Professional development
Professional development is an important part of being a trainer for heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers. The skills and knowledge you’ll need to teach to your pupils change over time, as do the driving tests and the way driving is taught. To give your pupils the best chance of passing their tests, you’ll need to keep your skills and knowledge up to date. It’s also important to show your pupils that you’re still improving your skills: no one ever really finishes learning to drive.
Client-centred learning
Client-centred learning is an approach that’s being used increasingly in the driving tuition industry. It’s a way of teaching that puts the focus on the learner, as these core principles show.
- Actively listen to what your pupils are trying to tell you about what’s getting in the way of their learning so you’ll be well-equipped to help them achieve their learning goals.
- Do not hide behind a façade, patronise your pupils or pretend to be something you’re not. Your pupils will be much more likely to be willing to listen to you, and share their problems, if you’re ‘real’.
- Show them you trust that they’re trying to be constructive and find solutions. Your pupils will be much more likely to take your advice and guidance if you accept and respect who they are.
You may already be following these principles at least some of the time. The more you use this approach, the more effective your instruction is likely to be. There are lots of different techniques for managing learning in a client-centred way: this is an area you could explore in your professional development.