How to get students to study?

flyn_ace_99,

It sounds like we have the same idea on this, question and answer sessions are what I'm after, and what ends up happening, after they watch the videos (and I dont have to worry about john and martha messing up their primacy like the old turds hanging around the FBO). Less me preaching, more 2-way discussion.
 
Andrew_VT said:
flyn_ace_99,

It sounds like we have the same idea on this, question and answer sessions are what I'm after, and what ends up happening, after they watch the videos (and I dont have to worry about john and martha messing up their primacy like the old turds hanging around the FBO). Less me preaching, more 2-way discussion.
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I was hoping so. Many CFIs today use John and Martha as a crutch. It makes them lazy and think that they don't have to hold ground school. The reality of the matter is that CFIs are signing off log books saying the student watched the videos... are you sure? Did you watch them with him? If you don't follow up with a ground school in a guided discussion format, you have no idea if they even know what they watched. I also recommend quizes on the subject matter. That way YOU have record or what they did or did not understand.

I do not use the tapes, nor do I recommend them for my students. (I have put a years worth of hard work into my lesson plans, and by George they are gonna get used!!!) No, it's not because I wanna get paid for ground school, but more or less because the student can ask me questions and I have the material ready. To save students money, gather a bunch of them around for a 3 hour ground school and divide the cost between them. Get together with other instructors and see if they want their students in on the ground school. Saves everyone money.

I have been doing some student teaching with my instructor's Private Pilot applicant (under his supervision). Over the past year I have been compiling lesson plans on EVERYTHING there is to know about flying (or at least thats what it seems like). I have noticed a huge change in the way I used to instruct and how I instruct now. I am more organized and prepared for my lessons. I spend the night before finding all my information and flagging pages in books and in my lesson plan itself so I know what I want to talk about. I know I'm definately gonna have to change some of my technique when I fly for a flight school, but it should simply be integrating it into the set format for that school.

Anyway... just passing on some of my old school experience to other instructors. My instructor is a cranky old guy, and it's his way or no way, but honestly, he is the best instructor I have ever had. I'm incredibly blessed to be able to experience flight training from the guy. I just hope some of the stuff I learn from him and send down through JC gets picked up... it's really good stuff!

Best of luck!
 
This may not be the view you are looking for, but I think you should tell them that they are paying to get their licence and they should work because they want to get it. If a student is unwilling to study, I believe that would show that he/she did not care enough about the rating to do it. I would just explain that they are getting a rating because they want to and they need to be safe and knowledgable in order to fly so they need to for thier own benifit.
 
aviatorrbt said:
This may not be the view you are looking for, but I think you should tell them that they are paying to get their licence and they should work because they want to get it. If a student is unwilling to study, I believe that would show that he/she did not care enough about the rating to do it. I would just explain that they are getting a rating because they want to and they need to be safe and knowledgable in order to fly so they need to for thier own benifit.
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That makes perfect sense, and I've tried to explain it that way by saying you're learning to fly because it's something you want to do, so studying it should be cool, not like studying for statics or something (most of my students are engineering undergrads).

Whenever I get a student who comes to a lesson with a lot of questions it gives me warm fuzzies... :)
 
Zephyr said:
That makes perfect sense, and I've tried to explain it that way by saying you're learning to fly because it's something you want to do, so studying it should be cool, not like studying for statics or something (most of my students are engineering undergrads).

Whenever I get a student who comes to a lesson with a lot of questions it gives me warm fuzzies... :)
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yay warm fuzzies!
 
This stuff always bothered me. The owners or managers of flight schools usually want to "baby" any potential revenue walking in the front door. You're either motivated to do this or not, you can't teach motivation. If the motivation isn't there it's not your job to foster it out of them. This isn't a basic life skill that you can't live without like learning to read or something. If your head isn't in the flying game 100% you're going to be dead, and your job as the instructor is to make that judgement call and send alot of that revenue back out the front door.
 
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.
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recommend them as what, punnishment for not studying? :-P

"you didn't study? Ok, we're going to sit down and watch this DVD and I'm going to charge you for it"

there were two teachers in my high school who were husband and wife and were EXACTLY like them. I want whatever drug they were on cause they seemed way too happy 100% of the time.
 
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