An Instructor's Challenge

[gringop]

Provide them with clear notes so they can focus on listening and not writing. It also gives them something to take home and use if they do choose to practice on their own.

Good points, all.

I wanted to ask about the quote above. Is providing all the notes better than providing just an outline and having students fill in the notes? I find that I retain info much better if I have to paraphrase it into my notes.

When I teach Texas CHL, I emphasize the important information and give time for note taking on those slides. I don't hand out notes.

I've been in classes (not firearms related) where the instructor went over the material, we all took notes furiously, then at the end of the class he passed out a copy of the whole presentation. That seemed to work well for my learning style.

What say you, fellow instructors?

Gringop

[David Armstrong]

Not so long ago something similar to this was my job for a company that worked on providing security for executives and their families going overseas. Our time frame was shorter, though...we were given 4 hours to teach a very basic "how to use a gun" class. Since the parent company was Israeli it was a no-brainer that we would build on the basic Israeli method... broad concepts that translate across a variety of weapons and provide a minimum floor of competence and a concern for safety. Without lots of detail:
1. muzzle and trigger control for safety.
2. how to use the safety and change magazines
3. chambering a round and unchambering a round
4. target focus shooting
5. battlefield pickup
6. use of cover

There are certainly some differences here, as our concern was more along the lines of an ambush or kidnap attempt where the client had the chance to pick up whatever firearm might be available as a result of a BG or a bodyguard dropping it, and distances of 10 yards maximum. As Todd said, "If you're talking about people who won't practice in a meaningful way afterwards, I'd focus very little on shooting and nothing on using the sights." The main concern was not making the situation worse (safety when shooting) during a very stressful situation. We did recommend that when they got to whatever location they were assigned they make it a point to do a bit of familiarization with whatever their security team was carrying for firearms.

[TGS]

Good points, all.

I wanted to ask about the quote above. Is providing all the notes better than providing just an outline and having students fill in the notes? I find that I retain info much better if I have to paraphrase it into my notes.

When I teach Texas CHL, I emphasize the important information and give time for note taking on those slides. I don't hand out notes.

I've been in classes (not firearms related) where the instructor went over the material, we all took notes furiously, then at the end of the class he passed out a copy of the whole presentation. That seemed to work well for my learning style.

What say you, fellow instructors?

Gringop

People have different learning methods, you can't force everyone to do your learning method because it works well for you, and think it will work well for everyone. If you tried that with me, I just wouldn't take any notes. If I concentrate on taking notes, then whatever the instructor is talking about doesn't stick. If I don't take notes, then what the instructor is saying sticks. I haven't taken notes since I was a little kid and teachers let us decide ourselves whether of not to have taken notes. Same thing with reading something out loud to the class....I HATE that crap. If I read something out-loud and then the instructor asks me, "what do you think of that?", I haven't a frickin' clue because I didn't process any of it. I've made it far enough that I'm finishing up a masters degree this year, so I'd say I know what works for me. The only time I've taken notes was during my time in the military when learning something in the field so I could jot down "step 1: do this, step 2: do that."

People are adults, not kids. If you're going to hand out notes, then let them know and hand them out. If they choose not to take notes even though they know they should, then it's on them. Don't make it a pain in the ass for people who learn differently than yourself. A successful lesson plan revolves around giving students the opportunity to use what learning method works for them, not to force-feed your own singular learning method.

[Redhat]

I have a pretty good background in this type instruction, so here are a few questions that might need to be answered:

- What are the training objectives that must be met for qualification? This determines the layout of the training.
- Will all weapons be the same?
- Class size/instructor ratio?
- How many rounds?
- Is the course of fire already established? What are the scoring standards?

Our classes were something like this:

- Hour 1 - safety, clearing/description/characteristics/ammunition
- Hour 2 - disassembly/inspection/cleaning/assembly/function check/performance checks on all of the above
- Hour 3 - loading/clearing/reloading/immediate and remedial action/performance checks
- Hour 4 - marksmanship fundamentals/drawing/holstering/dry-fire exercises/range (live-fire) overview
- Hours 5&6 - live fire (practice course and qualification course)

Mindset - With a group like this, there is no way you can get to all, but a good attention step including actual relevant events may help them understand why they are armed. If you can't convince them to save their own lives...as you said the bottom line is that if they want the job, they better pass and that should provide a little motivation.

[SouthNarc]

As much as Rob Pincus is poked fun at on various fora, he touches this kind of student quite a bit and seems to have success with "Extend-Touch-Press".

[Suvorov]

Thanks for all the great replies folks! My examples are hypothetical, however they do have some application to a person I'm currently working with and people that I have and will deal with in the future. While I think everyone here sees firearms training as a continual journey to achieve some sort of elusive level of mastery, much of the world (including most gun owners) do not. While the idea of a one day "crash course" to shooting seems abhorrent and counter productive to me, it may be the only training many people are willing to undergo. Examples I can think of off hand are the training of a spouse or loved on who is not into guns, the training of a store employee in use of firearm where guns are kept on premise, training of ranch hands, or even training someone with no firearms experience to use on in a survival situation.

