HayesGreener
Hellcat
I have been a firearms instructor of one stripe or another since 1971. Throughout the years I have learned the most important attribute for me to develop as an instructor was humility.
Many knowledgeable instructors have taught me. Most of them are highly knowledgeable professionals whom I admire greatly both personally and professionally. Then there are a few pompous asses with one year of experience 20 times over with the "my way or the highway" attitudes. Those guys really became apparent in the 80's when we were transitioning from revolvers to "them new fangled semi autos". There are a few who are incompetent as instructors and I am sorry guys, really should be doing something else.
The real potential for the future in firearms training lies with the new, relatively inexperienced, moldable instructor who is anxious to learn the craft and is there for the benefit of the student, not to feed his own ego.
A positive self image is important for an instructor to appear credible, but his or her ego should not be the driving force. We often see students who have never touched a gun, or have no prior instruction. That said, perhaps the greatest challenge for us is with experienced shooters who have really bad habits that we must overcome. We need to open our minds to understand the learning process from the perspective of the new shooter, and leverage what we know about adult learning to lead them to success. Likewise we need to give them understandable and frank feedback they can use to build their own skills. Absent a major safety violation or other emergency situation there is no need to yell at or verbally disparage a student-they are already nervous about the whole process and we don't need to make it worse. I am reminded of the words of the Tim McGraw song, "Remember to be humble and kind". The true joy of an instructor is to see the lights come on when the student "gets it" and is successful
I have lost track of the number of instructor courses I have attended over the years, and have learned something new in every single one of them, with an occasional epiphany. The more I learn, the more I know the things I don't know. As more and more new gun owners, and more and more people start carrying firearms routinely, it is important that we have instructors who can train them to safely and effectively handle those guns. The technology of firearms and ammunition has changed dramatically in my career, but what we have learned about how adults learn, and the physiology involved, is truly extraordinary.
People are complex, as is the process of firearms training. So let's learn to put the ego aside and acknowledge that we don't have all the answers. Continued education is important for instructors to stay current not only in the mechanics involved, but also in the art of creating a positive learning experience for the student.
Many knowledgeable instructors have taught me. Most of them are highly knowledgeable professionals whom I admire greatly both personally and professionally. Then there are a few pompous asses with one year of experience 20 times over with the "my way or the highway" attitudes. Those guys really became apparent in the 80's when we were transitioning from revolvers to "them new fangled semi autos". There are a few who are incompetent as instructors and I am sorry guys, really should be doing something else.
The real potential for the future in firearms training lies with the new, relatively inexperienced, moldable instructor who is anxious to learn the craft and is there for the benefit of the student, not to feed his own ego.
A positive self image is important for an instructor to appear credible, but his or her ego should not be the driving force. We often see students who have never touched a gun, or have no prior instruction. That said, perhaps the greatest challenge for us is with experienced shooters who have really bad habits that we must overcome. We need to open our minds to understand the learning process from the perspective of the new shooter, and leverage what we know about adult learning to lead them to success. Likewise we need to give them understandable and frank feedback they can use to build their own skills. Absent a major safety violation or other emergency situation there is no need to yell at or verbally disparage a student-they are already nervous about the whole process and we don't need to make it worse. I am reminded of the words of the Tim McGraw song, "Remember to be humble and kind". The true joy of an instructor is to see the lights come on when the student "gets it" and is successful
I have lost track of the number of instructor courses I have attended over the years, and have learned something new in every single one of them, with an occasional epiphany. The more I learn, the more I know the things I don't know. As more and more new gun owners, and more and more people start carrying firearms routinely, it is important that we have instructors who can train them to safely and effectively handle those guns. The technology of firearms and ammunition has changed dramatically in my career, but what we have learned about how adults learn, and the physiology involved, is truly extraordinary.
People are complex, as is the process of firearms training. So let's learn to put the ego aside and acknowledge that we don't have all the answers. Continued education is important for instructors to stay current not only in the mechanics involved, but also in the art of creating a positive learning experience for the student.
