AMA Education news

Education through Aviation by Bill Pritchett, AMA Education Director Teachers often say they learn more from their students than their students learn from them. That is certainly true in my case. Because not everyone has the opportunity to work in a classroom, and may find themselves publicly speaking on behalf of model aviation, working in a classroom, or leading a club meeting, here a few things I learned while teaching that may be valuable to your efforts! Recognize and leverage different learning styles. The active and competitive nature of model aviation—even the simplest of gliders competing for time aloft—makes people excited to learn. From that experience, students become better learners. For this reason, I try to follow the “platinum rule,” not the golden rule. Treat others how they would like to be treated. Set high expectations. There’s another famous saying that new teachers are familiar with: “Don’t let them see you smile until Christmas.” In other words, it’s better to start out tough and lighten up over time, rather than starting out friendly and having to add rules later. Here’s the problem: success doesn’t come from setting rules and being strict. It comes from setting high expectations for people and then supporting them in their struggles to get there. Pursue challenges and hard questions. Encouraging people to ask tough questions—and being open to their feedback and challenges—made me a better teacher. If all you get are easy questions, you’re not thinking creatively. Everyone likes to have fun. I learned a secret while teaching. Everyone, no matter how cool they are on the outside, still secretly likes to have fun. The most successful groups and organizations I’ve worked with are those that know how to have fun. The best way to quiet a room is by being quiet. I call this my teacher trick. Here’s what you do: If you’re speaking to a group and some people are talking and not paying attention, the best way to quiet them down is to stop talking yourself. The entire room will get noticeably quiet and the people talking out of turn will experience a subtle form of shame, causing them to be quiet as well. Try it the next time you’re leading a meeting and there are multiple side conversations going on. It’s guaranteed to work! These are in no particular order and similar information can be found many places. If they were in order of importance, fun learning is by far the best way to effectively impact your audience! Fly and have fun!