Become an Approved Driving Instructor
Here's How
As a professional driving instructor you are on view to the rest of the world every time you drive your car. The public do not know whether you have finished teaching for the day or on your way to your next pupil. Think of that before you go over the speed limit, eat that last sandwich or talk on your phone whilst driving, or parking on double yellow lines.[all are traffic offences but the public will judge you regardless of the traffic enforcement officers]
Your professional image is as important as your next pupil
The way you drive is only one example of the way a driving instructor communicates. The way you keep your car clean & tidy - both inside & out - the way you dress, might all be perceived as the way you teach. I know of a few good driving instructors who are scruffy & their cars haven't seen a wash for weeks and yet they are good guys & seem to get people through their driving test as well as the next instructor. Their ouside image though has a lot to be desired to the public at large. I wonder how many learner driver enquiries they don't get!
Communication - the teaching side
The way you use your body language & the way you talk are very important points to consider when teaching. It's not always what you say, it's the way you say it that counts. You may have heard that some driving instructors shout at their pupils when they make a mistake. One possible cause of this is because the instructor was not prepared for their pupil to make that sort of mistake, usually caused by the driving instructor putting the student into a dangerous traffic situation which was not anticipated by the instructor. Resulting in the instructor having to now intervene.
Planning a driving lesson according to the learner drivers ability is one of the skills a good driving instructor has to acquire. This will make both driving instructor & pupil more relaxed. a relaxed pupil, is a happy pupil & will learn a lot more from an attentive instructor.
Driving instructors now more than ever teach students from a much more diverse backgound and can include.
Responsibility
As a driver and driving instructor you should always show proper consideration for the safety of yourself and other road users. Your students well-being is of the utmost importance, especially in the early stages of their driving career.
Taking a student onto busy roads and dangerous situations is both irresponsible and not good for your students confidence.
Concentration
As a driver you MUST concentrate at all times. As a driving instructor you must concentrate on the normal road conditions, plus you need to predict and keep an eye on your student. You never know what they are thinking or going to do next.
As a professional instructor you not only have to deal with what is happening around you, but you need to think ahead and plan out the safest action that your student should take.
Anticipation
As a driving instructor you need to anticipate a lot more than if you were doing the driving. You need more time to 'get out your words'. You have a situation that you are dealing with at present and at the same time youneed to anticipate the next move of your student, or another road user or both.
Patience
As a driver you must have patience with other drivers, otherwise road rage and danger will follow.
As a driving instructor you must also have patience with your student. They will not be listenining to you all the time, or they might not understand what you are saying. You may need to explain situations to your students more than once, sometimes more times than you would like to count.
Confidence
To have passed the driving tests you need to become a driving instructor, you must have been confident.
You must as a good driving instructor, promote that same confidence to your student. They will be unsure, afraid and feel intimidated by other road users. It's your task as a good instructor to show them that they can do it.
Knowledge
The knowledge that you have gained in your driving career so far should be passed on to your student, that's why you are an instructor. You become a to your student. They will ask you and expect you to answer all questions, just as you would have expected when you were at school.
Communication
When you drive your car you are continually communicating to other road users. It could be your signals, speed or postion in the road. As a good driving instructor you will need to effectively pass on to your student the reasons why, as a driver, we need to communicate our intentions to other road users.
Driving instructor previous »» [1] Page [2]
Prepare now for the new practical test which started October 4th 2010 with an intensive driving course in Scotland. The new practical test known as the Independent Driving test will test your ability to drive for 10 minutes without directional instruction.
Read more and watch the New Driving Test Video....A new driving test was introduced October 2010. Take a look at the details & video
Weekend intensive driving courses are available on a regular basis. This type of course is ideal for the busy professional or people who are unable to complete their driver training in the week.
A weekend course can be taken as a Saturday or Sunday only and there is no commitment to book every weekend. You could even book a trial weekend to see if it is right for you.
Checkout the weekend intensive course:
Weekend driving lessons Get results fast »»Weekend driving courses are perfect for the busy professional, or new driver
Residential & local courses are available all year round in Perth, Dundee or Blairgowrie. Residential courses help to keep you focused whilst you are away from your normal daily routine.
New drivers (beginners) are advised to start their driver training by having as many driving lessons as they can over a short period of time. This will help re-inforce the correct procedures for driving away fom the kerb, parking, gear changing & road procedures. A theory test pass is not required for this type of course. An intensive driving course for new drivers is not intended to get you through your test in a week. Those days have long since gone and if you see any websites out there that say any different, then treat them with suspician. You will learn to drive over a few weekend courses, but you may not be ready for your driving test.
How many lessons will you need?How many driving lessons will you need before you are ready to pass your driving test?
New driver courses »»»New learner driver courses for the absolute beginner. No theory test & no experience required
New driver weekend lessons »»»Weekend driving courses are ideal for the busy professional, or those wishing to spread the cost.
Learner drivers with previous driving experience can sometimes book their driving test at the end of their driving course depending on what previous experience they have had and how long ago.
Your driving lessons may have been sometime ago & taken with a great driving instructor or one of the not so greats. You may have taken a driving test or two or had over 100 driving lessons of poor quality either yours through lack of concentration or your driving instructors lack of attention to your training. Either way, you might be best to book a trial lesson with me before you book your driving test. A trial lesson is not required to book your course unless a driving test is required at the end of your course. Learner drivers with a good driving record of training might only need to book one of the weekend courses.
Intensive courses for experienced learner drivers »»»Courses for learner drivers with some experience
All intensive driving courses are given by myself a top professional driving instructor & life coach all rolled into one
Teaching safe driving for life since 1977