The situation I am facing and that prompted me to ask this question is as follows. A friend and colleague has asked me to give his wife a day of training on how to use a pistol for home defense. While I am still not a certified instructor, he regards me as the most competent gun person he knows (he obviously doesn't know any of you), he and I have both flight instructed together so he knows I have decent teaching ability, and I have a good relation with his wife. I immediately suggested she take a course from one of the local schools or the next KlyeLamb/MagPul/InsertSuperHSLDInstructorHere class, but that idea turned her off immediately. She might be convinced into taking the NRA basic handgun class, but I frankly think she can get better more defense oriented instruction elsewhere (and from me).

As my colleague and me spend a good deal of our life thousands of miles from home he understandably wants her to be able to use a gun if the need arises via break in, riot, or post-earthquake (all the things that Kalifornia is famous for). Somehow he has convinced her to take some training. She is not a hoplophobe, she is OK with guns being in her house and around her kids and her father was a police officer, however she is a product of the University of Kalifornia school system. While she in convinced that a Monsanto conspired death awaits her behind every non-organic vegetable or Big Mac, in talking to her it seems she does not believe or refuses to believe that there are two legged predators out there who would like nothing more than to do bad things to her and her family if given the opportunity.

Her husband has a small collection of guns including a couple of DA/SA autos, a couple Shotguns, and Rifles. He relies mostly on a P229 and P239 for defense and maybe the shotgun at home. She will not likely do any follow on training other than occasionally shoot with her family, and there is no point in him going out and buying a gun for her. Her husband will maintain the guns so there is no need to waste time on disassembly and training.

So should I punt or can I make it worth her and my time? What should be a reasonable level of proficiency to attain at the end of a days worth of training? I have a Power Point detailing the basics of shooting as well as use of lethal force. I plan on appealing to her motherly instinct to develop what I can of a mindset and using the Sarah McKinley shooting as a positive example. What more can I add?

I'd also like to say that since I am NOT certified yet, I will not be compensated in any way other than reimbursed for ammo and range fees.

Not so long ago something similar to this was my job for a company that worked on providing security for executives and their families going overseas. Our time frame was shorter, though...we were given 4 hours to teach a very basic "how to use a gun" class. Since the parent company was Israeli it was a no-brainer that we would build on the basic Israeli method... broad concepts that translate across a variety of weapons and provide a minimum floor of competence and a concern for safety. Without lots of detail:
1. muzzle and trigger control for safety.
2. how to use the safety and change magazines
3. chambering a round and unchambering a round
4. target focus shooting
5. battlefield pickup
6. use of cover

There are certainly some differences here, as our concern was more along the lines of an ambush or kidnap attempt where the client had the chance to pick up whatever firearm might be available as a result of a BG or a bodyguard dropping it, and distances of 10 yards maximum. As Todd said, "If you're talking about people who won't practice in a meaningful way afterwards, I'd focus very little on shooting and nothing on using the sights." The main concern was not making the situation worse (safety when shooting) during a very stressful situation. We did recommend that when they got to whatever location they were assigned they make it a point to do a bit of familiarization with whatever their security team was carrying for firearms.

This is very interesting. The husband of my wife's friend that is about to go into the diplomatic service is actually about to receive some similar training as is excited about it despite the fact that he is an anti. What was the general willingness of your students to accept the idea that their lives may be threatened or that they may be responsible for defending themselves?

I have a pretty good background in this type instruction, so here are a few questions that might need to be answered:

- What are the training objectives that must be met for qualification? This determines the layout of the training.
- Will all weapons be the same?
- Class size/instructor ratio?
- How many rounds?
- Is the course of fire already established? What are the scoring standards?

Since you have done this type of thing a few times what would you consider an acceptable level of competence at the end of 1 day of training?

[Redhat]

Thanks for all the great replies folks! My examples are hypothetical, however they do have some application to a person I'm currently working with and people that I have and will deal with in the future. While I think everyone here sees firearms training as a continual journey to achieve some sort of elusive level of mastery, much of the world (including most gun owners) do not. While the idea of a one day "crash course" to shooting seems abhorrent and counter productive to me, it may be the only training many people are willing to undergo. Examples I can think of off hand are the training of a spouse or loved on who is not into guns, the training of a store employee in use of firearm where guns are kept on premise, training of ranch hands, or even training someone with no firearms experience to use on in a survival situation.

