New Lesson Plans...

[Gun Commander]

Ok shooters, I just cranked out about 12 hours (4 three hour classes) of new lesson plans. Skills covered include: marksmanship fundamentals, drawing from the holster, reloading techniques, malfunction drills, shooting & moving, shooting multiple threats, alternate shooting positions, and use of cover. The classes are designed to be in three hour blocks, and should be taken in order. The goal is to make the last training day a police style qualification course, where you demonstrate each of the skills taught throughout the course of fire. To be clear, these lessons are taught in the classroom using the laser training pistols and target software. The live-fire range portion will be scheduled separately.

Now, the question is, how do you guys want me to roll this out? Should I put on one class, then schedule range time to work on those skills before moving on to the next lesson? Or, do I offer each lesson over a Monday - Thursday, and try to schedule an all-day range, or a two-day range event? I have a classroom in Annapolis available the whole week of April 17, from 6 - 10 pm. I can tell you, the range will be the hard part. Not impossible, just difficult. Unless, one of you can host it. Let me know your thoughts!

 

[outrider58]

My lawnchair recommendation would be, range trip after every 3 hour evolution in order to cement what you have learned before it's forgotten. OK, I admit, I suffer from CRS syndrome. I'm old-ish.

 

[Gun Commander]

Ok. Good point. You and Blaster229 think alike. Curious to see what others have to say also.


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[Seagrave1963]

My lawnchair recommendation would be, range trip after every 3 hour evolution in order to cement what you have learned before it's forgotten. OK, I admit, I suffer from CRS syndrome. I'm old-ish.

I agree with this "incremental" layout of didactic followed by practical application for each class. The practical is not overwhelming and reinforces each "step" in learned behavior.

 

[linkstate]

I'm definitely interested. I wasn't able to make the last offering because at least part was during the weekday. So couple things:

If it was class time in the evening, then what time would the next day be if it was a range day? If the same time at 6:00, that would work for me at least.

On the other hand, 4 classes and 4 range trips is a lot more days to commit. If it was 4 class days in a row and range time on say Saturday or Sunday, I think that might be a more feasible schedule for folks that have work/kid/family duty before evening time on weekdays.

Hope that makes sense.

 

[6-Pack]

If I were attending (and I am interested), I’d enjoy something on weeknights. Most trainings are on the weekend, which makes it tough with kids. However, weeknights (6 or 7) would be welcome.

One option that you might want to consider is offering one class each week. So if someone can’t make the Malfunction Drills class on Tuesday, they could take it Wednesday or Thursday. Then the next week you have Shooting and Moving or something. Just a lawnchair thought though, I know a lot goes into classes like this.

 

[Hillbilly Funk]

I like the idea of range time after each lesson to practice the classroom learning.

 

[Biggfoot44]

This isn't a question of what is the right answer . This is two equally " right" answers in seach of a Context .

No snark or disrespect , and best wishes for your ventures either way .

Do / will your client base seek and pay for * Gun Commander's Fundimentals of Effective Gunfighting 101 " that happens to also issue a slip of paper ? Or will it be de facto competing with generic W&C classes ?

I'm reading that you have comparitively free access to classroom , but live fire is a separate , more difficult thing .

Absolutely , range work to implement and clarify each cluster of skills is the More Better way to build what you or I would consider desirable level of actual competence .

But . that would mean 7 or 8 sessions for you and your clients . In the context of many of your potential clients , scheduling around their work , family , and other important stuff is bigger hurdle than some extra $ for extra value .

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My outside the box thinking :

Screw the 16 hours ! It's a minimum , not a maximum . 16 hrs was established to be an harassment , but in actual training terms , that's a bastard number . At least twice what is needed for Basic- Basic to meet ( illegitimate) State Requirements . But nowhere near enough to do it comprehensively Right .

EXPAND your course of instruction to comprehensively do it Right . With way more than 16 hours . Double it ?

Be bold in your ambition . Create a regional reputation and personal branding as high quality Instruction Product that people would seek out on purpose , even if they didn't need Maryland's piece of paper .

There's a market vacuum for that , if you can logistically pull it together ( without pricegouging like a certain three letter trainer ) .

