Certified Instructors

Major_Chuck · February 20, 2007, 12:51:34 AM

I was wondering how many 'certified' instructors we had out there. We discuss a lot about becoming qualified to perform our various missions however how strong is our level of instructors out there.

I don't intend for the question to be one of bragging, but a general curiousity question. We are only as good as the training we receive. What level of talent do we have within CAP that can be brought to bear.

I'll start with mine. FEMA Certified Instructor, Hospital Emergency Response Training. (Hospital Incident Command System, Decon, Triage, Emergency Preparedness)

SarDragon · February 20, 2007, 09:16:09 AM

Well, "certified instructors" is a nebulous term. The best functionality is when good instructors are also Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). Sadly, there are quantities of both that are mutually exclusive - experts who can't instruct, and instructors who aren't expert about anything except instructing.

I was an instructor in the Navy, and preceded that with a month in school learning how to do it. Today, I teach ROA classes, and just recently got out of the Level I business, something I really enjoyed doing. I am trying to work my way into doing SLS and CLC classes, but I currently have some financial and geographical restrictions.

Today, CAP has many more SMEs than instructors, and I'm not seeing any great advances in that area. Some years ago (the 70s), there was something called the Academic Instructor Circuit Rider Course, where AD AF trainer went out on the road to teach AF and CAP folks how to teach. It was an intense two-day course, that packed three or four weeks of material into a weekend. I went to it, but was mostly unable to put it into practice for a variety of reasons.

Teaching is hard. Not everyone is suited to do it. Still, we have dozens of folks out there boring members with bad Powerpoint presentations and no teaching skills. I just wonder when CAP is going to get their instructor training off the ground.

SAR-EMT1 · February 20, 2007, 06:51:19 PM

I moonlight as a CPR instructor. Within other organizations I am working on becoming a mentor within the Masonic Lodge, I teach classes for Scouts,
I'm a SET type in CAP for GT certs, an I'm a boating class/ safety instructor for the CG-Aux.
All it takes is money time and dedication. The trick is to find those three things together in anything approaching the correct levels.

desert rat · February 20, 2007, 07:15:03 PM

CPR, First Aid, professional rescue CPR, Wilderness survival.

Major_Chuck · February 21, 2007, 12:52:09 AM

Teaching is very difficult, I agree. I prefer my role as a subject matter expert and that I teach one of many ways to do something within my scope of experience and training.

Still, I salute everyone who goes that extra mile to be a mentor, instructor, and guide when imparting the knowledge and skills they have.

RiverAux · February 22, 2007, 04:55:48 AM

The very old (circa 2000-2001) Train-the-Trainer course was a great course for training people in how to teach. While I'm glad they did away with it in favor the SET test for ES purposes, I think it would have been a good idea to keep it around as a general educational course for CAP members at all levels.

SarDragon · February 22, 2007, 08:27:25 AM

Quote from: RiverAux on February 22, 2007, 04:55:48 AM
The very old (circa 2000-2001) Train-the-Trainer course was a great course for training people in how to teach. While I'm glad they did away with it in favor the SET test for ES purposes, I think it would have been a good idea to keep it around as a general educational course for CAP members at all levels.

Sorry, gotta disagree big time on that one. TTT, which I did attend, was a huge waste of time. Very little was covered concerning instructor skills that are needed to do the job right. I don't know where my notes are, or I'd really pick it apart.

I spent about 15 years in the training business, both on active duty and after, and there were few similarities between the CAP TTT and the lessons I learned and taught professionally. There was also very little similarity to the contents of AFM 36-2236, the AF instructor bible.

RiverAux · February 23, 2007, 01:26:24 AM

I didn't say it was the be-all and end-all of developing a great trainer, but it is definetely better than anything we've had since then.

Major_Chuck · February 23, 2007, 01:42:18 AM

Important thing is that we try. If a program doesn't work we just chalk it up to experience, learn from it and use it to make the next program better.

Eclipse · February 23, 2007, 03:38:36 AM

We're pointing at another core problem, or at least misconception with CAP.

The assumption that just because you can do something, you can teach it, or worse, you can create a curriculm to teach it.

This is a the accomplice to the "if you can >do< yo can lead".

It all comes back to being understaffed, overtasked, and getting little direction.