks from oral or knowledge exams, it tends to affect the hands on flying portion. Rolling the eval/training into the actual execution of the mission, gives many questions on depth of knowledge and procedures by the actual nature of the flight. Thenthe debrief of the decisions and procedures performed, creates the training event on real world scales.
How do you recover/rebounce from not being able to answer questions? There is no recovery, the rebound is knowing where to look and seek the answer once one replies with a candor of "I don't know". It is not the death of one to not know, but it is detrimental to not know where to look to find the answer.
Just my .02
How do you prepare to instruct your people? By having a detailed plan with a desired endstate/objective. Much like having a pilot pickup a general officer or platoon and have a hard time at a location. I know what I wish them to gain from the scenario and then work the rest of the training/evaluation around that.
How do you make your presentation on point when delivering it? I notify them via a air mission request and utilize real weather and situations around them. On point they must know or capture the mission and execute it. Change is the only constant in any training/mission as an aviator and capturing that is key.
How do you deal with stress and uncertainty should one occur? I tend to know what stresses most pilots BEFORE the flight, hence I usually do NOT conduct the 3-4 hour oral evaluation/training prior to the actual flight/task. Usually if someone misses a question or is having blocks from oral or knowledge exams, it tends to affect the hands on flying portion. Rolling the eval/training into the actual execution of the mission, gives many questions on depth of knowledge and procedures by the actual nature of the flight. Thenthe debrief of the decisions and procedures performed, creates the training event on real world scales.
How do you recover/rebounce from not being able to answer questions? There is no recovery, the rebound is knowing where to look and seek the answer once one replies with a candor of "I don't know". It is not the death of one to not know, but it is detrimental to not know where to look to find the answer.
Just my .02
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How do you prepare to instruct your people?
I try to use the relevant pubs whenever possible, I try to steer away from personal experiences because when I was a junior Marine, my seniors were all "This is how we did it in Fallujah and if you don't do it this way you are wrong." You can't go wrong by citing the pubs.
How do you make your presentation on point when delivering it?
I'm not sure what you are referring to, the actual teaching? Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse and try always implement hands on learning as much as possible.
How do you deal with stress and uncertainty should one occur?
Be flexible, something is always going to go wrong so have a backup plan.
How do you recover/rebounce from not being able to answer questions?
I try not to sweat this one too much, no one knows everything, we should all strive to be "the eternal student." I just say I don't know at this time but I'll followup with you once I have an answer
I try to use the relevant pubs whenever possible, I try to steer away from personal experiences because when I was a junior Marine, my seniors were all "This is how we did it in Fallujah and if you don't do it this way you are wrong." You can't go wrong by citing the pubs.
How do you make your presentation on point when delivering it?
I'm not sure what you are referring to, the actual teaching? Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse and try always implement hands on learning as much as possible.
How do you deal with stress and uncertainty should one occur?
Be flexible, something is always going to go wrong so have a backup plan.
How do you recover/rebounce from not being able to answer questions?
I try not to sweat this one too much, no one knows everything, we should all strive to be "the eternal student." I just say I don't know at this time but I'll followup with you once I have an answer
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I have performed this duty many times and have been a O/C training mobilizing units.
First before you even step into the arena you have to have cred. In my previous role you had to have a deployment. No one wants to learn from a guy that never deployed. If you want to have a class taught on infantry tactics you should have an infantryman do it. It is not saying that others can't do it but if you are going to a mechanic shop would you feel comfortable giving your car to a guy that really isn't a mechanic? It adds a sense of legitimacy and reassurance to have a soldier that is skilled in that field. When I was an STB I was one of only 6 infantryman there. I thought convoy operations and just about everything with weapons. It made sense. Now we have other soldiers teach classes like the Medic teach Tactical cas care.
Then you really have to access the level of their understanding or even if they realize the relevance of what you are teaching. This is the most often over looked step. That is why you should always use a motivator, a short story about the importance of the subject, to start the class. A lot of people have to go to the training but aren't invested in it. You have to get them to be invested in it. If you are teaching a Finance company about convoy operations you should cater it to them. You have to know your client. I you just go online and pull off a power point slide deck and just show them that you are not a good instructor. You didn't do anything that they couldn't do.
