I don't know ANYTHING! (please don't tell my students)

Hootie

Old Skool
I don\'t know ANYTHING! (please don\'t tell my students)

Just got done teaching my first night of ground. Whew! I was contacted about teaching it to a bunch of guys about 35 minutes away from where I was based, and I said sure (about a month ago). So I never hear back and then last Thursday I get a call asking if I can start in 5 days (because some guys want to be done by mid april). So over the weekend somehow just by word of mouth the class grew from 5 to 15 and I couldn't possibly order books in time (even the books I did order in time and paid big bucks on shipping (2 day) didn't come on time .....thanks for nothing avshop.com). So it was a hectic start that was out of my control. So I prepped for 5 hours making notes and an outline for the class, went in pretty confident with my hour familiarization lesson followed by my hour and a half aerodynamics lesson. I got some really tough questions to explain centrifigul force more and more, and some other nasty ones I think that I just blacked out and answered. (%90 of the class paid me for the entire course afterwards so I must have done something right). I chose ASA books because they are the cheapest(yes I know jepp is better). I was going to have them buy a
plotter/e6-b/ and 2004 test prep. And reccomended the complete private pilot and far/aim. So everyone wants all the books . So I knock of another 5 bucks of the course total because Im a pvssy flight instructor who feels guilty about everyone having to pay only $65 for course books. Even though the class costs 60 bucks less than the nearest other fbo. Oh the life of the flight instructor who actually isn't a dirty bastard trying to rip everyone off.
Questions for the the guys who are or used to be in my shoes.
1. Tell me not to feel guilty
2. For Thursdays class since books won't be here still (thanks avshop.com) Im planning on teaching FAR's (since I can make printouts without the need for tech. explainations)and a review quiz on Aerodynamics....good idea?
3. Any advice on teaching ground school? (its way harder than duel given).
4. If they can get a hold of a 2000-2003 far/aim would you make them buy a 2004?

THANKS FOR LISTENING!
 
Re: I don\'t know ANYTHING! (please don\'t tell my students)

If they're asking really in depth questions about things like centrifigul force, you should be honest (which it sounds like you were) and tell them you're not sure about the answer. You might also mention that the question is beyond the scope of what you're trying to accomplish in the class, and isn't all that relevant to from a pilot's perspective, but that it's still good to know and you will help them find the answer. When talking about aerodynamics, you get to a point where you have start talking about physics and the equations that govern fluid motion. In my opinion, that kind of discussion is almost a waste for private-level students, time could be better spent discussing FAR's, Weather, Cross Country Planning, Emergency Procedures, Flight Maneuvers, etc. I'm not saying that in depth aerodynamic knowledge isn't great to have, you just need to manage your lectures so that you're spending the right amount of time on the important subjects and skipping the irrelelvant details.

I've never taught a ground school, but that's what I'd do. Easier said than done, right? What is the experience level of the students in the ground school?
 
Re: I don\'t know ANYTHING! (please don\'t tell my students)

1) Don't feel guilty. Feel like an idiot for underpricing your services so much!
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2) Sounds good, I guess.
3) Don't let the class take control. They will ask a lot of questions. Prioritize the questions and answer only the important/relevant ones. Don't be afriad ot "hangar fly" but don't let the BS de-rail the lesson. Stick to your outline. Have fun.
4) It's 2004 ... they need a 2004 FAR/AIM!
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Re: I don\'t know ANYTHING! (please don\'t tell my students)

[ QUOTE ]

3) Don't let the class take control. They will ask a lot of questions. Prioritize the questions and answer only the important/relevant ones. Don't be afraid ot "hangar fly" but don't let the BS de-rail the lesson. Stick to your outline. Have fun.

[/ QUOTE ]I'm going to jump in on this one.

Controlling the class is absolutely the most important thing and difficult thing to learn about teaching a group. I know. I'm one of those "bad" students who always disrupts classes with "deep" questions when I understand the material well enough to be bored by the simple stuff. I've also taught tougher bunches than aviation students.
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Keep in mind that every class has a few of us, but that most of the group really wants and needs to get through the material that will let them pass the test at the end. They will appreciate your limits on questioning, invitations to stay after class to answer questions "beyond the scope", your invitation (to the questioner) to find the answer himself and report back to the group at the next session and your other efforts to keep things on track. And the disrupters won't be upset at being cut off — they've been in classes before and know the drill.
 
