The Assumptions we make...

[jimmydeanno]

Me and my good friend were talking about this the other day.  Have you noticed the way we determine who can be an instructor for CAP related materials?  Anyone who passes the course before hand.

I think that this may be one of the underlying reasons why our PD program and ES training programs have been so 'lacking' in terms of professionalism and 'real content' and standards.

We assume that because someone has graduated from the course or has a rating they are qualified to teach it.  When you graduate from the first grade, it doesn't make you qualified to teach it does it? 

Now I'm not saying that everyone needs to be a professional educator to be able to teach something, but when you think about it there should be at least some expectation of someone being a master of their subject.  Some sort of training for instructors on how to teach.

I certified in CPR and 1st Aid, but for me to teach it I need to get a whole new certification.  I am a rated Observer with SET but it would be pretty scary if I were to be an instructor for the materials, because I am not a master in the field.

Thoughts?

[JohnKachenmeister]

Jimmy:

Not only do we permit everyone to instruct, we require it for certain promotions.

You are right, of course, but I'm not sure what the solution is.  Personally, I think that preparing and presenting a class is excellent training for officers.  It requires them to:

1.  Know the material.

2.  Plan to present the material.

3.  Plan for any support requirements and make sure they work (A-V aids, dry-erase boards and markers, etc.)

4.  Exercise command presence and communications skills to actually give the class.

5.  Accomplish follow-up paperwork as required.

If an officer can't do that -- and demonstrates his inability to do those simple things -- how can I trust him to do anything more complicated?

[RiverAux]

We used to have the ES train the trainer program.  I was there at one where John Desmarais was the instructor.  It was pretty good about giving you the basics about how to be a good teacher.  Didn't have anything to do with the ES program itself, which is probably why it was dropped, but it was still pretty good for general use. 

[Eclipse]

Worse are repeat offenders.

Everyone should get a shot, but if you lesson plan is to read the slide verbatim and the ask if there are any questions, you should not be invited back.

Ditto if you aren't current yourself on the subject.

Properly selecting and training instructors is one of CAP's weakest areas.

[Walkman]

I'm with Kach. There's a common saying about the teacher learning more that the students. When I'm to teach any class (sunday school, CAP, college, whatever) I have to dive in and really understand the information in order to make sure my students get it. What better way to reinforce what you just learned than to have to revisit it in depth and answer question on it?

[mikeylikey]

Worse are repeat offenders.

Everyone should get a shot, but if you lesson plan is to read the slide verbatim and the ask if there are any questions, you should not be invited back.

Ditto if you aren't current yourself on the subject.

Properly selecting and training instructors is one of CAP's weakest areas.

As a person without a teaching degree, but who teaches right now as my job (ROTC), I have to say it was one of the most difficult things I have ever started.  I expected that with Powerpoint slides, an Instructors book and class notes already prepared by the Army, it would be a breeze.  To actually stand in front of a group of Cadets (about 30) and lecture for 2 hours on specific subject matter is hard.  I have always been a hater of Powerpoint.  I find it to be a waste.  I have taken everthing on Powerpoint slides, and re-written them to fit my class.  I vary rarely use the overhead projector (except to show clips of Office Space or other funny movies), and always prepare an outline, but through experience have been able to stop using my outlines (more preparation ahead of time = less dependence on notes).

The last CAP course I was at, I sat through a gentleman who read verbatim from the powerpoint and after 20 minutes I interrupted him and said "excuse me Sir, it appears you have not prepared for this, could someone else take over perhaps".  He gladly accepted and the course director took over.  Powerpoint is not there for the instructor to slack, nor is it there to be read verbatim or used as the sole teaching method.  Powerpoint should at the most, show the topic being discussed and maybe a short outline.  It was never designed to be used like it is being used in education today.

On a sidenote, The last SLS/CLC I taught at,  I sucked.  I sucked so bad that I actually called up two other Officers to take over where I left off.  I would never subject anyone to listen to my ramblings as I tried to make up the class as I went along.

[Walkman]

I have always been a hater of Powerpoint.  I find it to be a waste. 

Amen.

[arajca]

I have always been a hater of Powerpoint.  I find it to be a waste. 

Amen.

Like any other instructional aid, power point is only one tool in the instructors toolbox - hopefully not the only one.

[Dragoon]

Poor instruction is pretty much a CAP tradition.

The idea of requiring folks to be good instructors to promote makes, IMHO a LOT of sense.  But it requires something CAP hates - turning someone down for promotion for subjective reasons.  The complaints that are generated become so much of headache that we just start pencil whipping rather than deal with the fact that some folks just flat out ain't cut out for certain things.

