It seems that client centred learning has just appeared in our industry and that it is a new thing. How quickly it has even been shortened to CCL. However, client centred learning has been around for many years and a lot of instructors will have already been using it to one degree or another, but because of the constraints of the ‘check test’ and the way part three is both taught and tested makes instructors think they are doing something wrong.
When coaching first hit the headlines in our industry it caused a lot of fuss and seemed to split our industry into 3 camps. The first camp embraced coaching, finding out lots more about it and practicing it. The second camp of instructors where the “it’s nothing new I always coach my pupils and I’ve been asking questions for years!” The third camp was of the opinion it was a load of rubbish “I have been instructing for years and have a great pass rate, so why should I change?”.
A good coach will recognise the value of all these standpoints, however they will also know that coaching is not just about asking questions, it asking the right sort of questions. For example “What mirror should you check…” is not a coaching question. As road safety professionals we know keeping roads safe is not about passing the driving test or simple car control, however good driving is as easy as ABC; Attitude, Behaviour, and Choice - but with the choices we make we have to take responsibility for the possible consequences. A good coach will work with this from day one. For change to happen that has to be a need, want or desire but while we have instructors getting lots of successful driving test passes, we can forgive people for not wanting to change. It is also a sad fact that this is what most of our customers want, to simply pass a driving test quickly and as cheaply as possible. So if both instructors and their customers feel they are getting real benefits, it begs the question of change. However for some of us to make changes to our behaviour or training styles then current behaviour has to become too painful first. This will only manifested itself by an instructors starting to lose business, getting less recommendations or failing a check test. More importantly failing the new standards check. However there will always be people who will teach instructor to pass a test, even the new standards check. Some instructors may well do just what it takes to pass such a test, but then go back to the old ways when not being tested.
Recent reported statistics show that 40% of new drivers crash in the first 12 months but how many seek recompense from person who taught them to drive? Not many, because they actually know they have been taught to simply ‘get through’ the test and most don’t feel confident to drive on their own after the test pass. This has to change, but how do we educate the public that investing in good driver training is worth it? The public think all driving instructors must be the same as we have passed the same test. As we know this is not true.
If public demand changed, and wanted us to teach their children to actually learn to drive confidently and independently instead of focusing on the test, instructors would have to change to stay in business. When coaching was first talked about widely within our industry it was mentioned that ‘push/pull’ steering was incorrect and should not be taught.
After this most articles written relating to coaching brought up the steering arguments so coaching became internally linked to steering which was very unfortunate as coaching is much more than just car control. Thus in my opinion coaching became a dirty word and the DSA had no choice but to find an alternative phrase, however they went much further and are now advocating client centred learning, which will allow a blended approach to training.
When the title client centred learning was introduced a lot of coaches thought it was just another name for coaching. I personally don’t agree by the very nature of the title it is client centred. In order to embrace this style of training the methods used must be the right ones for the individual client. So if the client wants to be instructed rather than coached then this is client centred as it is what the client wants, however I must stress that I personally feel coaching is the core of client centred learning.
It should be the client that is doing most of the thinking and making choices, thus identifying their own faults, self analysing and trying out some form of remedial actions, with of course the facilitation of the instructor. A note to remember is that not everyone wants to be coached or can be coached. A good coach may still try to put a little bit of coaching in as and when it becomes beneficial and the pupil starts to trust the coach. We have to remember our customers will come from lots of different backgrounds, with different beliefs and values. Most instructors may have been faced with someone who has always been ridiculed when answering questions and thus has anchored answering questions to negative feelings, not many people like experiencing negative feelings and will do anything to avoid this.
Some pupils will simply withdraw and answer most questions with “I don’t know” or may even get angry and say “stop asking me questions, just tell me!”
We also have to remember that there are people on the autistic spectrum who are difficult if not impossible to coach. This may be because they lack the ability to imagine future events and their consequences. For more information on teaching autistic people look up Julia Malkin MBE.
So what’s next? As trainers, instructors, tutors, coaches or teachers whatever we want to call ourselves we have to move forward with the times, coaching is becoming more common even in primary schools. If education had not moved with the times we would still be writing on slates. A quote to remember is ‘If the rate of change on the outside of your business exceeds the rate of change on the inside of your business, then the end is near.’ -Jack Welch.
Kathy Higgins is Director of Insight 2 Drive and a fully qualified grade 6 driving instructor.