I Love Teaching Others
I am a Drivers Ed Instructor. A fellow Drivers Ed Instructor and are having a difference of opinion and I would like some feedback from the SW audience.
The Drivers Ed program here is 16 1-1/2 hour driving sessions plus 16 1-1/2 hour lectures. I am only concerned with the driving sessions as we instructors do not get involved in the lecture classes. The 16 driving sessions consist of each instructor taking out 4 students for 1-1/2 hours of driving. Each student gets around 20 minutes driving time each.
As Instructors, we are told by the driving school that employs us, that we are to teach the students exactly what they need to know to pass the state road test. Anything else we might teach them about driving is secondary. We are told that we should not begin procedures like three point turns and parallel parking until around the 8th class. We are told that if we decide to allow students on highways and parkways it should only be toward the end of the course, like around session 14, 15, 16. My fellow Instructor agrees with this.
I on the other hand, on the first day of class, throw a lot of different things at my students IF they have driven before. If a student has never driven, I will start them in a large parking lot for their first session and then get them out on road. For the ones that have some driving time, I have them try a parallel park or three point turn. This allows me to see how well they can handle the car and how much work they actually need. I also will take them out on main highways, parkways, and busy roads to give them road experience.
By session 5, most of my students can drive very competently and can usually parallel park without any problems. They are familiar with driving on highways and know the rules of the roads. 98% of my students pass their state road test the first time. Many of the students of my fellow instructor, can't successfully park by the last class and have no highway or parkway experience.
My students, (and their parents,) all seem to like me and even recommend me to other students as they all seem to like the way I teach, what I teach, and how I teach.
I guess what I am asking is what way would you prefer to be taught to drive and prepare for the state road test? Which Instructor and/or instruction methods would you prefer? Also, if you like, please share your driving lesson experiences as I'd like to hear them. Thanks.
The Drivers Ed program here is 16 1-1/2 hour driving sessions plus 16 1-1/2 hour lectures. I am only concerned with the driving sessions as we instructors do not get involved in the lecture classes. The 16 driving sessions consist of each instructor taking out 4 students for 1-1/2 hours of driving. Each student gets around 20 minutes driving time each.
As Instructors, we are told by the driving school that employs us, that we are to teach the students exactly what they need to know to pass the state road test. Anything else we might teach them about driving is secondary. We are told that we should not begin procedures like three point turns and parallel parking until around the 8th class. We are told that if we decide to allow students on highways and parkways it should only be toward the end of the course, like around session 14, 15, 16. My fellow Instructor agrees with this.
I on the other hand, on the first day of class, throw a lot of different things at my students IF they have driven before. If a student has never driven, I will start them in a large parking lot for their first session and then get them out on road. For the ones that have some driving time, I have them try a parallel park or three point turn. This allows me to see how well they can handle the car and how much work they actually need. I also will take them out on main highways, parkways, and busy roads to give them road experience.
By session 5, most of my students can drive very competently and can usually parallel park without any problems. They are familiar with driving on highways and know the rules of the roads. 98% of my students pass their state road test the first time. Many of the students of my fellow instructor, can't successfully park by the last class and have no highway or parkway experience.
My students, (and their parents,) all seem to like me and even recommend me to other students as they all seem to like the way I teach, what I teach, and how I teach.
I guess what I am asking is what way would you prefer to be taught to drive and prepare for the state road test? Which Instructor and/or instruction methods would you prefer? Also, if you like, please share your driving lesson experiences as I'd like to hear them. Thanks.
