How to get students to study?

Z

Zephyr

Well-Known Member
I'm a CFI with about 300 dual given, and have finished one student so far, with several others getting close. I'm just wondering if anyone has any advice about how to get them to study on their own. I've always been a self-started and just studied on my own for all of my ratings, without hardly any formal ground school with an instructor. I just figured most students would be like I was, but that doesn't seem to be the case. I always close lessons with "and for next time, read up on xyz," but invariably the next lesson rolls around they haven't looked at it, or have just taken a quick glance at it. With the student who got his license I had to say no flying until you pass your written just to get him to do it, although I didn't like having to take such a heavy handed approach.

How do the rest of you do it? Do you give written/oral quizzes periodically, and if they don't know the material, a ground lesson rather than a flight lesson? I'm puzzled about why students need to be driven to study, when flying is such a cool topic. When I was a student I just couldn't get enough of it.

Anyway, any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
 
Zephyr said:
invariably the next lesson rolls around they haven't looked at it
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I've given about 2,500 hours dual, and I still don't have a good answer to your question. Probably the most effective policy is if they show up unprepared, cancel the flight and charge them for your wasted time. Make 'em sign an agreement for this before training is started.

However, when I've made time in my schedule to show up at the airport, canceling the lesson is painful for me as well as the student. The missed lessons makes for an irregular training schedule and the quality of output suffers.

I have prepared a whole packet of quizzes on a lot of subjects that would probably be helpful if I had an effective way to administer them. I'd still have to show up at the airport to give him the quiz and am still faced with the prospect of a canceled flight. If I let him take the quiz home, I'll forget to collect it next lesson.

Where I'd like to go is to computerize these quizzes and place them on my website, requiring the student to make an acceptable grade before I agree to the next training session. But that's middle of the way down the list "to do" projects.

In the meantime, the only stick that I've found effective to get the written taken is to suspend training. As for checkride prep, withholding the checkride until they do what I ask generally works. Sometimes, once I've seen forward progress, I will schedule the ride, but that's bitten me too. I had to cancel one checkride the night before, because the student had not followed through on what he had promised. But by golly, he was prepared two weeks later! :)

Younger students are generally worse about studying than older ones, so I avoid them, unless I have knowledge of their study habits.
 
Assuming I'd assigned it to them last lesson, and they didn't read it at home, I used to just sit them down, and go over the material with them.........on their dime now. Most of my students, after a few of these self-imposed ground schools, where they paid for my time and didn't fly, started showing up, having read the homework.

As for the written..........I always told my students, at the beginning of their training, I wanted the written done before we started the x-country phase of training. If it wasn't done by then, barring some unusual circumstance, we didn't start the x-countries until it was. Not only did it give them a definite timetable and deadline, but I also thought it was important to know all the bookwork by the time we were doing x-country flying.
 
I used to hate the lazy students. If I ever get back into instruction, I would state up front that effort had to be put in on their part or I would drop them as a student. If you don't prepare, they will drop you.
 
TaterSalad said:
Assuming I'd assigned it to them last lesson, and they didn't read it at home, I used to just sit them down, and go over the material with them.........on their dime now. Most of my students, after a few of these self-imposed ground schools, where they paid for my time and didn't fly, started showing up, having read the homework.
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That is what I did. Nothing like shelling out $55hr because you were lazy.
 
ananoman said:
That is what I did. Nothing like shelling out $55hr because you were lazy.
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Thanks guys, sounds like this isn't a rare problem among CFIs. I'll probably start charging them to read the book to them, hopefully they'll figure out they could save a bundle by preparing for the lesson ahead of time. If not, well more money in my pocket.

Good to hear I'm not totally neglecting my students or something.

~Z
 
Zephyr said:
Thanks guys, sounds like this isn't a rare problem among CFIs. I'll probably start charging them to read the book to them, hopefully they'll figure out they could save a bundle by preparing for the lesson ahead of time. If not, well more money in my pocket.

Good to hear I'm not totally neglecting my students or something.

~Z
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Naw man... I've wondered the same thing... I've got less dual given than you. I have one guy who has trouble flying but just absorbs everything I tell him to study, and another who is a damn good stick, but doesn't study worth a damn. Threads like this have really helped me out... good to know I'm not the only one out there with similiar issues, and gives great ideas how to solve common problems.

Keep it up, guys!
 
It might be a little late, but before we even touch an airplane for the first hour of instruction, I'd go thru what my expectations were of him/her as a student, brief them on what they could expect from me and ask them to fill in the blanks with things that THEY expected from me.

On time, all reading done before the flight, list of questions that need clearing up and prepared to learn was pretty much it.

Or plan B was to have a few of your new students sitting around the lounge, have another CFI secretly sit amongst then, beat the living hell out of the CFI and tell the other students, "He didn't come prepared so I whipped his ass. That's how I roll....That's how I roll..." (I'm joking)
 
Doug Taylor said:
It might be a little late, but before we even touch an airplane for the first hour of instruction, I'd go thru what my expectations were of him/her as a student, brief them on what they could expect from me and ask them to fill in the blanks with things that THEY expected from me.

On time, all reading done before the flight, list of questions that need clearing up and prepared to learn was pretty much it.

Or plan B was to have a few of your new students sitting around the lounge, have another CFI secretly sit amongst then, beat the living hell out of the CFI and tell the other students, "He didn't come prepared so I whipped his ass. That's how I roll....That's how I roll..." (I'm joking)
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Totally agree... I told myself I'd do that before I took on my first students and didn't stick with it. No longer, my friend. My next new student will get the task, conditions, and standards right up front, and I'll stick with them. (This time... I swear!)
 