The situation I am facing and that prompted me to ask this question is as follows. A friend and colleague has asked me to give his wife a day of training on how to use a pistol for home defense. While I am still not a certified instructor, he regards me as the most competent gun person he knows (he obviously doesn't know any of you), he and I have both flight instructed together so he knows I have decent teaching ability, and I have a good relation with his wife. I immediately suggested she take a course from one of the local schools or the next KlyeLamb/MagPul/InsertSuperHSLDInstructorHere class, but that idea turned her off immediately. She might be convinced into taking the NRA basic handgun class, but I frankly think she can get better more defense oriented instruction elsewhere (and from me).

As my colleague and me spend a good deal of our life thousands of miles from home he understandably wants her to be able to use a gun if the need arises via break in, riot, or post-earthquake (all the things that Kalifornia is famous for). Somehow he has convinced her to take some training. She is not a hoplophobe, she is OK with guns being in her house and around her kids and her father was a police officer, however she is a product of the University of Kalifornia school system. While she in convinced that a Monsanto conspired death awaits her behind every non-organic vegetable or Big Mac, in talking to her it seems she does not believe or refuses to believe that there are two legged predators out there who would like nothing more than to do bad things to her and her family if given the opportunity.

Her husband has a small collection of guns including a couple of DA/SA autos, a couple Shotguns, and Rifles. He relies mostly on a P229 and P239 for defense and maybe the shotgun at home. She will not likely do any follow on training other than occasionally shoot with her family, and there is no point in him going out and buying a gun for her. Her husband will maintain the guns so there is no need to waste time on disassembly and training.

So should I punt or can I make it worth her and my time? What should be a reasonable level of proficiency to attain at the end of a days worth of training? I have a Power Point detailing the basics of shooting as well as use of lethal force. I plan on appealing to her motherly instinct to develop what I can of a mindset and using the Sarah McKinley shooting as a positive example. What more can I add?

I'd also like to say that since I am NOT certified yet, I will not be compensated in any way other than reimbursed for ammo and range fees.



This is very interesting. The husband of my wife's friend that is about to go into the diplomatic service is actually about to receive some similar training as is excited about it despite the fact that he is an anti. What was the general willingness of your students to accept the idea that their lives may be threatened or that they may be responsible for defending themselves?



Since you have done this type of thing a few times what would you consider an acceptable level of competence at the end of 1 day of training?

The outline I gave you was for a formal qualification where the requirements were already established...and you post led me to believe that was what you were asking about. Now that you have explained that isn't the case, I cannot provide a recommendation to you on an "acceptable level of competence".

[peterb]

My non-expert take on reasonable goals for a day:
1) Confidence that she won't hurt herself or anyone else by accident.
2) Confidence that she can make a weapon ready to fire and then make it safe.
3) Basics of grip and stance
4) Positive live-fire experience
5) Starting to believe that threats are real

So lots of work with dummy rounds to develop basic gun handling skills, and comfort handling a gun in her home.

At this stage, it's most important that she's not afraid to reach for the tool at the first sign of a threat.

Cornered Cat might be a good resource for her.

[RobG]

Fair Enough. Let's say they have some motivation to be there (it is required for the job and they want the job).

Sounds like your friend's wife is being compelled into training that she is refusing from her husband......I am with Sean, punt.

If she is a willing and motivated student: break it into two sessions at least.

Day one, in the home:

1. Basic manipulation:
a. How to retrieve from lockbox and make ready (systems check.)
b. How to make the weapon safe.
c. How prepare the weapon for storage in the SOP condition.
d. Basic operation of the weapon (controls, safeties, reloads etc.)
2. Basic tactics.
a. How to move with a weapon and not flag the kids.
b. Execution of plan (retreat to safe room, fatal funnel, clear the house.)
c. Role of all players in the above plan.

Day two, at the range:
1. Basic marksmanship to achieve hits on an 8 inch target at 5-7 yards. Focus on marksmanship fundamentals and incorporate the first day’s basic manipulation fundamentals.
2. Basic retention shooting, at close targets.

You will not achieve a warrior’s mindset in this time. A better tactic will be to make it an enjoyable experience that she may want to repeat. Try turning it into a game that rewards performance, like shooting balloons instead of bad guy silhouettes.

[David Armstrong]

from Suvorov:
This is very interesting. The husband of my wife's friend that is about to go into the diplomatic service is actually about to receive some similar training as is excited about it despite the fact that he is an anti. What was the general willingness of your students to accept the idea that their lives may be threatened or that they may be responsible for defending themselves?

Most of them were clear that their lives might be threatened, that was just part of the job. We're talking like a Coca-Cola executive in Mexico<G>! Most were cognizant of the threat and looked on the training as just part of preparation, sort of like getting your shots up-to-date. Some were very much into it and were very enthusiastic, others looked at it as taking time away from the important stuff. You didn't direct it to me, but my basic level of competence at the end of the session was for the client to be able to pick up any gun I tossed on the table, make it ready to fire, get two rounds on target at 10 yards, then clear the chamber, all without increasing the danger to him or others around him (or her). No real time limit, just a skills check to make sure they understood what the process was.