The Anxious ADI, My Best Atribute

Anxiety is real for those of us who suffer. I have suffered all my life! From the age of 5 I remember trying to mentally escape from the world around me. To this day when I catch myself doing the same thing. The causes of which are numerous and I’ll not go into that now!

I often get asked why do you not show it, when your teaching, the simple answer is, I’m in “CONTROL”, I know the “SUBJECT MATTER” inside out! Plus, I love doing it, it’s not a chore. And I “BELIEVE” in what I am doing, and why I’m doing it. Not reading from a script verbatim. 

So what do I think are my best attributes as an ADI. Listening, Empathy and able to adjust/adapt a lesson plan at will, and adjust to them, and keeping clam when there’s issues. All of these help’s my gain trust and rapport with the pupil. They often tell me I’m good at teaching, after replying, I am just doing my job, I ask why. Because your easy to talk to and have a calm way of teaching, not pushy and REAL! And last Intuition

Why Listening. Through listening you will find out their fears and opinions. It also lets them get anything off their chest in a none threatening environment. You’ll find out if your pushing too hard, or even if they a getting bored, both not good, for learning, and more besides, so next time you see an ADI at the side of the road for a bit, they may be listening to their PUPIL.

Why Empathy? It’s quite shocking the number of young people of both sexes that suffer from anxiety, and because I have suffered all my life, and have put in my own mechanisms in place, either from other people/TV, whatever, I can understand how it feels to be in blind panic or worry about something that’s completely nothing. Even if you haven’t just LISTEN, it’s important to them, and it’s not your lessons it’s THEIRS!

Why Adapting to them/and the lesson. It’s no good pushing ahead with your lessons plan if they having big issues with something. An example is teaching a turn in the road. So you have driving to the site, and they have stalled twice because of the pressure of traffic behind them. I go about this in 2 different ways.

11)      The more traditional, change the lesson plan to busy places and maybe some hill starts, with lots of help

22)      Keep the lesson plan, but fix the stalling issues when going from point A to point B

Each way has its benefits, and can be very pupils specific, as one way will not work with everyone. But my favourite, and the pupils from what I can see is option 2. Why? In my opinion they are not thinking too much about the issues of stalling as I have not dwelled on it by making it the main focus, thus keeping their anxiety low about it, they have fun learning something new, and help with the stalling issue’s on route to a new Turn in the road area.  For me this works as YOU the ADI have not made to much of a big deal of it, and have adapted to the anxiety. I have changed the lesson plan, but in a subtle way.

Slight clutch issues too can be sorted by subtle changes, one of my favourite is to change to route to slow traffic and keep them talking about them, music/anything. They don’t overthink therefore they don’t panic and stall.

Now your saying this is daft because every pupil is different, yes agreed, but that’s where Rapport comes in and only you the ADI will know if this will work with a specific pupil. Remember these are my own opinions as to why I am successful at what I do, and I do respect that others will disagree.

 I have spent a lifetime dealing with anxiety and have made HUGE mistakes because of it, and probably still will. Here are Three things that really helped me personally.

One thing I left till last, is intuition .I Spent 10 years in the SCUBA industry, and it is here where I believe I have honed my skills, these include the above, plus intuition. If you get it wrong in the water, then it can go bad, very bad, because I recognise the signs of panic, I got people to do things, they never dreamed of doing. A bit like I do now.

The support of my wife, I’ve dragged her around the world as Diving instructor’s, and have a guitar addiction. But without her as a sounding board, nothing would have been possible.

Life and amazing people. I have learnt from other’s, one of the biggest for me the Anxious ADI. The person who trained me, Thanks Matthew Bell. And Graham Hooper and his team for my BTEC 3.

Learning to drive with anxiety!!!!

Learning to drive can be a nerve racking experience, even if you do not have anxiety. Imagine what it must feel like making contact with someone you don’t know, the first lesson, how can I trust this person!!

I teach many pupils who suffer from anxiety or are extremely nervous, and guess what they all pass. So how do I know how to cope with these, for one I have suffered from anxiety from a young age, I understand how it feels to meet new people, and why people get so defensive on a first meeting. WHY because I DO THIS TOO.

It also helps me empathise with them on test day, as again they have to meet someone new and have them asses their driving for 40 or so minute.

So when you think its nerve racking, think how it feels when you have anxiety on top!

Satnavs in driving lessons, Banbury and Daventry

Sat Nav's are a part of every day driving and therefore i teach my pupils how to use them safely, on their lessons in Banbury and Daventry. There is also talk of them being introduced as part of the practical test, don't panic just yet as it will be over 18 months if anything is to change. But it is being trialed now.

I here instructors moaning and groaning about the change (nothing new there then lol), but change is good if it benefits the pupils and therefore makes them a safer driver for life.

During my lessons i get my pupils to drive from one side of town to the other using the satnav. Easy i here you all say, well i hate to be the barer of bad news but 99% of them have an issue or two.

Think of it this way we give them directions a set way, "at the end of the road", "take the next road", not to dissimilar to how the Examiner does it. A sat nav on the other had, may say "in a quarter of a mile", "in 1000 feet"! It may also not warn you of a slight junction and just tell you to follow the road to the left (what if is a give way)! the pupil now thinks it's bear left!

So before you think there is no point try it and see how they react. For those of you learning but your instructor does not think it's worthwhile, insist on it, of if you my way, give me a call

A safe little box.

