The important job that instructors play in the continuous professional development of fire service members often is raised. Discussed less often are the numerous skills that are vital for instructors to possess to teach, update and train firefighters.
Whether you are a young volunteer officer who conducts weekly training drills at the local firehouse or a state instructor who presents classes at a county training academy or a career captain who trains the firefighters on your shift, your ability to be effective and interesting is as important as the material that you present.
Knowledge & skill
The most important issue is that you must know the material that you teach. You must be very well-versed with all of the aspects of the material or the skill. You must be able to quickly and confidently explain and then answer questions. You can’t be simply familiar with the topic. You must be on top of your game.
Another important ability that an instructor needs is to be able to explain clearly. Many officers and instructors are experts in certain skills and abilities but aren’t skilled instructors.
Instructional skills can be learned in training officer programs and from watching local officers and instructors who are in your department. These skills aren’t really technically challenging. Some are methods that are used by teachers and professors. Others are in the vein of voice projection, clear pronunciation and encouraging class participation. The important point here is that an effective and productive training program is led by a well-trained instructor.
Hands-on experience
Experience is another very important part of being an effective instructor. You can read a book or a series of articles on a specific tactic or skill and, coupled with good presentation skills, conduct a “good” lesson. The problem is, if you don’t have hands-on experience with the material, you lack one of the most valuable ways of discussing the material. Talking about a recent operation that you worked that involved the tactic or skill makes the lesson realistic. Additionally, instructors who have experience in the material that they teach bring an air of validity to the classroom setting.
Different skills can be taught in different ways. Some lessons are designed simply for classroom discussion. Other skills, such as knot tying, might need to be introduced as well as physically performed/practiced in the classroom. Then, after being mastered to a certain level inside, they can be conducted in the field in more realistic conditions.
Other skills, such as portable ladder operations, can be introduced briefly in a classroom setting and then moved to the training tower, where much more time and effort will be expended learning the many aspects of this work.
Reputation
Knowing the different ways that each of the many skills can be taught provides a diverse and effective experience for the students. Many instructors have varied experiences. However, every instructor begins a teaching routine somewhere, and, eventually, that instructor begins to develop a reputation as an instructor. Often, firefighters and officers sign up for a class or select to attend a seminar based on the reputation of the instructor.
Conversely, many are the instances when someone attended a training program that had an interesting title and history, only to discover that the instructor is the officer who’s known for putting people to sleep in class. Don’t be that instructor. Pay attention to the signals that you receive from students. If you see them fading or dozing, know that the problem is yours to solve.
Fire instructors play a vital role in the initial and ongoing training of members. If you are an instructor, stay plugged in and think about the issues that are noted above. If you are considering getting into instructing, start working on your instructor skills before your first class.
