YOU may find when seeking
a training provider that some companies operate on a group learning basis where you have two
or three people in the car at the same time for the practical training and use a classroom
with perhaps twenty or more people for the theory training. Other training establishments, including this one, will
work on a One-to-One basis.
At first glance, you could think
that group learning is best and be thinking that you can watch others learn and in turn, you
could gain from that. Also, you might be thinking of the cameraderie and shared times - having
a laugh and so on.
The reality is often that group learning is counter productive. This is because
there is no control over who you are with in the car or classroom.
It is not very likely that the people you share with will have your background,
enthusiasm or learning ability.
Here are a few comments from clients who started training with other establishments
but found that group learning was not for them.
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"When we did the Part 1 training, there was a woman in the classroom, one of the
trainees, who was having trouble understanding the questions. So every question she came to her hand would
go up and she asked for an explanation. At first we just thought ‘Oh, she’s having trouble’ but after a while
it was a real pain. We couldn’t concentrate and the tutor was spending almost all of the time with her."
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When it comes to practical in-car training, people have found that a lot of time is wasted:
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"If you think about it, if there are three of you in the car you’ll only get a third of the
time driving. I got bored of waiting for my turn. Did I learn anything from the other trainees? Not really, one was
slow to pick things up and the trainer had to go over things again and again. It wasn't nearly as useful as
I thought it was going to be..."
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When it comes to the instructional
ability training, this can become tiresome in the extreme, as one trainee reported:
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"I’d put in a lot of work and learned the briefings really well.
I turned up one day for training and because the usual trainer was off I had to go in another car with trainees who were at a very basic level and listen
to them struggling with stuff which I’d learned weeks ago. I thought it was frustrating and a waste of time."
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Consider this: if you’re learning in
a group will you have any control over who is in the group? No.
Is the training tailored to suit the individual? No.
Group learning has got to be a case of pleasing some of the people some of the time. Is that good enough for you?
Will you get on with the others? Who knows? Why take
that chance?
Will the others have your dedication and commitment?
Probably not. Here’s a view from another refugee from group learning:
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"I was very keen to learn and improve my driving
but the other two, who obviously knew each other well, were more interested in laughing and joking and didn’t seem
that interested in learning. I was surprised by that and had thought everybody would be serious about it...but obviously not."
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It’s a lottery who you get to share a car with - it could
be someone like this:
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"One of the blokes in the car was always cracking jokes
and telling funny stories. It was mildly amusing for five minutes but by the end of the day me and the other trainee,
a lady, were all for throttling him. It spoiled the session, really."
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Or how would you feel about being the only female in the car?
A woman trainee reports:
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"I felt intimidated. Don’t get me wrong, I can stand my ground
but this was just too much. If the two blokes weren’t talking about football they were passing comments about women they saw.
They tried to pass it off as a joke and said things like ‘No offence, love!’ But it got to me, it did."
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Group learning establishments will insist that you train in
their car, and they won't let you use your own vehicle. The following comments have been
expressed many times:
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"I felt very claustrophobic in their car. I was used to a
larger car...their car always felt different and it took me a while to get used to it which I felt was a waste of time...
I didn't like driving their diesel car as my own is petrol and I much prefer it."
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So who benefits most from group learning? You, or the training establishment
that is getting three times the fee for each session whilst you only get one third of the training time? Take a wild guess.
On the other hand, one-to-one training, as used by Instructor Training & Publications
can provide the perfect learning environment. How?
Here are seven good reasons:
The training is tailored specifically to suit you. Each session can be adjusted, as it develops, to match your learning needs. You get continuity of training with the same trainer each time. There’s no wasted time with others. It’s all devoted to you. The trainer will be sympathetic and provide skilled supervision, allowing you to develop your abilities in a safe and business-like environment. Acknowledgement that you are very keen and committed to achieving ADI status. The mood of the session can be finely tuned to match your state of mind - lightened if it’s all getting too intense, or making you work harder if you’re progressing well and achieving objectives. Specific advice and constructive guidance will be given with regard to overcoming test nerves to make you a confident and effective teacher.
Everyone is an individual and needs to be treated as such. People come to driving instruction from all walks of life and the ages can range from 20½ to mid 60s. Often it’s a second or
third career or sometimes it’s a job change forced by redundancy or similar.
The main thing to consider is that you are serious about training to become an ADI and want the best for yourself, it’s only natural. Instructor Training & Publications acknowledges that you are very keen in achieving ADI status.
It's like having a personal fitness trainer rather than going to a gym. After all, how many of us want others to see how unfit or unhealthy we are? Sweaty flabby bodies in your personal space? No thanks.
The amount of time and effort you invest in yourself is a reflection of how much you value yourself. And the training establishment’s view of you is reflected in how much time they devote to you. Not shared.
You are your own most valuable resource and investing in yourself is the best investment you can make. It seems logical to have that recognised and respected by your trainer.
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