Finally, a PCA National Instructor, How Was Your Experience?
12-16-2018, 01:05 PM
#61
Rennlist Member
Swearing off pca and trolling us online is a pretty passive agressive response to not getting along with one’s instructor. (And I think its a god given right to curse in the drivers seat.. )
I and my peers ask the CI to assign a different instructor if our driver/instructor chemistry stinks, or if the student simply asks.
Truth is, most every instructor and ci busts their chops to give students an excellent customer experience. A few could make more effort but they’re the exception imho.
And in the spirit of the OP’s original question, always ask your student driver for feedback. I ask my students several times during our debriefs, “Would it be helpful if i do anything differently in the right seat?”
I and my peers ask the CI to assign a different instructor if our driver/instructor chemistry stinks, or if the student simply asks.
Truth is, most every instructor and ci busts their chops to give students an excellent customer experience. A few could make more effort but they’re the exception imho.
And in the spirit of the OP’s original question, always ask your student driver for feedback. I ask my students several times during our debriefs, “Would it be helpful if i do anything differently in the right seat?”
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dan212 (10-23-2019)
10-22-2019, 10:33 PM
#62
Hi, return to Rennlist after being away a while. Did National Instructor training with Pete Tremper a while ago at WGI. I thoroughly enjoyed it, had a great mentor.
One thing puzzled me and my classmates. The need for timely feedback was stressed, yet at the end of the training we were given no official word and received no feedback. My mentor did see me later in the day and said congrats, but still did not seem official. I do know that a couple folks in the class were not passed, but we felt a bit at sea as to our status.
Was not 100% sure until I got email a couple weeks later. I see pics of “graduation” celebrations and I know my fellow successful candidates would have really enjoyed that.
anyone else have a similar experience?
One thing puzzled me and my classmates. The need for timely feedback was stressed, yet at the end of the training we were given no official word and received no feedback. My mentor did see me later in the day and said congrats, but still did not seem official. I do know that a couple folks in the class were not passed, but we felt a bit at sea as to our status.
Was not 100% sure until I got email a couple weeks later. I see pics of “graduation” celebrations and I know my fellow successful candidates would have really enjoyed that.
anyone else have a similar experience?
10-23-2019, 08:25 AM
#63
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Stability control systems aren't all the same, so they shouldn't all be lumped together. Some are highly intrusive and make driving on track a problem if they're left on. Others will only intervene when the car is way out of shape or very close to the limit, so they won't intervene during normal student driving. If a student is used to driving with stability control off and is driving decently, let them leave it off, but keep them on a tighter leash. If a student isn't used to driving with stability control off, don't ask them to turn it off, don't recommend that they turn it off, and maybe don't even allow them to turn it off if you have reservations about their driving or the track runoff. DE is a recreational activity which is rarely a path to pro racing, so there's no need to take unnecessary added risks. Best places to develop car control are safer environments like skidpad and karting.
Regarding the instructing experience, the vast majority of students have decent learning ability and are sensible, so instructing them will be rewarding, but never let your guard down. A small minority of students are crappy drivers and/or have attitude problems, and instructing them will be more like trying to control an unruly child. If an instructor often has difficult instructing experiences and/or unhappy students, the problem may be the instructor rather than the students.
Regarding the instructing experience, the vast majority of students have decent learning ability and are sensible, so instructing them will be rewarding, but never let your guard down. A small minority of students are crappy drivers and/or have attitude problems, and instructing them will be more like trying to control an unruly child. If an instructor often has difficult instructing experiences and/or unhappy students, the problem may be the instructor rather than the students.
10-23-2019, 01:24 PM
#64
Stability control systems aren't all the same, so they shouldn't all be lumped together. Some are highly intrusive and make driving on track a problem if they're left on. Others will only intervene when the car is way out of shape or very close to the limit, so they won't intervene during normal student driving. If a student is used to driving with stability control off and is driving decently, let them leave it off, but keep them on a tighter leash. If a student isn't used to driving with stability control off, don't ask them to turn it off, don't recommend that they turn it off, and maybe don't even allow them to turn it off if you have reservations about their driving or the track runoff. DE is a recreational activity which is rarely a path to pro racing, so there's no need to take unnecessary added risks. Best places to develop car control are safer environments like skidpad and karting.
Regarding the instructing experience, the vast majority of students have decent learning ability and are sensible, so instructing them will be rewarding, but never let your guard down. A small minority of students are crappy drivers and/or have attitude problems, and instructing them will be more like trying to control an unruly child. If an instructor often has difficult instructing experiences and/or unhappy students, the problem may be the instructor rather than the students.
Regarding the instructing experience, the vast majority of students have decent learning ability and are sensible, so instructing them will be rewarding, but never let your guard down. A small minority of students are crappy drivers and/or have attitude problems, and instructing them will be more like trying to control an unruly child. If an instructor often has difficult instructing experiences and/or unhappy students, the problem may be the instructor rather than the students.
10-23-2019, 05:15 PM
#65
Rennlist Member
Hi, return to Rennlist after being away a while. Did National Instructor training with Pete Tremper a while ago at WGI. I thoroughly enjoyed it, had a great mentor.
One thing puzzled me and my classmates. The need for timely feedback was stressed, yet at the end of the training we were given no official word and received no feedback. My mentor did see me later in the day and said congrats, but still did not seem official. I do know that a couple folks in the class were not passed, but we felt a bit at sea as to our status.
Was not 100% sure until I got email a couple weeks later. I see pics of “graduation” celebrations and I know my fellow successful candidates would have really enjoyed that.
anyone else have a similar experience?
One thing puzzled me and my classmates. The need for timely feedback was stressed, yet at the end of the training we were given no official word and received no feedback. My mentor did see me later in the day and said congrats, but still did not seem official. I do know that a couple folks in the class were not passed, but we felt a bit at sea as to our status.
Was not 100% sure until I got email a couple weeks later. I see pics of “graduation” celebrations and I know my fellow successful candidates would have really enjoyed that.
anyone else have a similar experience?
10-24-2019, 08:32 AM
#67
Rennlist Member
So' I've been the lead instructor in that spot. Pete needed to meet with the mentors, review their responses, and grade your test scores, and by that time, most of the paddock is gone. I seek out the candidates--passing and otherwise-- the next morning, and we make a nice announcement congratulatig our newest natioinally trained instructors at the drivers' meeting.
10-27-2019, 11:16 AM
#70
As a student that recently completed my first HPDE with the PCA, had an awesome instructor, and am absolutely hooked...
Thank you and congratulations!
Thank you and congratulations!
