​​​This article is on page 160 of the 2015 May issue of Model Aviation. By Education Director, Bill Pritchett

 TEACHING THE TEACHERS PROGRAM               

Teaching school teachers to fly RC aircraft and then teach them the art of teaching RC flying for their students, for me has proven to be the ultimate promotion concept.

I’ve discovered that teachers obviously already have developed the skills and the talent for not only teaching, but also self-learning.

I have had several tech teachers learn enough to be able to give their students R/C flying instruction on their schools simulators, only after 30 plus minutes of my RT instruction method.

Technology teacher Johnathan Shelley from Grand Island, NY senior high school, only had 2-15 minute lessons. As I was giving his students flying experience. He caught on so quickly that he and another teacher with the same amount of flying time flew on their own all that summer.

I am offering any teacher or hobby shop owner the same opportunity. It should only take, on the average 2-5 days, 2-4 hours per day to for most anyone to learn enough to be able to train either students in schools or customers to get them hooked on the hobby. This will definitely bring in more AMA members and customers for the industry. This will also help to get a very good jump on the learning process. I have several very wide open county owned flying sites to fly on and will be available essentially at the student’s convenience.

I realize that there are probably already many aero modeling programs in schools, but usually they have to depend on clubs for help. My program will get people safely in the air and on their own very quickly.  There are probably many schools with no club help available, some schools may have teachers already in the hobby, but they may not have any flight instruction skills. The same may go for any clubs that may be in the area.

Using my method, I could easily train several teachers each day. I have students who are waiting for their turn stand close by so they will learn from the mistakes the students ahead of them are making.

Think of the numbers. How many schools are there? How many teachers? How many students? How many family members?

Keep in mind that this concept has already been proven. I just have to get people who are capable of thinking outside of the box to get on board. The problem I’ve had getting this going is from club members who are afraid of overcrowding their flight line. Unlike industry members, growth is not what clubs are comfortable with. Ironically, the growth conscience industry has no choice but to depend growth fearing clubs for all of hands-on, in-the-field promoting.

If anyone is interested, contact me via email: fliers1@aol.com

Clarence C. Ragland

AMA# 120734

Home Phone: 716-434-7965 here.