There are four distinct qualities that should be avoided like the plague. Be always aware of yourself and make sure you are not developing them; but also be wary of other drill people who show them.
Here are the three characteristics:
1. The Armchair Instructor
2. The "I've seen it all" Instructor
3. The "My way or the highway" Guy
4. The Self-appointed Expert
5. The "I was in the (Marines, Air Force, Navy, Army, Coast Guard, etc)"
I'd like to address each and explain what exactly it is and how it is dangerous.
The Armchair Instructor: This is the guy who is so good, he doesn't have to drill anymore. He's the guy who will stand there all day long and tell you how to do it right or that you are doing it wrong while demonstrating little to nothing. He has taken drill to an intellectual pursuit and is more concerned with the right way of doing things and is eager to point out what is being done wrong.
Firstly, drill is a physically engaging skill. You cannot take drill to an intellectual discipline any more than you can take playing the piano. The main damage comes from the attitude and example shown to Pathfinders. This person is more concerned with rules than the spirit of drill. They will tell a Pathfinder what he/she is doing wrong all day, but only rarely commend or encourage.
There are two ways to help perfect a person. Just like there are two ways to sculpt clay. One way is to carve away the pieces you don't want and the other is to add the things you do want. In sculpting, it really makes no difference which one you use. But in Pathfindering, it makes all the difference in the world. You cannot just carve out the undesirable parts of a Pathfinder. You cannot simply tell them all they things they are doing wrong. You must build up. (Yes, you will have to carve out a little from time to time but that is not your primary forming process) The armchair instructor will leave a group of Pathfinders feeling as though they didn't try hard enough, or that they are unskilled, or that they are simply failures. I've witnessed it with my own eyes. In a matter of minutes, excited Pathfinders with their heads held high, eager to show what they have spent hours and months preparing for, confident in what they are doing; go to dejected, heads bowed, discouraged, and defeated children. It is a travesty.
The "I've seen it all" Instructor: These people are the ones who think they've been doing it so long that they know every answer and could not possibly learn anything new. I think the concept is as ridiculous as a musician thinking they'd learned all the songs or a chef thinking they've cooked all the dishes. We know drill is such a diverse discipline that to think there is nothing left in the unknown is laughable.
These folks are a detriment because they will not work to further Pathfinder Drill and Ceremonies. They kill creativity in Pathfinders and they will belittle the contributions of others.
The "My way or the highway" Guy: This guy does it one way: His way. You will need nothing short of divine intervention to change his/her mind. These people are so stuck in the sand, they won't even admit when they are wrong (and many times they are). They learned one thing and that's they way they are going to do it till the day they die. They may justify it by just saying that's how they learned it (as if their instructor couldn't have been flawed), or that's how they've always done it (as if tradition makes it right), or that they are such superior instructors no one can question them (egomaniac anyone?).
These people are just hard to work with and have no business passing those characteristics to Pathfinders. They will lord over their domain and crush any original idea presented to them. They damage Pathfinder Drill because they pass along incorrect methods and rules. They teach Pathfinders that life is to be lived to a certain framework and that there is no deviation from what they are told. There is no room for creativity or consideration of other ideas.
The Self-appointed Expert: These people are just that: They have decided they are the expert on a particular subject and know best. They will often interject their opinions, ideas, or actions where they are not needed or requested. This is often characterized by an almost non-existent education in the subject. Many of their answers about where they came up with the idea seem to stem from some form of "I just decided to do it that way." They will often appear on the fringe of the discipline. This is the exaggerated ego at its finest.
These people are detrimental to Pathfinder drill because they are at face value obnoxious. They create resentment when they try to buffalo others. They are going beyond creative to the "let's just make stuff up" area. We should not encourage Pathfinders to do whatever comes to mind without evaluation of the proper knowledge base to do so.
The "I was in the (Marines, Air Force, Navy, Army, Coast Guard, etc)": Lets get one thing straight: I respect and commend anyone who has served in the Armed Forces. However, just like many other things, experiences can go to peoples' heads. These are the people who are constantly telling how it was done in the military and typically gripe about other aspects of Pathfinder life that do not conform to the military lifestyle. The ironic thing is that these people typically have no regular expertise beyond what was taught in basic training. These are not former drill instructors, TIs, Drill Sgts, etc. They are not former honor guard members, or military instructors of any kind that could give credence to their fit to offer opinions on drill.
