I confess I do feel mild irritation at teaching some students the same thing over and over again. Sometimes I am working with a group of kids around reading, and the "answer" is right there, so obvious to me, who has been reading for 35 years, and the kid doesn't get it, and it's so hard to hide my boredom and irritation. But I vow today to do a better job for all
It can be easy for teachers to forget that students have to crawl before they can walk. But it is a critical skill, one that will potentially produce victorious runners. We don't teach to glorify ourselves, but rather, to build up those we serve in the classroom.
A mentor pilot sent this to me the other day:
At the AOPA Summit, there was a 30 presentation that followed a full day of brainstorming regarding the future of flight instruction. How to reduce the high drop out rate and what factors are important to success. Sampled 1,000 students and did serious statistical analysis with intersecting results. It is a 30 minute video at http://www.aopa.org/aopalive/index.cfm called "The Future of Flight Instruction".
I am not surprised at the high drop out rate. Flight instructors -- like many elementary school teachers (and yes I include myself in this sad insult at times) are a bunch of whiney babies!!! Teaching starts to become a self-serving exercise rather than the service leadership it should be. No wonder so many students quit.
I came home from today's lesson, which was a huge disappointment partially due to the ongoing crappy weather, ready to quit. I moped for almost two hours, and then I sat down at the computer and created this:
www.studentpilot.weebly.com
People who have the courage and the willingness to go out on a limb and try something new should get the encouragement they need to succeed. Learning to fly shouldn't be a confusing mystery. It should be a delightful challenge, supported by excited teachers and well organized, competent schools.