Teaching Others About Firearms – Taking a Second Swing through Classes

If you do training work (for pay) long enough you should be able to see repeat customers or students who take a second swing through your courses. Even if your training is gratis (free) as a gift to a friend or the community, you should see some familiar faces. In my home state, those faces likely have five years of wrinkles added to them as they come back to renew their carry permits. Often these gatherings are like old home week. Handshakes, “how is your-momma-and-them” conversations, sharing a few pictures of the grand kids, introductions to friends and children brought along for first classes (we don’t charge for first classes if they only want to listen, learn, and not earn a certificate). Friendly and comfortable is what I’m expecting to see and hear. It is especially congenial if couples/families/neighbors come together to learn and have fun.

Teaching Others About Firearms on AllOutdoor

Students on their Second Swing through your Classes

Now, there is a precursor question I get quite often:

“Doc, do I have to sit through the whole-gul-dern thang and take the whole class if I’ve already been through this once?”

At this point I try not to look incredulous, and depending on how irritated I am, I will answer something about not offering substandard training (true); or I’ve updated the training (also true); or that the regulatory bodies did not write in an exception for those retaking a training course no matter how wonderful they think they are (also true). If I’m really snarky I might point out that when they renewed their driver’s license they had to retake the eye test even though they had passed it just a few years prior; or when they went in for an annual physical they expected the latest in assessments and not blood tests and screening questions from their childhood; or if they take their prized pick-up to the garage for service they don’t ask for dusty old filters and out of date oil/fluids from someone who last took training on the topic of carburetor rebuilding? Why would they want outdated training? If I haven’t had my second cup of morning coffee I might offer them the first opportunity at the live fire course if they can assure me they have shot 500 rounds a month for the past five years. So far, no takers on that one either…

Second Swing: Are You – the Instructor – Updating Yourself?

Just between you and me, you are updating your training materials, right? You read about new regulations and court cases; as the new legislative year ends you search for rule changes; you take some expensive training yourself so you can teach the new and improved techniques; or you at least take some lessons from someone who shoots better than you and can teach you a few new tricks – you do that, don’t you? You paid for a couple of cups of coffee for a 2A savvy attorney, talked to a law enforcement officer, or read some legal opinions on the latest self-defense shooting in your home state. NO? Well, consider this example: the last time you taught someone a “red dot” likely cost as much as a mortgage payment and sat way high up on the dust cover. Now that the prices are falling, you will see more of these additions to firearms on your training line. These sighting aids often require some substantial changes in picture acquisition, co-witnessing, maintenance, and holster usage. Newer sighting aids often suggest, if not demand, the use of both eyes open. You practice that? Right?

Well, you get my point. Do not apologize for offering a new and improved course with updated information, statistics, and training options. You are a professional. You are the expert. Expect to be treated as a professional or an expert.

One other comment I get is this: “I called Sniffing Primer Training and they will teach me for half the price and if I don’t ask questions I could be done in 45 minutes – [long pause] why can’t you match that?” At that point I often bid them a fond farewell and suggest they sign up for SPT because he/she seems to want that level of instruction. I don’t want to teach people who don’t want to learn or just want a bargain. Do you?

As always, let us know all of your thoughts in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback. Also, if you are an instructor reading this, chime in with your thoughts on repeat students or those who have taken a second swing through your classes.

Phil Godding

Dr. Phil Godding wears many hats and has accomplished a lot in the fields of higher education, neuropsychology and forensic psychology. His favorite hat, were he to actually wear hats, would be blaze orange with the word “teacher” on the front. Dr. Godding teaches in classrooms, courtrooms, hospitals, ranges and coffeeshops. The other odd thing about Dr. Godding is that he reads eight to ten different books at any given time. This time of year you will likely find Dr. Godding in a deer stand, repairing a deer stand or thinking about preparing a deer stand.