What are you looking for in a Firearms Instructor?

Tom Perroni · Jan 27, 2013

I have not held an Open Enrollment course in almost a year due to the volume of Military/Law Enforcement and Govt. training we have been doing. I have decided to team with an Instructor on MD Shooters to be able to do more Open Enrolment training. Handgun/Carbine/Shotgun

So in an effort to bring you better training, What are you looking for in a Firearms Instructor?

I ask this because I feel that in order to be a good instructor; I must first and always be a good student.

So please let me know what you are looking for when you go to a class. What do you expect to gain or learn from the instruction? I consider myself a good instructor but every time a take a class I learn something….even if it is how NOT to do something.

For example I just held an Advanced Handgun course for PPS/PSD operators. And we were doing live fire break contact and peel drills. The class loved the trigger time as it was something you don’t always get to do in class.

But when we were done and did a de-brief one of the more experienced students said he thought the drill would have gone much better if we had done it dry first focusing on communication. Calling out set, moving, down or (cover) to reload and up when you are ready to get back into the fight. I agree that would have helped. Sometimes as instructors we assume students know something and they really don’t this causes a big disconnect in training.

So let me know what you think would help you learn better, or give me an example of a class that could have gone better or you could have learned more only if…….However please note I DO NOT want this to turn into instructor bashing.

I really just want to know what you folks want to learn form us Firearms Instructors!

Thanks!

Indiana Jones · Jan 27, 2013

Anything under $100

miles71 · Jan 27, 2013

As a brand new instructor with 16 years of teaching experience I appreciate This post. I am ready to sponge............

One of the coolest part of my instructor course was we had a massive variety of experience and we could all learn from each other. I thought, like in teaching, wouldn't it be cool to have a network of instructors that cold meet and e change notes regularly.

I am eager to see the posts......

xcavater · Jan 27, 2013

5'8", blonde, 38-24-38, loves to fish and thinks I hung the Moon.

lx1x · Jan 27, 2013

Indiana Jones said:
Anything under $100

keep on wishing..

maybe class room training.. hahaha

xcavater said:
5'8", blonde, 38-24-38, loves to fish and thinks I hung the Moon.

beat me to it.. lmao

Tom,

when i look for class.. i always check the review from people who took the class, how much experience the instructor has etc. Since i havent taken any class from you.. i know you are a great instructor from reviews i've read about you from here.

miles71 · Jan 27, 2013

Tom,

when i look for class.. i always check the review from people who took the class, how much experience the instructor has etc. Since i havent taken any class from you.. i know you are a great instructor from reviews i've read about you from here.

So how does a new guy get the experience? I was able to sit in with a class last weekend and enjoyed it much. If any of you instructors near Bel Air (belcamp) would be willing to have a new guy sit in or even help you out I would appreciate the opportunity.

TD

lx1x · Jan 27, 2013

miles71 said:
So how does a new guy get the experience? I was able to sit in with a class last weekend and enjoyed it much. If any of you instructors near Bel Air (belcamp) would be willing to have a new guy sit in or even help you out I would appreciate the opportunity.

TD

im not and instructor.. just from student prospective.. :innocent0

PJDiesel · Jan 27, 2013

Egh..... Nothing too specific:

Tom Perroni · Jan 27, 2013

miles71 said:
So how does a new guy get the experience? I was able to sit in with a class last weekend and enjoyed it much. If any of you instructors near Bel Air (belcamp) would be willing to have a new guy sit in or even help you out I would appreciate the opportunity.

TD

TD,

I will be running a DCJS LE Firearms Instructor Course in Feb you can come out for a day or two and learn from your fellow Instructors!

Let me know if your interested.

Tom

Neot · Jan 27, 2013

Just my .02...
I've been an instructor at the Federal level for 6+ years and have seen all sorts of instruction, good and bad. The good instructors tend to be very level headed, use real world examples, and realize that everyone learns at a different pace. Nothing turns me off more than watching a know-it-all instructor talk down to a student who is struggling to grasp whatever technique is being taught.

Two things I go by personally. There's always something you can learn and never be afraid to say you don't know. I hate watching an instructor try and BS their way through something. A simple, "Ya know, I'm not sure but I will find out for you ASAP" goes a long way.

