Honing Your Instructional Skills

By Jeffrey M. Fortney

Do you ever wonder why some instructors/teachers are more successful than others? How are they able to reach and inspire their students when others cannot? What are they doing differently than their co-workers? What can you do to become a more effective instructor/teacher?

Honing Your Instructional Skills discusses nine areas that instructors/teachers can work on to improve their teaching.

Be There FOR Your Students
Instructors Need TRAINING, Too
KNOW Your Subject Matter
Have a POSITIVE Attitude
Be PROFESSIONAL
Preach SAFETY
Use HUMOR, But Don’t Abuse It
Use War STORIES Wisely...and Sparingly
Practice, Practice, Practice and Then...PRACTICE Some More

These topics are presented in short, concise chapters and in everyday language. Quick and easy to read, Honing Your Instructional Skills offers common sense approaches that can help instructors/teachers of all types and levels improve their teaching!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jeffrey M. Fortney
• Release date: Mar 1, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311975355

Jeffrey M. Fortney

I'm a former United States Air Force firefighter, crew chief, and instructor. I currently work as a senior editor/photographer for the world's premiere fire service training materials publisher.I've been a writer my entire life starting with pen and paper, then graduating to a manual typewriter my parents purchased for me. Now, of course, I'd be lost without my PC and Microsoft Word!Science fiction, adventure, histories, and biographies are favorite genres of mine. My favorite authors and major writing influences include Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert A. Heinlein, G. Harry Stine/Lee Correy, Travis S. Taylor, S.M. Stirling, and many others.My wife and I have been married over 30 years. We have four children and five grandchildren (currently!).

Book preview

Honing Your Instructional Skills

9 Steps to Improving Your Teaching!

by

Jeffrey M. Fortney

Published by Jeffrey M. Fortney at Smashwords

Copyright 2014 Jeffrey M. Fortney

Smashwords Edition License Notes:

This e-book is licensed for your personal use only. It may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this e-book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this e-book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Acknowledgements

This e-book could not have been completed without the love, understanding, and support of my wife, Julie; our children and their spouses, Heather and James, Sean and Hannah, Kyle and Pamela, and Gary; and our grandchildren, Damien, Aiden, Mara, Tristan, and Jeffrey. I thank them all for letting me have the time to work on this project. I would be remiss if I didn't thank my very first instructors, my parents, Carol and Lowell Fortney, and my Grandmother, Marion (Marsh) Hills Koel, for encouraging me to read and teaching me the value of education. We all miss you!

To Jerry Blaisdell (instructor supervisor, mentor, and friend), I must say, Thank you, sir! You were my instructional idol and I hope that I have lived up to your expectations for me. CMSgt Robert Trowbridge (ret.) and SMSgt Don McGee (who we lost at far too young an age), you gave a young instructor (and Noncommissioned Officer) confidence in himself and his abilities.

I must also thank my many friends at Fire Protection Publications for their continuing support and guidance. I’ve learned so much working with you over the years. You have been valuable instructors and friends. Special thanks go out to Lori Raborg for acting as the model for the cover of this e-book. Thanks also are due Mike Wieder for reading through this manuscript and making helpful suggestions.

To my Fire Service brothers from D-M, Tim McPheron and Kirk Harrigan, thank you for making me your kid brother and getting my military career off to a great start! To my many other firefighter and instructor buddies, military and civilian, you are the best! Be safe, always. To my many students, I hope that in some small way I helped each of you attain your goals. I learned as much from you as you learned from me and your service to our Nation honors those of us who were your instructors. My fondest wishes go out to each of you.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1 - Be There FOR Your Students

Chapter 2 - Instructors Need TRAINING, Too

Chapter 3 - KNOW Your Subject