Once I am assigned a class I look for the Terminal Learning Objectives, performance measures, and applicable practical exercises. Then I adjust the training plan to incorporate the level of competence of the unit being trained. I may have to build up to where they can understand the material. Not everyone knows the basic functions each duty position of a convoy. So just saying how the gunner reacts to something may be beyond them. They don't even know how a gunner is supposed to scan, pass off target, or have an establish signaling method with the TC of the vehicle.
The presentation is a major factor of the class. They should be focusing on you and not the products. The products are there to assist you and not the other way around. You should never have a paragraph on a slide unless you are quoting someone. The instructor should either have a note card or use bullets from the presentation to launch off from. The ones being trained will feed of your confidence.
I am not really sure how you can prepare for uncertainty. If you are uncertain about the topic you are the instructor for then you shouldn't be up there. If it is something you don't know about for sure you should always provide the referenced material in which further questions should be able be answered too.
Once again. If you are not able to answer a question or have no clue how to reply you shouldn't be up there. Nothing is worse is then being given a class from someone that doesn't know what he or she is talking about. I have been in several classes where the instructor was flat out wrong. When I was in my OCS we had a young MP teach us some MOUT techniques that were counter to anything I have ever seen or read from in the military. I didn't want to bust him out but after the class I told them that what he was teaching wasn't reflective of the current logic in how the Army trains on this. I was able to share my knowledge on this. I went to him later and found out he was a civilian cop and was going off that training.
I take training very seriously. We have too. In my profession my the Army people can die if they aren't trained well enough. That is how we should treat all of our training.
First before you even step into the arena you have to have cred. In my previous role you had to have a deployment. No one wants to learn from a guy that never deployed. If you want to have a class taught on infantry tactics you should have an infantryman do it. It is not saying that others can't do it but if you are going to a mechanic shop would you feel comfortable giving your car to a guy that really isn't a mechanic? It adds a sense of legitimacy and reassurance to have a soldier that is skilled in that field. When I was an STB I was one of only 6 infantryman there. I thought convoy operations and just about everything with weapons. It made sense. Now we have other soldiers teach classes like the Medic teach Tactical cas care.
Then you really have to access the level of their understanding or even if they realize the relevance of what you are teaching. This is the most often over looked step. That is why you should always use a motivator, a short story about the importance of the subject, to start the class. A lot of people have to go to the training but aren't invested in it. You have to get them to be invested in it. If you are teaching a Finance company about convoy operations you should cater it to them. You have to know your client. I you just go online and pull off a power point slide deck and just show them that you are not a good instructor. You didn't do anything that they couldn't do.
Once I am assigned a class I look for the Terminal Learning Objectives, performance measures, and applicable practical exercises. Then I adjust the training plan to incorporate the level of competence of the unit being trained. I may have to build up to where they can understand the material. Not everyone knows the basic functions each duty position of a convoy. So just saying how the gunner reacts to something may be beyond them. They don't even know how a gunner is supposed to scan, pass off target, or have an establish signaling method with the TC of the vehicle.
The presentation is a major factor of the class. They should be focusing on you and not the products. The products are there to assist you and not the other way around. You should never have a paragraph on a slide unless you are quoting someone. The instructor should either have a note card or use bullets from the presentation to launch off from. The ones being trained will feed of your confidence.
I am not really sure how you can prepare for uncertainty. If you are uncertain about the topic you are the instructor for then you shouldn't be up there. If it is something you don't know about for sure you should always provide the referenced material in which further questions should be able be answered too.
Once again. If you are not able to answer a question or have no clue how to reply you shouldn't be up there. Nothing is worse is then being given a class from someone that doesn't know what he or she is talking about. I have been in several classes where the instructor was flat out wrong. When I was in my OCS we had a young MP teach us some MOUT techniques that were counter to anything I have ever seen or read from in the military. I didn't want to bust him out but after the class I told them that what he was teaching wasn't reflective of the current logic in how the Army trains on this. I was able to share my knowledge on this. I went to him later and found out he was a civilian cop and was going off that training.
