Do you instruct?

[Todd Simpson]

I will be instructing for the first time next week at Summit Point.

I'll be with a green/green student.

Advice?

[nostatic]

I instructed for the first time last weekend. My advice to my student was "smooth." Especially the feet. The biggest problem my student had was throttle control, so one session we focused almost solely on that (pun intended).

I also took him out in my car during my session to show him the lines, and also to get him used to what it feels like at speed. Everything changes as the speeds increase.

Calm, emphasis on smooth, and praise when they get it right. It worked with me when I was a student, and worked when I was instructing. Luckily I had a number of good instructors so I picked the various bits that i remembered and used them.

[robfike]

What Nostatic said. You want him/her to be smooth, and you to be calm. The student will sense if you are not calm, and equate that to bad performance on their part. No matter how well or bad they are doing, I always want to be calming in my discussion of their session.

[john_colasante]

Do not inundate the student with too much information too soon. This is a common mistake for newbie instructors. Just be calm, cool and collected, and get your student going around the track first in the right direction, then start adding in the details. There is nothing more annoying than an instructor who is pointing frantically at every apex and braking point right from the student's first lap. Take it easy!

[DanS911]

Yep all good so far. and plenty more good to follow I'm sure. If I may add to it.....be sure to point out the corner workers on your first lap (best if you are driving their car) then make them point them out to you on subsequent laps and acknowledge them at the end of the session.
There is a lot you can teach about driving but keep safety as a top priority.

[Rob Channell]

I like to have a short talk both before and after a session if there is time. Nothing fancy. Just find out their experience level and what they want to learn and decide on something to work on. Some students just want to drive and not have any instruction because they already know it all. These are the ones that will never improve. Just try to keep them from doing something stupid. Most students will want to learn and improve.

Discuss beforehand what you want to work on during the session. Try to concentrate on just a couple of things per session. Pick a corner or two, or concentrate on braking or making one smooth turn or something. As they improve, complement them on what they have learned and start adding more if they are ready. Give them feedback at a comfortable time for them during a lapping session. Some of them get nervous when you talk during a corner. When the session is over have a short talk about how they did and what they could do to improve next time. It always helps to find something positive, even if it's "I really like how you didn't stop the car in the middle of the corner and take off your seatbelt during the last session....."

Keep 'em safe. You will most likely understand the car's limits better than they will. Be prepared for the unexpected.

I instructed a student in a 930 once that kept wanting to go really fast in the straights and go slow in the corners. I kept trying to slow her down on the straights and get her to concentrate on the line through the corners. She was starting to put some smoother lines together and I thought we were making progress. When we passed the checkered flag for the end of the session, she sped up and then went barreling into turn 1 (Buttonwillow) way faster than we ever had before. We spun to the inside of the corner into the dirt and she killed the motor. I just turned to her and said "You realize this doesn't look very good for your instructor."

Enjoy and be safe. It is LOADS of fun to have a student that is enthusiastic get to see the light come on as they learn something new.

[Randy W]

Good advice from everyone. The being calm idea is a great one - talk with them in an easy manner beforehand to ease your students mind before you go out, but let them know you are in charge. If it's a novice or lower intermediate student, make sure they know that they will learn the line and being smooth first, then they will be allowed to go faster later in the day. Go over terminology like track turn in, apex, track exit and unwinding the wheel as needed. Don't put a death grip on the door handle - just fold you hands on your lap and use a communicator if you can so you are not yelling. Try to keep your instruction in easily understood bite size pieces. The tendency is to try and teach them everything in the first session. Try to find the things the student most needs to learn related to safety first, then work on the skill levels that they are able to comprehend. After they show you they know the line and are smooth with their inputs, work on the turns where they are having the most trouble, and talk about those more in betweeen sessions. Note their progress and give positive reinforcement when they show improvement. Consistency is the goal - both in their driving and your instruction. Have fun!

[emcon5]

I would like to add that you should know your limitations.

I can't ever see myself instructing, because I've been in a teaching role enough times in the past to know I am not very good at it. The consequences for being a bad instructor are much higher on the track than trying to teach someone to drive a stick shift in a parking lot.

Tom

[J Smith]

Hey Todd...you may be instructing me!!

First DE for me, so I'll be needing it. Look for me. I'll be rolling in a '02 Silverado crew cab with a black enclosed trailer. And I'll be learning how to drive my '87 Carrera (black).

Hope to see you there.

[Dixie]

With a newbie, I start out by talking about how the day will progress. I do this very succinctly. They've paid a lot and want their money's worth. I emphasize the line. After all, without driving the line, you don't know if you're doing better or not. On a newbie with a fast car, I'll have them run in third. Then we'll do a lap sans-brakes to give them a feel. After that we'll move to a specific corner and figure out how to shift and trail brake.

And most of all, I'll look for "the red mist". I'll check my mirrors often, watch the corner workers, and watch the instruments...

On advanced students I emphasis good judgment. For example, knowing not to drive 10/10ths (or 11/10ths) with someone on your back bumper. You owe it to them NOT to spin. I base a lot of my decision to sign them off on what they do when things are out of kilter. Examples are passing off line, Going too deep into a corner, being able to catch a car as it starts to spin…

Mostly, I try to teach them not to run into me when they’re signed off.

[Dixie]

...and I should add...

1) I've learned new students emulate their instructors. After their first session I’ll take them out in my car and run 8/10ths. If I run 10/10ths, they'll start driving WAY beyond their ability. If they progress well, I'll take them out in the afternoon for a 10/10th run.

2) Buy a chatter-box intercom system. Being able to talk to the student during the session makes life a lot easier.

[Rob Channell]

Originally posted by Capt. Carrera
........

Mostly, I try to teach them not to run into me when they’re signed off.

LOL! Now that's funny, and true.

I second the recommendation of a chatterbox or some sort of instructor/student intercom. You'll be getting hoarse by lunch trying to yell engine noise, wind noise, and helmets.

[gtu935]

Read john C's advise again. Go slow with your student. Every student is different and each needs to be addressed accordingly. There are a lot of instructors instructing for the wrong reason. I love to instruct and I hope you do as well. Go with your student's abilities and teach him to be smooth above all else. If he becomes a handful pull in on the reigns. park him in the pits during his session if need be for a serious discussion. Don't feel funny giving him up to a more seasoned instructor if necesary. Good luck in your new endevor

I find it's real helpful to have a printout of the track ready for after the session. It's easier to point to the exact spot you're talking about on a map than to try to explain with your hands moving in the air.