The ES standards aren't below where you want them because of poor instruction, however.  If there's an issue there, it's with poor evaluation.

Because unlike most other training in CAP, ES quals are supposed to involve a practical test at the end.

[Flying Pig]

Yeah but dont forget the obvious.  Many times, the instructor may be the only guy or gal that happened to have that weekend off

[lordmonar]

Anyone know how doctors get trained?

Watch it once, do it once, teach it once.

First...it ain't rocket science.

Second...if they were really that bad...no one would ask them to teach.

Third...CAP PD is a no fail course....who cares if it is taught by less then perfect instructors.

Fourth...what would be the fix?  An instructor's course?  Who would teach it, what would you need to pass?

[arajca]

Yeah but dont forget the obvious.  Many times, the instructor may be the only guy or gal that happened to have that weekend off

That's why directors need to start lining up instructors more than two weeks ahead of time.

[Eclipse]

Anyone know how doctors get trained?

Watch it once, do it once, teach it once.

First...it ain't rocket science.

Second...if they were really that bad...no one would ask them to teach.

Third...CAP PD is a no fail course....who cares if it is taught by less then perfect instructors.

Fourth...what would be the fix?  An instructor's course?  Who would teach it, what would you need to pass?

It matters because it matters.  There are many of us in CAP who do not enjoy having our time wasted, and if we're going to do something right, whether its for ourselves or others, we're going to do it right because its the right thing to do.

PD may not be pass/fail, but it can be "fail" - the surest way to perpetuate the problems is by letting poorly prepared, uninformed instructors teach classes.

Either the wrong info is presented, or the impression made is that the bar is set so low none of this matters.

And it does matter if we're ever going to fix the very issues you're making above.

As to how instructors are picked, its generally a combination of informed members who want to present good material, and a few who "need it" regardless of their abilities.

The fix is the same painful issue we circle to everytime - uncomfortable conversations with members who are not up to the task.

"Sorry Jim, you're just not good at public speaking and this is too important to let you, or anyone else flounder around up there.."

"But if I can't teach an SLS, I can't promote."

"Well, then you're not ready to move up, maybe we can connect you with Susan, she's a great teacher and willing to help others learn the skill."

At which point they either make the effort, or not.

[afgeo4]

I hope that future SLS will have "Train the Trainer" sessions. We really do need it and fairly early in the senior career track. It's too late to teach someone who feels he/she already knows almost everything there is to know about CAP. This must start with the 2nd Lts.

[ZigZag911]

"Train The Trainer" is a big part of the problem.

Some years ago a TTT class (heard about this from reliable source, I would not have asat through it!) was given by a youngish (15-16) cadet officer to a room full of seniors....this cadet read verbatim from a loseleaf training guide to the "class".

An extreme example?  I hope so....but CAP has lots of people who have taught for a living (professional educators), been corporate or military instructors....yet, often. tells these members they need to take a "TTT" course.

If the purpose of the TTT was to ensure that the officers concerned knew the subject matter, there'd be no problem....but telling professionals that they need to learn how to teach, generally from a total amateur, simply is not the way to motivate our most capable teachers to teach for CAP.

[SarDragon]

Anyone know how doctors get trained?

Watch it once, do it once, teach it once.

First...it ain't rocket science.

That's very true. That's exactly what I learned when I got my instructor training.

Second...if they were really that bad...no one would ask them to teach.

Not true. As often as not, members volunteer to teach because they think they can, or because it's another punch in their PD ticket. Others get asked because they are subject matter experts. I have sat through way too many CAP classes where the person in the front of the classroom had a head full of knowledge that he could not effectively transfer to the students.

Third...CAP PD is a no fail course....who cares if it is taught by less then perfect instructors.

I do. I go to classes to learn. All the knowledge in the world doesn't do me any good if there is no effective exchange.

Fourth...what would be the fix?  An instructor's course?  Who would teach it, what would you need to pass?

Yes, an instructor's course. Many moons ago there was a travelling class put on by the AF that did just exactly that. It was the Air Force Academic Instructor Circuit Rider Course. I attended it back in the early 70s. Two intense days of some excellent training.

Who would teach a new CAP course? I'm sure there are enough trained instructors out there to get the ball rolling.

What do you need to pass? A demonstration of your skills, similar to ES training, but with better oversight.

As for Train the Trainer, I attended it, and it did not teach instructor skills. I'm not really sure exactly what it did teach, but it wasn't how to stand in front of a classroom and effectively impart knowledge to the students.

[JoeTomasone]

Passing a course and having the SET allows you to sign off on tasks - it doesn't make you an instructor.

