ARE YOU A GOOD DRIVER
By Evonne Pilarski
Ask yourself. Am I a good driver? Do I drive too slow? Too fast? Am I the kind of driver
who stays focused on the road ahead, no matter how long the drive is? Or do I take a cell phone
call and eat a snack when I should be concentrating on life around me? Being able to keep up
with traffic and stopping when appropriate, is an ideal trait in any kind of driver.
Now apply this line of questioning to yourself, if you are ever required to be a driver
in a classroom. Remember, you are part of a team. Because the trainer is focused on the
students and the class material, you should be focused on paying attention to the topics
being discussed so that navigating the system does not become an issue.
Follow these rules of the road to be a good driver:
- Arrive early to help prepare the classroom
- Be prepared with the day’s training material
- Utilize a training agenda to help keep yourself on track
- Be knowledgeable on the training material
- Wait patiently for the trainer to complete a thought
- Keep your cursor stationary while the trainer is teaching
- Be aware of the students; work out signals with the trainer to indicate if a student
is confused or not paying attention
- During student practice time, walk around the classroom and observe
- Practice, practice, practice because “Practice makes perfect”
Being a valuable member of a training team can mean something as simple as picking up
the slack. Being available to the lead trainer can be very beneficial, especially when
unexpected situations occur; such as computers not working the morning of class. While the
lead trainer is focusing on that issue, you could continue to prepare the room and assist
with crowd control when students begin to arrive.
Items that should not occur during class:
- Do not take personal calls or personal emails
- Do not snack on food during class
- Do not play with the mouse
- Do not try to become a secondary trainer; “there can only be one”
The idea here is to be as non-distracting as possible. The trainer’s teaching style
should not be affected by a driver’s bad habits. A driver is someone who should be focused
on being as complimentary to the trainer, as possible. If you are working with someone who
you feel is not giving you adequate queues, ask them to indicate their train of thought by
comments such as “We will now click Next” or “As we click Add”. Hmmm, maybe “Are You a Good
Trainer” is something we should talk about in the future.
So, ask yourself these questions before you take the driver’s seat and assist another
trainer in a classroom situation; because there is nothing more distracting to the trainer
and students than a driver who does not stay on track.
If you have any questions, please contact VCS at (610) 444 1233 or
vcs@getvitalized.com.