What To Expect From Your Instructor

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It was 1974 and I still have vivid memories of my first formal training class. It was early in my career as a security officer and I believed that all security officers should be certified in CPR and Basic First Aid. (Also, I will admit, I thought the little patches they gave you would look really cool on my uniform).

Since the training wasn't required by the agency I worked for, I had to pay for it myself. Even though the cost was negligible, when working for $1.25 an hour and raising a family, it was still a noticeable investment of my money and time.

I remember feeling overly anxious about the classes. I had no idea what to expect but I was hoping it would be exciting and informative. I was craving valuable knowledge that I hoped would help me in the pursuit of my career.

So, with my $8.00 in my pocket, I headed on out to the American Red Cross on Middlebrook Pike in Knoxville, TN. I was not disappointed and have never looked back.

I was really impressed with the knowledge and professionalism of the instructors. When the classes were over I was proud of the fact that I now had a broader knowledge base than any of the other officers I was acquainted with. And I was eager for more.

These instructors, there were three of them, had exceeded my expectations for the classes and we all (instructors and the students) had brought to and taken away valuable information and fond memories. Mission accomplished.

As the years have sped by, I have learned that instructors and students have certain responsibilities and expectations in every training class. The degree to which these are met by all parties determines the success (or failure) of the class.

By being aware of these criteria and doing your part, everyone involved will benefit from a class that is informative, pleasurable and exciting. It may also help you identify certain instructors that you are better off avoiding if possible.

As you read the following keep in mind that an instructor's responsibility is a students expectation, and vice versa.

INSTRUCTOR'S RESPONSIBILITIES

(Students Expectations)

• Answer as many questions as possible prior to and during class registration. This will help the student decide if the course they are registering for will potentially meet their needs.


• Provide each student with an agenda prior to the class if possible, either by mail, e-mail, or fax. Again, it will help the students to know what to expect and prepare for the class.


• Assure that you are qualified to teach the subject matter you are offering.


• Be knowledgeable of the subject matter. Review all classroom materials to make sure the information presented will be current.


• Be organized! Assure that all materials, training aids, etc. are available and in order prior to the students arrival. Do not waste their time by fumbling for materials and/or apologizing for not having them available. This will destroy your professional image almost as quickly as a lack of knowledge.


• Be on time! You expect your students to be on time and you must extend them the same courtesy. Instructors should always arrive earlier than the students, within reason, and be prepared to greet them as they arrive.


• Always familiarized the students with the facilities before or at the beginning of the class. Advise students of how often to expect breaks.


• Follow a prepared agenda or course outline. It avoids classroom discussion from wandering off the intended material and assures that no pertinent information gets left out.


• Be excited about your presentation. Your students will pick up on this and feed on it.


• Encourage student participation. Everyone needs to have input, ask questions, etc. Don't confuse this with everyone telling "war stories". While an instructor will often relate personal experiences as examples, too many war stories from the students can be very time consuming and take away from the time allotted to properly cover the intended information.


• Be courteous at all times. Do not give the students the impression that you think you are doing them a favor by being there. Thank them for their time, input and attentiveness.


• Summarize. Always close by leaving the students with information about "where to go next" by suggesting other training courses, books, videos, etc. to help further their training needs.


• Follow-up. Follow up with students soon after the class to get their feedback and thank them for their attendance.
  

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

(Instructor Expectations)

• Show up. Space may be limited and your failure to appear can prevent someone else from attending. It also can cost the instructor money. His/her income is based in part by keeping the classes full. If you see that you can not be present for a class you have registered for, inform the instructor at your earliest possible opportunity.


• Be on time! Early is good. The information you miss during the first few minutes of a class could be the foundation of which the remainder of the class is based. At the least, the time the instructor may have to use to catch you up is wasted for the rest of the class.


• Be prepared. Be sure to bring any required items or materials you will need.


• Be attentive. You are there to learn. Make wise use of your time. Encourage your instructor by asking pertinent questions.


• Be courteous. Do not waste classroom time by telling jokes, war stories, etc. Any disruptive behaviour on your part equates as theft from the other students. Turn off all cell phones, pagers, radios, etc. before the class starts. Do not exit a class in progress to make or receive phone calls.


• Follow-up. At then end of the class or at a later date in the near future, approach, call or write the instructor and thank him for the class. Sincere compliments are appreciated and help encourage the instructor to continue providing quality information. If an instructor is employed by another organization, a word of praise to his superiors is always welcome.

As I mentioned before, being aware of and adhering to these guidelines should help you get the most value from your training dollars.