What is the best way for a soldier to learn a subject well enough to teach it?

2016-11-17T11:38:11-05:00

Response by LTC John Shaw made Nov 17 at 2016 12:07 PM

2016-11-17T12:07:32-05:00

You need to have a subject matter expertise. The best way is to gain experience in something you have a passion and interest in learning and teaching. Start with teaching your young private how to be a professional soldier and request experiences to teach others. As you gain a comfort level, you can request instructor assignment. Good luck in your new found passion.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 17 at 2016 12:35 PM

2016-11-17T12:35:34-05:00

SGT Robert K. PRACTICE,PRACTICE,PRACTICE until he/she feels comfortable with the subject and then once again PRACTICE,PRACTICE,PRACTICE teaching it(some people cannot teach regardless of how much they might know about something)

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 17 at 2016 1:45 PM

2016-11-17T13:45:00-05:00

do it over and over again , that way you'll know it by heart and it will get that much easier to teach it, whatever the task might be.

Response by MCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 17 at 2016 2:29 PM

2016-11-17T14:29:59-05:00

1. Learn the task to standard - and be able to meet the standard EVERY time they do it. Take some notes about what was easy for you, and what things you had the most problems getting.
2. Write up a "lesson plan" as if the soldier was in the audience - what would THEY want to be taught, and how would they want to be taught those things?
3. Set up some stuffed animals, Barbie-dolls, action figures, or anything with faces, and pretend you have an audience. Teach your class to them, then make notes and modify what you need to, to get your point across.
3.1. Use that audience and pretend every one of them is just as stupid as a bag of hammers. Teach your class, then make notes to make sure these boxes of rocks can understand what you are teaching. Remember, these fools can ONLY learn when they are hands-on, so help them out!
3.2. Use that audience AGAIN, and pretend every one of them is a top-notch troop and has a degree in engineering and 10 years of service. Teach the class and make notes to make sure these Super-Troopers can sit through it without being bored - AND can actually learn something. Remember, these aces don't need hands-on, they want pictures or visual aids.
3.3. Use that audience one last time - and imagine that they are all O-6's and crusty Sergeants Major. Teach your class - change your underwear - and then make notes again.
4. Ask at least one friend to sit through your class. Again, make notes.
5. Have your supervisor sit through the class. Get feedback and make notes.
6. Go back and re-read ALL your notes to make sure you didn't forget anything.
7. Knock this pig out of the park and TEACH IT.

Yeah, there's LOTS of steps, but it can be done in a day (except for Step 1 - which takes as long as it takes...), and this includes time for beers and meals. The hardest part is to reach all of the students - or at least as many as possible - and to keep the rest from being bored. This works for a 10-minute refresher or an hour-long lecture.

Response by CSM Michael J. Uhlig made Nov 17 at 2016 3:11 PM

2016-11-17T15:11:48-05:00

rehearse with your peers before your Platoon Sergeant certifies you to give the class to the PLT/SQD/TM

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 17 at 2016 4:24 PM

2016-11-17T16:24:37-05:00

SGT Robert K. Before you can teach, you need to know your material. Once you know the material, you have dry run after dry run, so that you feel very comfortable with the material. The final dry runs should be before several people so that they can comment on your delivery. The instructor must arrive early to the meeting room to make sure everything is set up including the computer or other visual aids. Arriving early allows time to fix problems. Careful extensive preparation leads to successful presentations or classes.

Response by Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen made Nov 17 at 2016 4:47 PM

2016-11-17T16:47:59-05:00

I like the Practice, Practice comment but along with that I'd add make every mistake in the book and learn from them. When I was flying I always said that I made every mistake in the book, plus some that weren't in the book yet, but only once. You need to become the best in your field before you are ready to teach it and that only comes from lots of practice and learning from your mistakes.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 18 at 2016 7:50 AM

2016-11-18T07:50:50-05:00

On-hands training. Looking at a book doesn't work for me. Yes, I get something out of it but as soon as the test is over, I data dump. If I had a hands-on capability I can apply what I learned in the book with the labor; it just sticks better.

Response by MCPO Mark Durland made Nov 18 at 2016 7:54 AM

2016-11-18T07:54:51-05:00

There's no real set answer to this question. People learn in different ways, and some folks just aren't built to be instructors.

The key is to find the learning preferences of the potential instructor (reading? practicing? hearing? watching a video?) and approach that way first, then incorporate other methods in order to diversify presentation. Remember, you're training not just to task but to presentation. Solid modeling for both (working the task right with someone who's expert as well as seeing exceptional instructors and learning presentation from them) helps, but remember my second sentence...some people just aren't built to instruct.

Response by SGT Robert K. made Nov 18 at 2016 10:06 AM

2016-11-18T10:06:10-05:00

I have taught many of classes from drivers training, hazmat, weapons PMI, and demolitions, but what if you have a soldier who seems like no matter how times you teach them they just seem not to get it. I came across this a few times and came up with this - each class should have a primary instructor (me) and a assistant instructor (AI) - I would have the AI put everything together and review it with them - then have them actually teach the class, I would be there for confirmation and questions if the AI was unable to answer them. It seemed to work pretty good because after that they would not be confused by the information - they learned from teaching.