I take training very seriously. We have too. In my profession my the Army people can die if they aren't trained well enough. That is how we should treat all of our training.
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Patience was the most difficult thing for me to overcome. I expected all of the students to learn at the same pace when I first started and that didn't happen. I had to adapt to each of their learning styles which took awhile to do. These things took patience. Don't give up on your students either because the moment you do they'll give up on you.
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Some very basic "rules" I follow and are reiterated by the instruction I received at the Army Basic Instructor Course.
1. Site check/ Equipment check: This is the instructor's "PCC". Do you have access to the network?Do you have access to your digital files? Does your presentation work on provided computer? Computer charged, plugged in?
In the field: Access an hazard areas defined? Where is the sun (and will it be a distraction)?
2. Back up plan: Can you switch to whiteboard/ blackboard if computer does not work or loses power?
In the field: Plan for weather, especially abrupt changes?
3. Training Aids/ AI: If you use training aids, how effective are they? Scale models, Sand-lot style? Sometimes it is better to not use an ineffective training aid or out of date ones. Also, try not to introduce your training aids until you need them, then put them away afterwards. This helps retain focus on the instruction.
Assistant Instructor: One of you should be the SME (Subject Matter Expert). It does not necessarily have to be the main instructor, but both should have more then a passing knowledge of the subject, if possible.
4. Determine Instruction style. Instructor led? discussion led? Interactive? Regardless, maintain control of your classroom.
There are a lot more things, but I wanted to just get these out.
1. Site check/ Equipment check: This is the instructor's "PCC". Do you have access to the network?Do you have access to your digital files? Does your presentation work on provided computer? Computer charged, plugged in?
In the field: Access an hazard areas defined? Where is the sun (and will it be a distraction)?
2. Back up plan: Can you switch to whiteboard/ blackboard if computer does not work or loses power?
In the field: Plan for weather, especially abrupt changes?
3. Training Aids/ AI: If you use training aids, how effective are they? Scale models, Sand-lot style? Sometimes it is better to not use an ineffective training aid or out of date ones. Also, try not to introduce your training aids until you need them, then put them away afterwards. This helps retain focus on the instruction.
Assistant Instructor: One of you should be the SME (Subject Matter Expert). It does not necessarily have to be the main instructor, but both should have more then a passing knowledge of the subject, if possible.
4. Determine Instruction style. Instructor led? discussion led? Interactive? Regardless, maintain control of your classroom.
There are a lot more things, but I wanted to just get these out.
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1. Focus on their strengths and utilize them for maximum mission accomplishment -- or, in my case Thesis completion.
2. Concise, to the point, what is expected, what the outcome will be -- and reemphasizing that they have the ability to accomplish what is set forth.
3. Forget about "the self," stress will be abundant, but it detracts from what needs to be accomplished. Uncertainty: Knowledge training, confidence and knowing (as a former SgtMajor of IMEF told me), "knowing 51% of the facts permits one to act.
4. Nobody know everything! Continue reading, training, and have some humility -- but more importantly, seek those who do possess the knowledge, and get off the damn pedestal, or ivory tower -- you'd be surprised how much people know, and are willing to contribute, if acknowledged and given the opportunity!
Shalom! Mike
2. Concise, to the point, what is expected, what the outcome will be -- and reemphasizing that they have the ability to accomplish what is set forth.
3. Forget about "the self," stress will be abundant, but it detracts from what needs to be accomplished. Uncertainty: Knowledge training, confidence and knowing (as a former SgtMajor of IMEF told me), "knowing 51% of the facts permits one to act.
4. Nobody know everything! Continue reading, training, and have some humility -- but more importantly, seek those who do possess the knowledge, and get off the damn pedestal, or ivory tower -- you'd be surprised how much people know, and are willing to contribute, if acknowledged and given the opportunity!
Shalom! Mike
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