 

[linkstate]

So I assume this is a fundamentals, skill building course and not a W&C class right? Bigfoot44s second set of comments made me wonder if I misunderstood the intent of the class.

 

[outrider58]

So I assume this is a fundamentals, skill building course and not a W&C class right? Bigfoot44s second set of comments made me wonder if I misunderstood the intent of the class.

That's how I saw the op.
This is a skills building course. Not a WC class.

 

[Gun Commander]

No, not a W&C course. This is to reinforce those skills, and build on them. I do feel as though my W&C course is above and beyond the minimum state requirements. Plus, the first in the series is designed to get those who didn’t take my class, on the same page as those who I have trained. Then, keep building the skills.


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[Gun Commander]

So maybe make the courses modular, and frequent enough to accommodate people’s schedules? Charge one price for the whole program, to include each range session? Or pay as you go (which might be the better option)?


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[Biggfoot44]

Opps , my semi- bad !

( Thinking some more out of box , maybe come back later .)

 

[Gun Commander]

Opps , my semi- bad !

( Thinking some more out of box , maybe come back later .)

Nah, you’re good. It’s a lot to process. And even more to work through, logistically. I’m trying to consider everyone’s input here.


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[Biggfoot44]

Nah, you’re good. It’s a lot to process. And even more to work through, logistically. I’m trying to consider everyone’s input here.

Indeed . The Logistics are the biggest limiting factor for an Independent Instructor ( in Maryland , within semi reasonable distance of the populated regions ) .

 

[linkstate]

No, not a W&C course. This is to reinforce those skills, and build on them. I do feel as though my W&C course is above and beyond the minimum state requirements. Plus, the first in the series is designed to get those who didn’t take my class, on the same page as those who I have trained. Then, keep building the skills.


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Sounds great!

So maybe make the courses modular, and frequent enough to accommodate people’s schedules? Charge one price for the whole program, to include each range session? Or pay as you go (which might be the better option)?


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If offered often enough, modular gives a lot more flexibility. Personally though, I would like to be able to commit to one complete set of classes for the immersion aspect if I can.

If modular, I would assume you would want folks to still go in order. So say you can make class 1, 3 and 4 but you miss class 2, you would be missing a piece that was discussed.

6-10 PM is good for me for class time. What is unclear is when the range time would be.

 

[Sticky]

My lawnchair recommendation would be, range trip after every 3 hour evolution in order to cement what you have learned before it's forgotten. OK, I admit, I suffer from CRS syndrome. I'm old-ish.

As are many of us and some of us have hectic schedules, myself included. It is hard for me to be any kind of predictable during the week in the evening. I get home at varied hours, depending on the work schedule.

That said, I am always in for more opportunities to train and build skills, so I am interested.

 

[4g64loser]

So maybe make the courses modular, and frequent enough to accommodate people’s schedules? Charge one price for the whole program, to include each range session? Or pay as you go (which might be the better option)?


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Not my business but I'd vote for a "pay as you go/a la carte" logistical approach. Less tracking for you as the instructor, not trying to keep track of who has hit what, outstanding obligations, etc. Post it, people can enroll and pay, then show up. Call them a-whatever or 1-whatever. One thing I see is that some people benefit from specific things being covered more than once; in your modular model, if you see a student struggling with presentation but with a solid draw, suggest that they take the module that covers presentation again, etc.

 

[Biggfoot44]

IF going Modular , go all the way modular .

Ok . Maybe make class #1 first mandatory , but have #2 , 3 , or 4 suitable to either do just one , or do in whichever sequence fits their schedule or relative priorities .

IF , you have set up to be actually sequential , where one is a necessary prerequisite to the next , then offer only as a package .

 

[Gun Commander]

Not my business but I'd vote for a "pay as you go/a la carte" logistical approach. Less tracking for you as the instructor, not trying to keep track of who has hit what, outstanding obligations, etc. Post it, people can enroll and pay, then show up. Call them a-whatever or 1-whatever. One thing I see is that some people benefit from specific things being covered more than once; in your modular model, if you see a student struggling with presentation but with a solid draw, suggest that they take the module that covers presentation again, etc.

Yeah. I’m leaning towards the modular approach.


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