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I’ve headed up a number of Scouter training events, and been trained in several different volunteer positions. Scouters are typically gregarious, good-spirited folks; but the dedication and single-mindedness required to be a good Scouter sometimes makes us difficult trainees.
Here’s my do’s and don’ts for getting the most out of a Scouter training course:
Do Expect to Learn.
To get the most out of training you have to be open to new ideas and techniques, even those you have may have tried and rejected deserve a second chance. If you go to a training course thinking you won’t learn much, well, you won’t learn much.
Do Listen Actively and Cooperatively.
As a trainee, I find taking notes helps me follow the course. As a trainer, I am always encouraged when I see people taking notes because it indicates they are following along.
Do Ask Questions but Don’t Interrupt.
Trainers are working from a syllabus, and they are instructed to follow it because they are presenting one piece of a greater whole. Interruptions and digressions tend to work against the momentum and flow required to follow the syllabus. Some trainers are comfortable with taking questions on the fly, some would rather you wait until they reach a certain point in the course.
I keep track of things I have questions about in my notes, and wait until the trainer invites us to ask questions. I don’t interrupt with questions unless the trainer has made it clear that that’s okay.
Most of the time I find that my questions are answered in the course of the instruction and interrupting was not necessary.
Don’t Make Uninvited Statements.
When the trainer asks for questions, it is not an invitation to take the floor and offer your anecdotes and experiences. Leave your agenda, the axe you must grind, and the points you want to make at home.
Trainees sometimes offer anecdotes and statements as an over-long preamble to an honest question. It’s usually better to state the question simply.
Do let the person running the training course have the stage; don’t share unless you are clearly invited to do so. Any trainer worth their salt will ask you to share your experiences and ideas, but there’s a difference between asking questions and making statements.
Don’t Blame the Trainer.
If disagree with a given procedure or policy keep in mind the trainer did not create it, can’t change it, and can’t give you permission to change it yourself.
Don’t be “That Person”
In nearly every training course I’ve run one or two people make it abundantly clear that there only because they were told they have to be there. These folks can act like a two-year-old waiting for their ‘time out” to end. They fidget, check their watches, look at their cell phones and generally act as if they are above the whole thing.
Don’t be that person, please.
Do Accept the Answer and Don’t Argue the Point.
During a training course Scouters sometimes learn practices they inherited are not be consistent with policy or procedure.
Understanding the logic behind a practice requires an agreement with a basic proposition. Even if you disagree with the proposition, accept it for the time being, and see if you gain a new perspective.
Arguing the point courteously can be a helpful way of sorting things out, but begin with accepting the answer and see where this leads you.
What experiences have you had as a trainer or a trainee that we can add to the list?
Wow! Clarke
How did you know that I was going to direct an IOLS this past weekend? I briefly read the list above at the Outdoor Leader Skills Training opening. Of course, I credited Scoutmastercg.com repeatedly during the weekend. I about lost it when I read the “Don’t be “That Person”” section. Despite my warning, “That Person” immediately identified himself and acknowledged that he is also the “Patch Police”. He ended up being a great participant and will probably be asked to help staff the event next year.
Virtually no one that was in our Boy Scout Leader Specifics attended the IOLS. Normally I’d like the same leaders attend both so that I can have them work as a patrol to help drive home the Patrol Method. However, during this event, our troop and crew also stayed at the camp doing service work and practicing Camporee/First Class skills and provided a good example. The IOLS was completely separate but he made several deliberate efforts to show that the SPL is in charge of the troop and that the youth teach the scout skills to other scouts and the SM (an instructor) only addressed the SPL.
Thanks for the inspiration Clarke.
Tom
Always ground your comments in Scouting’s principles and procedures. Opinions on how to “improve” the patrol method, add requirements, circumvent procedures, hire a clown or otherwise pervert Scouting are destructive to the training process. If someone promotes a myth, challenge them on it.
In other words trainers need to follow the syllabus.
True! I was actually referencing the trainees who can derail and/or poison a training session with incorrect statements and shaggy-dog stories.
A statement that begins with “Well, in my troop….” rarely contributes anything to the conversation and often reveals that “my troop” is doing something off-base.
Just a quick thought here Clarke, how about the do and don’ts for the trainers?
My biggest pet peeve during training, “well that’s the way we do it in this council”.
Usually a pretty good indication the trainer hasn’t tried to understand what they are talking about. I am perfectly happy saying “I don’t know, but I’ll help you find an answer.”
Please take notes…
Don’t be that guy that ask a question that was just covered in the training.
Thanks for these tips.
Trainer: So here’s how you do “A”. Any questions?
Trainee: Yes, how do you do “A”?
Trainer: (faceplam)
If it kinda doesn’t make sense, go with it and give it a chance to be integrated into the rest of the material.
If it really doesn’t make sense, ask. Some Scouting practices really are surprising.
Even if a game or activity seems dumb, go for it. You may need to find your inner Tenderfoot or even Bear. When you are doing a new thing, it should feel odd. If it doesn’t feel odd, you probably aren’t doing it right.
As a trainer, you may find yourself modeling unexpected leader behavior. I had an adult participant who was focused on finding some extra-smart way to release the pressure from the fuel bottle rather than unscrewing the cap as I told him. After he ignored two sharp “Stop!” commands, I took the fuel bottle from his hands and opened the cap. I hope that was instructive.
Excellent! Thanks Walter! Every training game or activity looks at least a little odd doesn’t it?
Good points, Clarke! Here’s a couple more from my experience as a Wilderness First Aid presenter …
Be there on time, so I can end on time and get you back to your family. That includes stretching 10 minute breaks to 14 minutes.
Plan to stay for the entire session, or let someone else have your spot.
I’ve already reduced the time as tightly as I can – asking to finish up 15 minutes early really isn’t going to happen.
Active participation is a lot more fun than sitting and watching.
Great additions Paul!
In short; have a little respect for the presenter, they’ve likely done all they can to make this a good as possible.
Time is the enemy of all trainers. The segment time specifications given in the various syllabuses and course guides are overly optimistic. Invariably there are questions that add extra time to the segments, and trying to herd people back from breaks can be frustrating and throw off the schedule. Even with padding segments so a 2-hour course ends up getting scheduled for three hours I find we’re “heavy” after the first segment or two.
There’s also the tendency to start late while waiting for stragglers to finish registering. Don’t do it. This will throw off your timing and is disrespectful to those who did arrive on time. I’ve generally publicized the courses I’ve run as “registration at 8:30, course from 9:00 to 12:00” or something similar. People end up coming at 8:59.
Some things that help with time management include using the “parking lot” idea – having sticky note pads on the tables and asking students to write off-topic questions for later consideration. Usually questions relating to the current topic being discussed are OK. Also, it’s helpful to have a timekeeper in the back of the room hold up cue cards so the instructors know how much time they have left for their segments.
One trick I picked up from running board meetings years ago was to make the starting times odd. So instead of starting at 9AM we’d start at 8:56AM. People tend to think there must be a reason for the odd time and more show up on time. Unfortunately many people translate 9AM to “9-ish”