So You Want To Be A Driving Instructor?

In addition to the driving lessons that we provide to hundreds of students, The Driving Force also offers driving instructor training to those who are considering entering the career for themselves.

While we will be able to teach you all of the practical skills that you need to be able to teach the right materials to students, there are a number of common personality traits that those who succeed in the career tend to exhibit. If you are considering becoming an instructor you will need all of the following qualities.

Patience

The first thing you will need to remember is that students learn at different rates, so you can’t expect all of them to pick everything up at the first time of asking. If you allow yourself to become frustrated over this you may end up losing the student, making it more difficult for them to get the most out of their lessons. Be patient in everything that you do and tailor your lessons to suit the needs of your students, rather than trying to force them into rigid structures that may not suit their learning needs.

An Eye For Detail

As a driving instructor you need to be able to observe everything that is going on around you. Not only should you be keeping an eye on the road to look out for any hazards that your students may miss while driving, but you also need to observe your student. Are their hands in the correct position on the wheel? How smooth are their gear transitions? Do they conduct observations properly when pulling away or executing manoeuvres? These are all things that you need to train your students to do but you won’t notice there is a problem unless you observe properly yourself.

Communication Skills

You will be spending a lot of the driving lessons you host talking to your students. As such, you must be able to relay instructions and information clearly and concisely. Use language that you know your students will understand and don’t be afraid to explain things further if it is needed. Furthermore, you must recognize that trust plays a large role in the relationship between instructor and student. If your students don’t trust you they may not do what you need them to do. This means you also need to work on creating more personal binds with students, within the bounds of professionalism. Ask about their interests and find out what you have in common so you can use conversation to help your students relax.

Knowledge

Your knowledge is the thing that the team at The Driving Force will be able to most directly help you with. You must have a strong understanding of all of the rules of the road, otherwise you will be doing a disservice to students every time you take money from them for lessons. The best instructors are constantly looking to improve their knowledge bases and will stay abreast of the latest developments in the industry and the law to ensure their students receive good driving lessons.