In the tactical world, the word instructor is widely overused and has become an over-saturated description for many people. The meaning has become null in the sense that instructing and teaching are two very different approaches to the problem and the solution. For real world applications (high treat) instructing the solution isn’t enough as to teach the problem.

You are probably asking yourself already what is an instructor and where is the fine difference between instructor and teacher? Who should you strive to be?

SHORT ANSWER 

An instructor will teach how to complete tasks.

A teacher will show how tasks are created and solved.

So again, who should you strive to be? Technically none of the above, but we will get to this later.

EXTENDED ANSWER.

THE INSTRUCTOR.

The common instructor will normally utilize one way of communication. He will typically begin with providing general information, afterwards he will give an opportunity to practice and eventually test the student.  A form of how “we do things here”. Simply put, an instructor is the one who instructs you how to accomplish certain “isolated” tasks, that are predefined and do not require a form or sort of analyzing. Instructing will often consist of creating repetitive patterns of solutions to repetitive problems, that require no understanding or analysis. Instruction is essentially unidirectional and provides no guarantee of learning what is ostensibly being “taught”.

A good example could be taken from the world of fire arms. A typical instructor will teach that every time a weapon does not work, the individual should tap & rack, as this movement is designed as an unhesitating “Immediate Action” and involves no identification of the bolt for the cause. This reaction is most likely to be more compliant and efficient under fire, as misfire stoppages are more common (mistakenly viewed as user induced only).

THE TEACHER

Teaching is bi-directional. In fact, you can’t separate productive, real teaching from learning. They are simply two perspectives of the same human interactive process. From the teacher’s perspective it is teaching, from the student’s perspective it is learning. Most people experienced none to barely any real teaching in their life.

A good example to that would be the modern school system and, if to be specific, mathematics. As a total failure in mathematics in school I can tell you, that the system prepared me to pass tests rather than performance. Back then, I was barely aware of this problem as I found ways to play the game and score as expected by remembering specific tables and charts, but without learning rules and principles.

The reason for that, as at least I understood with the years, was that my time in math classes was not in cooperating real teaching but a repetitive patterns of skills that prepared us students to pass a certain test and to meet certain standards. Meaning that if you understood the rules of the game and the drawings, you could score to the upcoming test, but not for performance on demand as you were not conditioned that way.

To conclude, the teacher will provide the student not only the appropriate solution to a given problem, but he will bring the student to a position of which he is able to understand the subject itself and to manipulate it deliberately to his own context or needed form of solution.  A good example could be the over used misunderstood term from CQB – The fatal funnel.

The fatal funnel traditionally describes a situation in room clearing, of which a cone-shaped path leading from the entry, where the assaulter is most vulnerable to defenders inside the room.

With the years, as more and more people went through the modern military pipe line of instructing, the term fatal funnel became (culturally) a forbidden word that triggers immediately a negative subconscious response as the word is a taboo, a sin, a mistake that no one wants to be captured doing.

In reality, the word offers a conceptual understanding that could lead (once understood) to a better analysis of room clearing which in return would increase dramatically survivability, essentially the opposite than what the dogmatic approach preserves. This example represents a dogmatic state of continuous instruction, of which students were always punished or yelled at for stalling in the door way. Much like animals, generations of generations soldiers were habituated not to pause on the door and just to storm into a room, because any second next or in the door is guaranteed death and will buy you some negative reward from the instructor. Such feedback from instructors is normally never judged or criticized as it is commonly a one direct language.

None & both. Strive to be shapeless and formless but accurate and precise, when interacting with students. Understand the limitations and gaps. Recognize and fill into it, rather than letting it filling into your schedule or curriculum.

Particular experience I made when working overseas. Here and there I had a chance to interact with foreigners who had no educational background. I refer to it as to interact rather than teaching, because that´s how it really was. Interaction.  They had no idea about geometry, physics, nor they could even facilitate the simple power point presentation. This might sound simple, but any instructor, who did FID and showed commitment, could tell you of the struggle and concerns.

Think of a class of students as a wall composed of bricks. Each of these bricks represent a student, a human being, driven by heritage, experience & cultural perceptions. Between each of these bricks, there will be a material to fill the gaps and strengthen the wall. In some cultures, it will be mud as of no educational or social skills, while in some cultures it will be cement, a rich cultural background that will assist the student to understand all your tricks and tips. But in all types of walls, there will be gaps, holes and certain imperfects. Instead of letting those imperfects interfere with your teaching and set difference between the state of each brick – fill into it and turn it into an advantage.

Learn more about our friend Eli and Project Gecko:

Project Gecko is a company which specializes in the field of Tactical Training & consultant services. Their capabilities ranges from setting up Tactical courses & projects to consultant services. During their courses Gecko instructors give their participants the mental and physical tools for their personal success.

They offer a wide spectrum of programs that take place in one day classes, three-days-seminars, and events up to one week. All those programs are based and created on their knowledge which they unpack and repack in a way that will suit every participant. For Gecko the gear is just a tool and the will is the key. Gecko believes that every person who has the will, will find his place in their seminars and workshops.

The instructors behind Project Gecko are all former military personal with extended training’s and combat experience. Eliran founder of Project Gecko  was born in Israel. Before he moved to Germany he served in the IDF in one of the SF units.

Find out more about Project Gecko 

*The views and opinions expressed on this website are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Spotter Up Magazine, the administrative staff, and/or any/all contributors to this site.

[jetpack_subscription_form]