Chasbo00 · Jan 28, 2013

I would like to see trainers do a better job of describing their courses. I've seen courses billed as advanced level training that I thought should have been intermediate or even basic level and the course description did not adequately describe the course and its objectives. I also would like to see standards-based prerequisites. For example, be able to draw and hit a 3 by 5 card at 5 yards within 2 seconds on demand. As far as the instructor goes, I appreciate those who actually know how to teach and I expect an instructor to be highly technically competent and experienced in whatever they are teaching.

miles71 · Jan 28, 2013

I've been an instructor at the Federal level for 6+ years and have seen all sorts of instruction, good and bad. The good instructors tend to be very level headed, use real world examples, and realize that everyone learns at a different pace. Nothing turns me off more than watching a know-it-all instructor talk down to a student who is struggling to grasp whatever technique is being taught.

Two things I go by personally. There's always something you can learn and never be afraid to say you don't know. I hate watching an instructor try and BS their way through something. A simple, "Ya know, I'm not sure but I will find out for you ASAP" goes a long way.

The biggest issue I saw in the instructor training and class delivery was the lessons and delivery of concepts for different learning styles. Teaching ain't easy, especially to a group with varied backgrounds and prior knowledge. Add a subject that can get very abstract and physical and you have even more issues. Wile the NRA course tried to help with this, I think they need to spend some more time on teaching how to teach. If you don't make a connection with the students it doesn't matter how much of an expert you are.

In my course we had many discussions about this, prob since we had such a variety of backgrounds. We decided a "dream team" of instructors would be three people with one having LEO experience, one having military experience, and one being a self taught civilian only shooter. We also felt each should have some sort of instructor rating in their field, including a teaching degree and teaching experience. In our simulations when we partnered up with this in mind our team felt great and was able to play off each others ability.

Of course one being a hot brunette with a ponytail would have helped too.....

TD

lx1x · Jan 28, 2013

miles71 said:
The biggest issue I saw in the instructor training and class delivery was the lessons and delivery of concepts for different learning styles. Teaching ain't easy, especially to a group with varied backgrounds and prior knowledge. Add a subject that can get very abstract and physical and you have even more issues. Wile the NRA course tried to help with this, I think they need to spend some more time on teaching how to teach. If you don't make a connection with the students it doesn't matter how much of an expert you are.

In my course we had many discussions about this, prob since we had such a variety of backgrounds. We decided a "dream team" of instructors would be three people with one having LEO experience, one having military experience, and one being a self taught civilian only shooter. We also felt each should have some sort of instructor rating in their field, including a teaching degree and teaching experience. In our simulations when we partnered up with this in mind our team felt great and was able to play off each others ability.

Of course one being a hot brunette with a ponytail would have helped too.....
TD

so when is the next available class?!?

im in a process of getting dnr hunter safety instructor course.. just got through the first step,an online training which covers "how to become a trainer". its very good course. covered different styles of training and how to deal with students. :thumbsup:

DZ · Jan 28, 2013

Small class size

Plenty of trigger time

Team teaching. Having more than one instructor was great in the Carbine 1 class I took. you were able to instruct and keep the class running while one of the other instructors was able to watch the shooter, critique and provide corrections.

I'd like to take Handgun 1 and more TCCC or Wilderness first aid.

ProShooter · Jan 28, 2013

This is a great question, Tom....and one that should help all of us as instructors remember where we came from. As a "student", I've had great instructors and not so great ones. I try to take a little something from each one (even the bad instructors) and make something positive out of those experiences to make me a better instructor.

One of the things that kills me, is when I see instructors with no real world experience and they are teaching stuff that they cannot even do themselves or explain why it needs to do done. Worse than that, is those who are doing or teaching dangerous stuff. I watched an "online training course" that an alleged NRA instructor was teaching and he advocated thumbing down the hammer on a Sig-Sauer, instead of using the decocking lever. I cringed when I saw that....and the worst part is some poor shmuck is going to do that because this instructor said so.

ProShooter · Jan 28, 2013

double tap

Blaster229 · Jan 29, 2013

ProShooter said:
double tap

Depends on who the students are.

Anyway........

I want ZERO ego and at least pretend to be interested when I or another student may suggest something else.

BradMacc82 · Jan 29, 2013

From someone with absolutely no formal training -

Level-head, ego out of the equation, and patience.

ridethemessiah · Jan 29, 2013

Someone with a good reputation

Engage Instructor · Jan 29, 2013

I want an instructor that is not trying to reinvent the wheel. There are instructors out there that try to make a new technique that has a low percentage success rate either from being too complicated or a technique specific to what only the instructor can perform. We are not teaching anything that has not been taught before but the difference between good and great instructors is their success rate with transferring their knowledge to their students and the understanding each student absorbs. This stems from personal experience and a willingness to be humble to new ideas and techniques. These mindsets and experiences not only build credibility but a trust between the students and the instructor.

What are you looking for in a Firearms Instructor?

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