Do we as drivers once we have past our test decide to ignore the rules taught to us? I believe this may to true to an extent. I witness this on every day whilst carrying out my job as a DVSA Driving Coach. Speed limits tend to be the biggest offence followed closely is inpatients.

This year alone there have been 4/5 serious accidents between Banbury and Daventry, an 18 mile stretch of road. Two of witch on the same corner, one sadly fatal!

So where is the safe little box? When we are in our car most of us feeling safe, and some feel as if they cannot be hurt, true to an extent, we are safe from the elements, and our surroundings. When we are safe we gain confidence and then here is where it turns into a problem. We are also so busy in modern life that we race around and make not extra time, then again we can speed.  If this is you then the percentages say that at some point you will be involved in an accident.

For some they seem to feel they are right and the speed limits are only there for show, or the rules of the road are only for learners, this type of driver I feel is the most dangerous of all, and sadly the one I see the most of daily!

All I would say is that in the end the speed will get you or someone close, please slow down and enjoy life.

It is true to say that there is not enough enforcement of traffic laws, i.e. police officers, speed camera’s etc., to slow people down.

My Standards Check

Well after missing three check tests for whatever reason I finally sat the new DVSA Standards Check. I found the Examiner very approachable and helpful, I had heard so much hearsay at test centres from other ADI’s over the last couple of years that I thought I was sure to fail because of nerves. From “he downgraded me for wearing sunglasses” to “He didn't like me from the start so I only got a 4”.   All of their comments could not have been farther from the truth as to my own experience.

In February I decided to complete my BTEC3 in driver development, this gave me some new skills that I am sure helped me achieve my GRADE A on my standards check. I now am now putting into place what the examiner said after, by doing this I hope to again achieve an A but without dropping 5 points as I did last time.

All i did was deliver a normal lesson for my pupil, making sure i was client centred and managed any risks. I do this every day. I would also recommend people to not to listen to the hearsay and find out for themselves, whether or not they are client centred. It is not, all about just asking questions (another thing i hear allot at test centres), but asking the RIGHT questions.

I even reflect after each day, and see where I can improve. All of this can only benefit me and my pupils, thus making them safer drivers.

I feel that some in the industry like to blame others for their own short comings, if they were to ask the right questions to the right people I am sure they would have had a better result/experience.

                                                      

Franchise. Find out the facts

I have recently been contacted by some who would like to train to be an adi, with the company I franchise with RED. He wanted a chat without the sales pitch, so I asked if he wanted to meet for a coffee to ask a franchise ADI any questions about my experience so far.

He came prepared and went away feeling much better about, the training, and what happens after. I could only give him my story but he was happy with the help i gave him.

Will become an ADI? Maybe I gave him no real negatives.
Will I continue to help? Of course, why not. I have nothing to gain or loose by helping someone.

My final thought is, why don't more people ask somone who has beem in a franchise for a couple years, for a bit of advice? Who knows it might stop people coming into the industry wanting to make axquick buck.

Untill next time.

New tricks learnt for my driving lessons in Banbury and Davetry

I recently completed my BTEC3 course in driver coaching. I went in open minded and was not disappointed. I learnt more about myself than I thought. Plus I learned how to help my pupils in a more positive way, and some new teaching skills.

I have been teaching for over 10 years now, and I wish I had known more about coaching when I was teaching scuba diving.

It just goes to show you can never be too old to learn new tricks, and I am looking forward to developing my coaching skills as time goes on.

It has to be said that I have to thank aCCelerate for their BTEC3 course, and Kevin Field for delivering it in a fun and positive way. 

An old dog, new tricks.

There is allot to be said about teaching people who think they know about things, but really do not. I have only been an ADI for a couple of years, but i taught scuba diving for 10. The mechanisms for teaching both were very similar.


We all know that the standards check is coming, and some think they coach already, they may will do, but do they really understand how client centred works, it's not just about customer service, as i have just learnt on my recent BTEC3 course with aCCelerate. Its about knowing your pupils needs, helping them understand, and creating safe drivers after the test.

I am not going to go into it too deep as you can do the course yourself. @ aCCelerate

I will be useingmy new skills Iin my driving lessons, in Banbury,  and Daventry. 

More bad awareness and planning here, sitting on a Zebra crossing. If they had planned ahead then this would not have happened, i planned for it 50 mts back just in case. 

In car video system now fitted.

Well i eventually done it, i have invested in two in car camera's, from MI. I have done this for a number of reasons. As an instructor i like to use all of the teaching tools i can, with the camera's i can show a pupil exactly what happened and where, for example if i put on the brakes due to a wrong pull out, i can show them how close the car was, and then ask them why it is not a good idea.

Another reason it sometimes we encounter some unsavoury drivers, both in front and behind, if something happens i have video proof.



You can check out the system i now use here. http://www.store.mi-witness.co.uk/mi-witness-hd-camera-driving-instructor-in-car-camera-package.html

In car video system now fitted.

Well i eventually done it, i have invested in two in car camera's, from MI. I have done this for a number of reasons. As an instructor i like to use all of the teaching tools i can, with the camera's i can show a pupil exactly what happened and where, for example if i put on the brakes due to a wrong pull out, i can show them how close the car was, and then ask them why it is not a good idea.

Another reason it sometimes we encounter some unsavoury drivers, both in front and behind, if something happens i have video proof.



You can check out the system i now use here. http://www.store.mi-witness.co.uk/mi-witness-hd-camera-driving-instructor-in-car-camera-package.html