The course is 16 hours long (two days). Class runs from 8am to 6pm both days, with a short lunch break around midday.
Day 1 includes NRA Basic Instructor Training (BIT), utilizing the NRA Trainer’s Guide. Instructor candidates will learn NRA policies and procedures, basic public speaking skills, training methodology, use of a training team and training aids, organizing a course, building a budget, and preparing to teach. Day 1 also ventures into the discipline-specific portion of the course, where candidates are introduced to the Basic Pistol course outlines and lesson plans.
Day 2 continues with more pistol instructor training. All candidates will teach several parts of the curriculum over the course of the day, including live fire. Role playing is a major part of an instructor course. Candidates take turns working in teams to teach portions of the course to other candidates, who role-play as students.