These people run with very rigid and inflexible clubs. They sometimes take things way too seriously and confuse strictness with high expectations. They will obsess over insignificant details at the wrong time. They limit Pathfinders to their own expertise (which is typically limited) and will sour others on Drill. While there is great potential for people with military background to excel at Drill, some need to confront their own ego and self-importance first.
To conclude: Be wary of these characteristics in yourself and others. Take care that you do not fall into these easy characteristics. Shield yourself and your Pathfinders as best you can when encountering these people. I have seen my fair share of examples of these types of people damaging Pathfinders.... discouraging them, making them feel dumb, making them feel like failures, or belittling their accomplishments. When it ends in tears, it's not appropriate.
In step with Christ.
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Drill and Cooking
Drill Instructors should represent a wide range of diversity. Every instructor should have their own special brand of drill. It's what makes the area in Pathfinders such a rich experience. While there are some pretty basic rules that are hard to bend, the rest is up to the instructor. Hopefully, he/she will refine the best practices and combine them with their personal style and character to be unique.
Think of it like cooking: There are foundations that apply across the board. Things like how baking works, the process of baking bread doesn't change much from baker to baker. It will always take water at 212 degrees F to boil. Now, think about cuisine.... it's as varied as there are people in the world. From country to country, region to region, each has a different way of applying the cooking techniques to achieve the flavor and dish they like. It's not like there's undiscovered types of vegetables arriving at the store every day. Most of us cook with the pretty standard items found at the grocery store.
Drill should be no different. Each instructor should have a similar foundation in the basics. The things that will not change and should not change. These are things like uniform standards, the position of attention, etc. Beyond that, I believe each instructor should strive to create their own "flavor" of drill. Most effective drill instructors will develop it automatically by putting their heart, soul, and character into their lessons. Two types of drill can be very different but still be excellent.
This diversity is what can make Pathfinder drill so special. It's the fact that each person should cause to add just a little more variation to the pot. In the end, we show up with not just one dish prepared by a hundred different people but a hundred different dishes influenced by the entire spectrum of styles.
Strive to form the way you drill. Add the elements of who you are to the way you drill and teach drill. Always make sure it's efficient and effective, but experiment and refine. Your impact can be tremendous if you know who you are and how you drill and are not afraid to show it. Let's all be Drill "chefs" - sampling each others cuisine, appreciating it for what it is, and learning from one another.
And, as always: In step with Christ.
Think of it like cooking: There are foundations that apply across the board. Things like how baking works, the process of baking bread doesn't change much from baker to baker. It will always take water at 212 degrees F to boil. Now, think about cuisine.... it's as varied as there are people in the world. From country to country, region to region, each has a different way of applying the cooking techniques to achieve the flavor and dish they like. It's not like there's undiscovered types of vegetables arriving at the store every day. Most of us cook with the pretty standard items found at the grocery store.
Drill should be no different. Each instructor should have a similar foundation in the basics. The things that will not change and should not change. These are things like uniform standards, the position of attention, etc. Beyond that, I believe each instructor should strive to create their own "flavor" of drill. Most effective drill instructors will develop it automatically by putting their heart, soul, and character into their lessons. Two types of drill can be very different but still be excellent.
This diversity is what can make Pathfinder drill so special. It's the fact that each person should cause to add just a little more variation to the pot. In the end, we show up with not just one dish prepared by a hundred different people but a hundred different dishes influenced by the entire spectrum of styles.
Strive to form the way you drill. Add the elements of who you are to the way you drill and teach drill. Always make sure it's efficient and effective, but experiment and refine. Your impact can be tremendous if you know who you are and how you drill and are not afraid to show it. Let's all be Drill "chefs" - sampling each others cuisine, appreciating it for what it is, and learning from one another.
And, as always: In step with Christ.
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Drill Master Vs. Drill Instructor
What is the difference? Is there a difference?
I tend to use the term "Drill Instructor" in my designation of a person who teaches drill to Pathfinders and staff while some older conventions would use "Drill Master". They could be one in the same and I suspect are often taken as such; however, I make a sepcial distinction between the two for clarity sake.