Re: I don\'t know ANYTHING! (please don\'t tell my students)

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

3) Don't let the class take control. They will ask a lot of questions. Prioritize the questions and answer only the important/relevant ones. Don't be afraid ot "hangar fly" but don't let the BS de-rail the lesson. Stick to your outline. Have fun.

[/ QUOTE ]I'm going to jump in on this one.

Controlling the class is absolutely the most important thing and difficult thing to learn about teaching a group. I know. I'm one of those "bad" students who always disrupts classes with "deep" questions when I understand the material well enough to be bored by the simple stuff. I've also taught tougher bunches than aviation students.
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.

[/ QUOTE ]

So you're an admitted pain in the a$$ that has to disrupt class with off-the-wall questions?
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Midlife, are you one of those guys that can't just save questions for afterwards?
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Re: I don\'t know ANYTHING! (please don\'t tell my students)

Congratz on what you are doing. Don't feel guilty about anything as you are providing a better service than the next guy at a better price. The fact that the class went from 5 to 15 proves that.

"ASA books because they are the cheapest(yes I know jepp is better)"

I don't think Jepp is better but that's just me.

Pilot supplys can be had at great prices on ebay. E6B's around $10. Plotters real cheap. New stuff will cost normal prices but you can get good deals on used. I buy all kinds of crap I don't need just cause I see what I think are good deals....

I'm curious about your situation. I would bet if you had your own 152 and time to free-lance that you could instantly have 6 to 8 primary students. Are you going to free lance with these guys?
 
Re: I don\'t know ANYTHING! (please don\'t tell my students)

[ QUOTE ]
Congratz on what you are doing. Don't feel guilty about anything as you are providing a better service than the next guy at a better price. The fact that the class went from 5 to 15 proves that.

[/ QUOTE ]
Thank you, it really helps to hear that.

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I'm curious about your situation. I would bet if you had your own 152 and time to free-lance that you could instantly have 6 to 8 primary students. Are you going to free lance with these guys?

[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah it's nice because I jumped from 2 students to 9-10 that are trying to schedule me for lessons.

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You might also mention that the question is beyond the scope of what you're trying to accomplish in the class, and isn't all that relevant to from a pilot's perspective, but that it's still good to know and you will help them find the answer.

[/ QUOTE ]
THOSE ARE THE WORDS I WAS LOOKING FOR! It's amazing how simple thoughts go out the window when you are on the spot.

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1) Don't feel guilty. Feel like an idiot for underpricing your services so much!

[/ QUOTE ]
Im starting to. But it feels good to know that I am gaining great experience and I am providing an ethical value and a quality product.

Thanks for all the responses, this site is great!
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Re: I don\'t know ANYTHING! (please don\'t tell my students)

Here's how I teach aerodynamics when they start asking irrelevant questions: "There's PhD's who have studied this stuff all their lives and even they have disagreements about it." Problem solved. The apple falls from the tree because of gravity. If they want to know the equation for that, and why gravity exists, etc, they're on their own!
 
Re: I don\'t know ANYTHING! (please don\'t tell my students)

And you can also tell them, I know things as the FAA explains them, because they are the ones that giveth our licenses and also the ones that can taketh away.
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Re: I don\'t know ANYTHING! (please don\'t tell my students)

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So you're an admitted pain in the a$$ that has to disrupt class with off-the-wall questions?
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[/ QUOTE ] Yep. Just ask anyone who's class I've been in.
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Midlife, are you one of those guys that can't just save questions for afterwards?
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[/ QUOTE ] I can save them. But the teacher has to make it clear that I have to
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That's why I know how to do it when I teach.
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Re: I don\'t know ANYTHING! (please don\'t tell my students)

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
So you're an admitted pain in the a$$ that has to disrupt class with off-the-wall questions?
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[/ QUOTE ] Yep. Just ask anyone who's class I've been in.


[/ QUOTE ]

Questions for the sake of asking questions......your a$$ is fired Midlife.
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Are you the guy in class that sits up front that everyone wants to smack?
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