Commanders should be identifying those with good teaching skills and having them lead classes in which they are qualified.    Anything else does indeed shortchange the system.

Our Wing/DC will not appoint anyone as a CUT instructor unless they have:

1. ACUT
2. MRO or CUL
3. Tech rating in Comms
4. Teaches a class under his (or another qualified instructor's) supervision.


And I agree with it!   He will waive certain requirements for those with extensive professional teaching experience, for obvious reasons - but he doesn't just let any ACUT qualified person get up there.

[Short Field]

Watch it once, do it once, teach it once.

Second...if they were really that bad...no one would ask them to teach.

You got that right - except the one where no one would ask them to teach again.  We have both seen some local people get repeatedly asked to teach who should not be allowed within 100' of a podium.   

Everyone deserves the chance to teach a block.  The course director should dry run the block with them.  If someone is TOTALLY unable to instruct a block, then just use them on staff - but not as an instructor.

The biggest problem I have seen is that the course director didn't really care who taught the class as long as it was someone other than the course director - and poor instructors were asked to "teach" just because they were always willing to do it and made filling up the instructor list easy.   Poor leadership on the course director's part - but until I get elected "Ruler of the World", nothing I can do about it.

[arajca]

Everyone deserves the chance to teach a block.  The course director should dry run the block with them.  If someone is TOTALLY unable to instruct a block, then just use them on staff - but not as an instructor.

Great idea if the instructor and director are relatively close to each other. Not so great if they are 150+ miles apart and may only get together on the day of the class. Again, BTDT.

[arajca]

A big issue is quantifying 'good' and 'bad' instructors objectively. I have had people tell me that so-and-so is a bad instructor, but weren't able to tell me why. "They just are." "I don't like his attitude." "He wasn't wearing the AF uniform." Are not reasons why someone is a bad instructor. I usually tried asking more probing questions like "Did you understand what he was saying?" and "Do you have a better understanding of the subject than before the class?" or "What exactly made you think he was a poor instructor?" That's usually when the complainer turns away. So, do you tell so-and-so they're a bad instructor? Do you remove him from your list? Do you just shrug and drive on?

[CadetProgramGuy]

Let us be really objective on how CAP picks instructors for many of its classes.

CAP MEMBER:  Hey Capt. Oblivious, have you ever taught BCUT?
CAPT O: No, I just took it last month
CAP MEMBER: Oh, Its ok, do you want to try?
CAPT O: Sure When is the class?

CAP MEMBER: 20 Minutes, here is the material.

Thats how CAP makes instructors.....I've done it that way many times.....

[Flying Pig]

....Or you can ask them when they are going to volunteer to teach the next course.  That usually ends the conversation really quick.   Look.  Lets face it folks.  CAP is an organization where in many cases the member teaches because they have the knowledge AND the availability not necessarily talent.  And every once in a while, you get someone who has the availability, knowledge and the talent.   As a Sq. Commander and former Deputy Commander, as with many of you, often we are thrilled just to not have to do it ourselves.  Thats just how it is.  Until CAP starts cutting pay checks and establishing pensions, it will stay that way.  I know, party pooper.

[Major Carrales]

This is a good place to insert the reason we give special promotions to more than just pilots.

I, for example, am a trained Historian and Certified Teacher in my state.  That is a skill set I hope to use in CAP.  We have lots of people with lots of certified skills.  I don't assume that a CAP officer is a "blank slate" when they get their membership card.

We have teachers, engineers, doctors, lawyers you name it.  These are persons well trained in their "day job."  These are the ones we need to be tasking with instructorships.

Do we need to create a new system form CAP instructor certification?  Maybe, but I think we have the skill sets already in place.

[Eclipse]

Perhaps a fully subjective, commander-approval required, "I" addition to the rating, class, whatever.

An SET ≠ an instructor necessarily.

[CAP_truth]

CAP recently attempted to establish a CAP Instructor's Course using the material from the AF Academic Instructor Course. I was a member of the Beta test and we only completed the tech level and it was dropped. Yes CAP does need an instructor's course which was a requirement for a master rating in PD. Everyone who is involved with training other members ex(cadet programs, emergency services, professional developement,    communications,etc.) should be required to take. The course could be e-services base with tests for each module. After they would need to attend a show test class certification before they would be able to teach others.

[Walkman]

The course could be e-services base with tests for each module. After they would need to attend a show test class certification before they would be able to teach others.

For something as interactive as teaching, I'd prefer that it not be an e-services course but something where there's some, well... interaction. Maybe something where there is an e-services component for general knowledge then a component where the student working with others.