I use the instructor variant because it best implies the work they will be doing: instructing. They are teaching and passing on knowledge. "Master" refers to a position or a level of expertise.... this becomes quite baffling when clubs "promote" staff into the mastery position.
I still use the drill master term but in a different context. I use it in the sense someone would refer to a master of ceremonies. Usually it is a person with a particular expertise or experience to oversee something. In this case, it's drill. The position should be a Conference level position that is responsible for the conduct of drill and ceremonies in the area. They would set rules and conference convention, oversee drill competitions and their SOP, and ensure the spirit of drill and Pathfindering continues. Some would call it an administrative position.
While the two terms are closely related, they are different things in my book. Staff should be distinctly proud of being called a Drill Instructor because it represents a great deal of training, learning, and experience.
PS: I also use the term "people who teach drill" to refer to the idiots who damage Pathfinders because they "teach" inappropriately. They are the people who sour Pathfinders and staff on drill for whatever reason and by whatever process. They do not deserve a title and little more recognition than is needed to serve as a warning for others and another sad story of potential squandered.
I tend to use the term "Drill Instructor" in my designation of a person who teaches drill to Pathfinders and staff while some older conventions would use "Drill Master". They could be one in the same and I suspect are often taken as such; however, I make a sepcial distinction between the two for clarity sake.
I use the instructor variant because it best implies the work they will be doing: instructing. They are teaching and passing on knowledge. "Master" refers to a position or a level of expertise.... this becomes quite baffling when clubs "promote" staff into the mastery position.
I still use the drill master term but in a different context. I use it in the sense someone would refer to a master of ceremonies. Usually it is a person with a particular expertise or experience to oversee something. In this case, it's drill. The position should be a Conference level position that is responsible for the conduct of drill and ceremonies in the area. They would set rules and conference convention, oversee drill competitions and their SOP, and ensure the spirit of drill and Pathfindering continues. Some would call it an administrative position.
While the two terms are closely related, they are different things in my book. Staff should be distinctly proud of being called a Drill Instructor because it represents a great deal of training, learning, and experience.
PS: I also use the term "people who teach drill" to refer to the idiots who damage Pathfinders because they "teach" inappropriately. They are the people who sour Pathfinders and staff on drill for whatever reason and by whatever process. They do not deserve a title and little more recognition than is needed to serve as a warning for others and another sad story of potential squandered.
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Tell the Story
There are three things that should go hand in hand for a well rounded staff member. Or rather to say, three titles, or roles, that describe them. These are: Leader, Mentor, and Teacher. Each one rolls seamlessly into the other while maintaining a distinct difference. Leaders are often mentors. Teachers are a de facto leader of their class. Mentors are involved with teaching something in some way.
In the higher levels of Pathfinder Education, instructors are faced with the challenge of teaching abstract ideas in a way that can be remembered. I have sat though many a class where the instructor might as have been reading from the dictionary. There was a lot of information and concept, but very little learning. We must be constantly vigilant against falling into these easy traps (I have done it).
Here is a key: Stories. Even better if they are your own. Use them as parables. Ever wonder why Jesus used the technique to teach somewhat abstract concepts that are hard to explain without examples? It's because stories give gravity to the concepts they convey. Stories create more than just an audio presentation. They become real and physical. Confucius said: "Tell me and I will forget. Show me and I will remember, Let me do and I understand." Maybe we cannot always get to that point of understanding..... that comes with experience. But we can always at least get to the showing part. Stories do not simply tell something; they show it too. Listeners will form the mental picture, recreate the emotions, feel the sensations and will remember.
Here is the trick: Making a story effectively convey all those elements to make a story come to life in another person's mind. How do you do that? I can't tell you. Each of us is unique in our experience. Read a few good books, listen to a few good storytellers (audio books are great for this). Pick out the devices that make you want to keep listening, learn them, and apply them to your stories.
We all remember that person who could sit with your pathfinder club around a campfire and, somehow mystically, enthrall everyone with story after story about wild adventures, comedic happenings, or heavy moments. Want to be like them? There's nothing stopping you.
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