The Best There Is
by Thomas Zermeno, PCI# 1390T-B/EMSCI# 412T-B
Norman (OK) Police Department
IPMBA Board: Education
As an instructor, I have seen many different levels of talent in the students that come to my classes. Most instructors know how challenging it can be to diagnose and correct students’ errors. Many times, it is not the student’s lack of talent, but rather a mental block, that makes a skill difficult. As instructors, we try different methods to give them the confidence to successfully complete the cone courses and other skills.
This is a very important aspect of instructing that we need to make sure we do not overlook. Instead of telling them everything that they are doing wrong, we should use positive reinforcement. Our end goal is for them to feel like Ricky Bobby in Talladega Nights and hear them say: “Here’s the deal. I’m the best there is. Plain and simple. I wake up in the morning and I [exude] excellence.” Here are a few suggestions on how to make that happen.
First, the way the class begins will set the tone for the entire week. Wake up in the morning and exude excellence. Come in with the attitude that this is going to be the best week they have ever had. If you start by telling them that they are going to wreck their bikes, scrape up their elbows and legs, and that someone might get injured or fail, how mentally prepared do you think they will be? Not very. Another thing we truly need to do is NOT to come in acting like we are the best there is and that the students will NEVER be as good. Remember this: the true measure of an instructor is not the ability to show someone how to do something; rather, it is the ability to show them how to do it even better. So that excellence needs to be exuded onto your students, even the ones who were “ordered” to come to the bike school and don’t really want to be there.
Second, recognize that it is not possible to diagnose every problem that students experience and be able to successfully correct them. While we as instructors may believe – and by all accounts should believe – that we are the best there is, we need to exude that excellence through our instruction and our ability to guide our students to success. Sometimes the problem is a matter of correct gear ratio, other times it could be weight transfer. If it is the former, instruct them to try a lower or higher gear ratio to see if the result changes the outcome. If it is the latter, demonstrate how doing deadlifts in weight training relates to maintaining your core to keep yourself upright on the bicycle, thus allowing the bicycle to move underneath you. Sometimes it is something else altogether. You must pay attention to the details and adapt your methods to the student.
For some instructors, the Instructor Course was less than a year ago. For others, it has been the span of a career since they were taught how to instruct, and they have been doing it the same way from the beginning. That’s OK to a point, but in order to stay fresh, it is best to reach out to others – including newer instructors – to learn techniques, tricks, and new ways to instruct. When we start admitting that we could use some fresh ideas, and seek them out, our professionalism is pushed to a higher level, thus increasing our students’ success.
Third, building a student up who is struggling takes patience and time. Unlike Ricky Bobby, we cannot just “wanna go fast.” We need to take some time, take them aside, and really focus on how to help them overcome their difficulties. Sometimes it is test anxiety. Other times more by be occurring. This is where help from the other students or instructors is invaluable. Some of my best classes have been those in which I identified a highly skilled student and designated him or her as a class leader. Because just like Ricky and Cal couldn’t be Shake and Bake or engage the slingshot method without each other, one person cannot expect to diagnose and correct every problem all alone. Fresh eyes and different voices for the student can also lead to success. So, look to others for help because this is not expected to be done alone; a concept with which any person in public safety is all too familiar.
Finally, make sure to end each day on a high note. Leave the students thinking what Ricky Bobby said to Jean Girard: “Come race time tomorrow, I’m coming for you.” Don’t let them leave feeling defeated and not knowing “what to do with their hands.” For example, when a student is struggling in the Box, try to get them to focus on getting around one time, even if it is sloppy and they knock out cones or put their feet down. Remember: in their heads, they HAVE to do it three times and so they are focusing on doing it three times. If they perceive failure as anything less than three successful circuits, their performance anxiety will continue to grow. If we allow them to perceive this as a failure, they will spiral down even further. By focusing on just one successful rotation, we have something to build upon and something to celebrate with the student, cheering them on from that success.
These are just a few ideas on how to improve your instructing. For other ways, look to the new IPMBA YouTube Instructor playlist and the Instructor Resources page on the IPMBA website for other techniques, tools, and instructional videos. You can also use the online instructor search to contact other instructors about opportunities to co-teach, exchange ideas, and develop networks.
Remember: “If you ain’t first, you’re last. That there is trademarked, not to be used without written permission of Ricky Bobby, Inc.”
Photo courtesy of Thomas Zermeno.
Thomas joined the Norman Police Department in 2009. He is currently assigned to night shift patrol and is the training coordinator and instructor for the bike team. He has been active with IPMBA since 2011, after taking the IPMBA Police Cyclist Course. He was certified as PCI in 2013 at the IPMBA Conference in Baton Rouge and cross-trained as an EMSCI in 2017. He became an Instructor Trainer in 2019, attended the Bicycle Response Team Training in 2020, and was BRT Instructor certified in 2021. He currently serves on the IPMBA Board of Directors as At-Large member overseeing education programs. He can be reached at Thomas.Zermeno@yahoo.com.
(c) 2022 IPMBA. This article appeared in the 2022 Conference Highlights issue of IPMBA News.