Being a better flight instructor

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flaminghotdog
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Being a better flight instructor

Post by flaminghotdog »

What are some resources (youtube,books,forums) I can use to help me be a better flight instructor? I really enjoy instructing and I feel there's more I can learn to better serve my students and give them the most effective learning experience possible. TIA
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flyingcanuck
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Re: Being a better flight instructor

Post by flyingcanuck »

Talk to your CFI! Or other experienced instructors really, can't really learn this from youtube
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Conflicting Traffic
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Re: Being a better flight instructor

Post by Conflicting Traffic »

flaminghotdog wrote: Mon Apr 11, 2022 3:12 pm What are some resources (youtube,books,forums) I can use to help me be a better flight instructor? I really enjoy instructing and I feel there's more I can learn to better serve my students and give them the most effective learning experience possible. TIA
There's lots you can learn from books, YouTube, and a variety of flight training websites.

However, teaching is ultimately a skill, and if you want to get better, you need practice with feedback. Some of that feedback can come from you -- self-assessment is vital if you want to excel. But you should also actively seek out feedback from your students as well as feedback, guidance, and mentorship from more senior instructors.
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Conflicting Traffic please advise.
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Bede
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Re: Being a better flight instructor

Post by Bede »

flaminghotdog wrote: Mon Apr 11, 2022 3:12 pm What are some resources (youtube,books,forums) I can use to help me be a better flight instructor? I really enjoy instructing and I feel there's more I can learn to better serve my students and give them the most effective learning experience possible. TIA
Great thread.
1) Understand your theory really well. The key is understanding, not just knowledge. How does a wing produce lift? Why does a drag curve look the way it does? Don't just stick to the bare bones material. Try to find specialized books on the subject. The reason this applies to instructing is that not every student will understand with a standard answer. You may have to put it into different words.
2) Get mentorship. Some CFI's are very experienced and knowledgeable, some are not. I'm a pretty experienced instructor, but up until Covid, I had done very few instructor ratings. I reached out to a couple of the more experienced instructors on this forum for guidance with a particularly difficult situation.
3) Don't be afraid to learn from other instructors. Even though I don't need my students to get a supervisory flight, I have another instructor do a pre-flight test on my students. It's good to get another perspective.
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Squaretail
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Re: Being a better flight instructor

Post by Squaretail »

Part of being a better instructor is being a better pilot and the only way you get to be a better pilot is by flying. So don't pass up a chance to fly and sharpen your skills. Anytime you can get more and varied flying experience is going to make you better at the job. The only way to get more chances to fly is to be at the airport. Hang around airplanes. Ask questions.
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tsgarp
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Re: Being a better flight instructor

Post by tsgarp »

Read "The Advanced Pilot's Manual" by Kershner. That will help you really understand what makes airplanes tick, which means you will be better able to explain it to your students.
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