How to Provide Constructive Feedback as a Driving Instructor
Tips for Driving Instructors to Boost Morale of Students
The driving instructor’s job is to help new drivers
recognise and understand their weaknesses and mistakes and help them improve.
Constructive feedback can help guide the students and create a positive and
nurturing environment for them to become better drivers. Here are some tips to
help driving instructors in providing helpful feedback to their students:
Start with Positives
Constructive feedback is all about confidence and
positivity. To motivate a student, it’s important to make them feel confident
in their knowledge and develop a positive approach to learning more. So, to
provide constructive feedback, instructors must first appreciate the students’
noteworthy achievements and compliment them on jobs well done. This can help
create a positive atmosphere, making them more willing to accept criticism.
Be Specific and Objective
Vague comments and unclear instructions can cause more harm
than good, making students commit more mistakes and fail to recognise their
flaws. Instead of being ambiguous, instructors should try to be specific. They
should clearly describe where the students are making mistakes and what areas
they need to work on. They should focus on the students’ actions and state
precisely where they’re going wrong. This can help the students find their
mistakes and work on them accordingly.
Use "I" Statements
Not everyone can handle criticism well. Some students may
take your feedback as a personal insult and hold grudges. This can affect their
development and prevent them from improving too. With such people, instructors
should present their feedback as an observation or helpful advice rather than
picking out a mistake. It can help them avoid sounding like they have a
personal issue with the student and even encourage students to come forward and
discuss their mistakes.
Focus on Improvement, Not Just Errors
It’s always easy and natural to focus on the problem instead
of looking for the solutions. Driving instructors should avoid making this
mistake. Instead of focusing too much on the student’s mistakes, they should
try to offer tips to correct these errors and prevent their
recurrence.
Ask Open-Ended Questions
Realising our mistakes is necessary to improve, especially
in terms of driving. Instructors should always encourage new drivers to try and
recognise their mistakes by assessing their performance. Ask them to reflect on
their actions and ask questions whenever they are in doubt. It will help
develop a habit of thinking about your actions and encourage drivers to be
answerable for their mistakes.
Reinforce Progress
Driving requires the driver to be confident and aware. As
instructors, you can boost your students’ confidence by highlighting their
strengths and appreciating their achievements. Even the smallest achievement,
when acknowledged by the instructor, can make the drivers feel good and
motivate them to keep improving.
Keep Feedback Balanced
Mix positive reinforcement with areas for improvement to
keep them engaged and confident. For instructors, it is important to maintain a
balance between criticism and encouragement. If you keep praising the students
but never point out their mistakes, they’ll become overconfident and stop
heeding your feedback. Contrarily, if you keep criticising the students and
never appreciate their achievements, they will become demotivated and
distrustful of your teachings. Using positive reinforcements with criticisms
and praising their progress while pointing out areas for improvement can keep
them interested in improving their skills and motivated to perform better.
Conclusion
Driving instructors must know how to give constructive
feedback that encourages and motivates the learners. They should be clear,
specific, and encouraging so that the learners feel reassured and trust them
with their issues. Aspiring instructors can consider enrolling in a
good Driving Instructor Course like TLI41222 to learn
the correct methods of encouraging and motivating their students through
positive feedback. However, if joining an instructor program is not an option,
you can also use the strategies discussed here. With the above tips, driving
instructors can provide constructive feedback that is insightful, balanced, and
most suited for the individual learner.
Want to become an inspiring and motivating instructor?
Consider joining a professional instructor course from a reputed school like
the Academy of Road
Safety and take the first step towards becoming a successful and
appreciated driving instructor!
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