I agree with Doug in setting out expectations on the first meeting. Let them know you are serious about their training. Giving them expectations also shows them you care (not just that you are a hard a$$).

Makes sure you begin disciplining them before you start flying (no, not beating them about the head and shoulders... but sometimes that seems to get the job done), but things like completing a Weight and Balance, checking weather, or starting the clock before every takeoff. (Why? because I said so, I'll explain later). This creates a discipline in their flying that keeps them safe. As the instructor, to be disciplinarian, you must also be disciplined. They should see you also check weather, and W&B and start the clock on T/O... whatever it is you are requiring them to do, they should see you set the example (monkey see, monkey do). If you say you are going to talk to them first flight about expectations... then do it with EVERY student. If need be, make up a "get to know you" sheet and keep in in their file. Make them sign it if they have to. But at least you have on the table what you want from them and stick to it.

Here is one of my flight instructor's suggestions: Along with this "get to know you" sheet, find out who is paying the bill for training... if it's mom and dad... get their number too. Be up front with them, If they slack then you will be making a call. I guarantee you that a call to their "financier" will motivate them very quickly. I think of it like this... any investor has a right to know if their money is being frittered away, it's not intruding on your student, it's saving mom and dad $$$. I'm not saying call every time he messes up, but if you have talked to the student multiple times and just can't seem to motivate them yourself, it's time for the call. Believe me, I don't wanna be the B!tch flight instructor, but I also want me student to know I'm serious about their training. I think they'll thank you for it later on.

I also agree with Tater 100%... if they show up unprepaired... give them a freebie, but after the freebie it's time to charge. If they are gonna waste your time, a they need to start paying you for it! (This goes the same for no shows... 1 freebie, then charge 1 hour of ground after that.)

Anyway, some ideas from my instructor and I.
 
Great topic- I think I may be having a talk like this with my first student today- I just started him but get the impression he may need some ground rules & boundaries to keep things going along well. I'm hoping he did his reading assignments for today.
I like the idea of making the written done before doing the cross-countries.
 
I'm about in the same spot as you, 300 dual given, one private under my belt and another next week. I've come to the realiazation that not everyone that walks throught the FBO doors are as passionate about flying as we professionals. So if it becomes a problem I'll have a chat with them and explain in delicate fashion that all of the information is very important if they want to get the certificate. Not only will they need to know it for the test, it will also keep them safe while flying. Sometimes they will get bored doing the work, but remind them of what lay at the end of all this studying. Find out what motivates them to take lessons. If you see they are getting frustrated with the work, do a "fun" flight, something they really want to do such as going on a short XC, invite a friend or family member of thiers to come along....etc. This might motivate them to just knuckle down so they can finish. Give them some time, try to motivate them as much as you can, if that doesn't work then you can either sit them down and explain that their approach is not working or just let them figure it out on their own when the see you've lost the desire to go out of your way to help them. Either way, inform the cheif pilot or manager about what's going on so they won't accuse you of not doing a good job. Good luck.
 
make them buy the sportys videos, they work for the non-readers. Also, set deadlines:

"You're not flying a solo XC untill you watch the whole video set, and I'll know"

or the most common one out of my mouth:

"I'm done with you untill you pass the written...you can continue to solo locally but thats it, the written is the only thing holding you back right now"
 
Andrew_VT said:
make them buy the sportys videos, they work for the non-readers. Also, set deadlines:

"You're not flying a solo XC untill you watch the whole video set, and I'll know"

or the most common one out of my mouth:

"I'm done with you untill you pass the written...you can continue to solo locally but thats it, the written is the only thing holding you back right now"
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Are you reinforcing the video ground school with your own ground school/ discussion and quizzing of the topic?

I have come to find that instructors rely on John and Martha way too much for ground instruction. If the student doesn't want to read fine, but the videos shouldn't negate the CFI's responsibility to provide a thorough ground school for their student(s). Not saying that for extra $$$ in my pocket, but the ground schools let your student know that you are also serious about their training and make them work harder when you do.

- just a side thought-
 
Kinda what doug was joking about. But I brought in one of my buddies from school. He was sitting in the office and I acted like he was a student and asked him if he did the ground work I asked. He said no so I told him he was done and went to the filing cabinet and took out a file and threw it in the garbage. Lol it was so hard not to laugh but actually worked on two of my students that were there.
 
I highly recommend John and Martha because while they dont do a great job explaining things sometimes, they hit on most everything.

If I were to just sit down with students and try to teach everything from scratch, I would forget something for sure (even with lesson plans and stuff).

If they watch all the videos, or read the FAA books first (Gleim sucks btw) when I mention something it'll take 30 seconds to firm it up in their brain rather than 5 minutes to introduce the new concept completely.
 
Andrew_VT said:
I highly recommend John and Martha because while they dont do a great job explaining things sometimes, they hit on most everything.

If I were to just sit down with students and try to teach everything from scratch, I would forget something for sure (even with lesson plans and stuff).

If they watch all the videos, or read the FAA books first (Gleim sucks btw) when I mention something it'll take 30 seconds to firm it up in their brain rather than 5 minutes to introduce the new concept completely.
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Sounds like you need better lesson plans. Preparation is the key to having a good lesson. With your lessons being taught by John and Martha your ground schools should be more guided discussion so that you can see what the student really knows or doesn't know. Just because the student says he knows, doesn't really mean he/she does. Ask questions, be interactive.

Just another side note.
 
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