Question about the Instructor cornor and allowing others into the back room?

[Joseph Bell]

I figured I would ask the question of how we get other instructors into the room? For example I have hired Stalker19 as an assistant instructor with the hopes of working him into a primary instructor position in the future. That said he has his shit together and has been a unit level instructor while he was in the Army. Any reason why he cannot be in the room or is there a method for identifying other instructors and getting them back here?

Thanks,

 

[M. Sage]

Just got to ask the staff. I'm not sure how to do it, so I'll tell someone that won't break stuff trying to give him access.

 

[SIG_Fiend]

Yeah, Joey is a good dude, he's more than competent and a good shooter, he's more than welcome here! Congrats Joe! I think he'll make an excellent instructor/AI.

The main thing I want to accomplish with the instructor section is to only allow competent people that have their shit together to converse and use this as a melting pot. We all have different perspectives, different experiences, and different methods of doing things. As long as everyone is open-minded, I figure why not share the knowledge so we can all benefit. If you know someone that is a valuable resource of knowledge, especially anything relating to instruction, please let me know and I'll be happy to send them the password.

The thing I want to avoid is allowing people in here that don't know what they're talking about, that are closed-minded, and that are basically irrelevant. I don't know how to put this so I'll just say it like this. It's 2012. Some old stuff works, some new stuff works. Some old stuff is archaic and pretty much irrelevant or superseded by modern methods that are more realistic, safer, and more effective. Some new stuff is irrelevant as well. What I don't want this to turn into is like I've seen with some NRA instructor boards where you basically have people talking out of their asses that really don't have a clue what they're talking about. I'm sure all of us here now are probably on the same page, regardless of differences in technique. Please let me know if any of this requires any clarification.

 

[stalker19]

Guess I made the cut. Thanks for the kind words, fellas.

Looking forward to interacting with the instructors here in the future!

 

[wakal]

...only allow competent people that have their shit together...

That is pretty funny, although I completely agree with the concept, after seeing what passes for instructors at the "instructor qualification" range in Austin hnoes:

Although a "master/grandmaster" forum would be sparsely attended, and then only with what some call gamer geeks


Alex

 

[SIG_Fiend]

I know what you mean Alex. Got my NRA cert as more of a formality, since everyone pretty much wants to see at a minimum. Seeing some of the other students in class that got their license. Wow, is all I'll say. Still waiting on the DPS CHL Instructor class. Seeing some of the CHL Instructors I've seen out there, WOW again. Certs don't necessarily mean a thing, that's just a stepping stone to continued learning. It's amazing how many people never learn beyond the cert.

 

[Joseph Bell]

I think competence comes in many aspects, a competent shooter does not always make a competent instructor and a component firearms instructor does not always make a competent shooter. I have met a grandmaster funk who could not diagnose anything as a coach. When I shot on the combat team, one of my best coaches was the worst shooter in our unit, but he was the best coach I had ever had (fucking weird to be honest, we think it had something to do with his nerves, etc).

As for the NRA stuff, unless it is a cert from the NRA-LE-DIV it means next to nothing with my company and who I will allow to lead a class under my company name. Things I require for a Lead Instructor are:

• Minimum of 5 years experience in the subject being taught.
• 4 to 5 classes where the individual has AI’ed me personally.
• 2 to 3 classes where I have AI’ed or observed the instructor take the lead in portions of the class.
• CPR/First Aid or Combat Life Saver/ EMT-B (Current Cert)
• Range Safety Officer from either NRA, IDPA or USPSA (Current Cert)
• Basic Instructor Cert from either the US-MIL, FLETC, FBI or state/community college LE Academy equivalent.
• Basic Firearms Instructor Cert from either of the above or NRA-LE-DIV or Manufacture Cert.

I also require my lead instructors to have a consistent 75% or better improvement margin (my standards) for each class taught. No ongoing negative feedback from past students on instructor evauls or negative feedback range facility owners/managers. And finely a biannual requal/test with advanced qual rating and 90% or better on written exams in the specific subject they instruct.

If you want to have a good name in the industry, if you want to ensure your paying customers receive the best training you can provide and if you want to have trustworthy individuals working with or for you. You have to set the standards high, you need to test and retest and inspect regularly and you need to pay well. The shit bags will fall out of the line somewhere in the mix and you will have the quality you want. IMHO.