Many people enjoy the limelight of being a lead firearms instructor, teaching at the front of a classroom and giving commands on the firing line. Equally important but less often recognized is the role of the assistant instructor. Being an effective assistant trainer requires more than just standing behind a row of shooters or loitering in the back of the classroom. How do you handle a nervous student? Or a student who doesn’t follow directions? Or one who is unsafe, chatty, inattentive, physically compromised, or just plain terrified? What is the assistant instructor’s role, and how is it different from the lead instructor, or the range safety officer, or the one-on-one coach?
In this three-part webinar series, the CSA crew explores some useful tips, skills, and best practices that elevate the A.I. from just another person hanging around to an indispensable part of the training team. CSA’s Assistant Instructor training is specifically tailored to sharpen those skills that are unique to optimizing the A.I.’s role in the classroom and on the range, especially for new shooters and in introductory to mid-level classes. The A.I.’s ultimate goals are (1) making the lead trainer’s job easier and (2) making the students feel safe, comfortable, and welcome (all of which facilitates learning and retention).
Register for one, two, or all three webinars to learn best practices for assistant instructors both in the classroom and on the firing range. Kudos to Tim Reedy of TDR Training for hosting these virtual events!