Instructor Professionalism

1. Instructor Professionalism Soaring Safety Foundation Mel Burkart, MCFI

2. Instructor Professionalism • Professionalism – • What does that mean? • Why is it important? • How do you become professional?

3. Instructor Professionalism • Professionalism – • What does that mean? • Google – 17,800,000 hits • Professional status, methods, character, or standards. • the expertness characteristic of a professional person • Merriam Webster defines professionalism as • “the conduct, aims, or qualities that characterize or mark a profession or a professional person”

4. Instructor Professionalism • Why is it important? • Isn’t stick and rudder skills enough? • I’ve been doing this for 30 years! • Why do we care about instructor professionalism anyway? • It’s just a sport!

5. Instructor Professionalism • Answer – • FAA mandates it. • CFI Instrument Practical Test Standards, • http://www.faa.gov/education_research/testing/airmen/test_standards/media/FAA-S-8081-8B.pdf

6. Instructor Professionalism • Aviation Community at largeexpects pilots to observe a reasonable standard of care • Professional approach is in every instructor’s enlightened self-interest • Sense of Personal Pride

7. Instructor Professionalism • Professionalism as an Instructor • Important personal characteristics • Sincerity - be straightforward and honest • Acceptance of the student • Personal Appearance and Habits • Neat, clean, appropriately dressed • Exercise common courtesy

8. Instructor Professionalism • Important personal characteristics (continued) • Demeanor - calm, thoughtful and disciplined • Advocate and observe all regulations and safety practices • Use proper language • Be alert to opportunities to improve own qualifications, effectiveness and services

9. Instructor Professionalism • Professionalism as an Instructor • Methods to minimize student frustration • Motivate students • Keep students informed • Approach students as individuals • Give credit when due • Criticize constructively • Be consistent • Admit errors

10. Professionalism • Exists only when a service is performed • for someone, or • for the common good

11. Characteristics of Professionalism • Is achieved only after extended training and preparation • Typically accomplished with Formal Education • Requires significant self-study • Requires significant “practice” • Such as a Doctor’s internship

12. Characteristics of Professionalism • True performance as a professional is based on study and research • Examples: Master’s or Doctoral thesis • Searching for the “WHY”

13. Characteristics of Professionalism • Presupposes an intellectual requirement • Able to reason • logically • accurately

14. Characteristics of Professionalism • Ability to make good judgmental decisions • Actions are not limited to standard patterns and practices

15. Characteristics of Professionalism • Demands a Code of Ethics • True to themselves • True to those whom they serve

16. Characteristics of Professionalism • Sincerity of Effort • Inadequacies are admitted, not hidden • AND corrected for the future

17. Characteristics of Professionalism • A Flight Instructor is required to have strong skills and abilities • A competent and qualified teacher • An expert pilot

18. Characteristics of Professionalism • Have a Plan • Use a Syllabus • Set goals • Personally prepare for each lesson

19. Characteristics of Professionalism • Remember the Four Levels of Learning • Rote • Understanding • Application • Correlation • This is the only level acceptable on a checkride

20. Flight Instructor Professionalism • Laws of Learning • Why does a student learn • Readiness • Effect • Why does a student remember • Primacy • Exercise • Intensity • Recency

21. Characteristics of Professionalism • Summary Be the Best You Can Be!