Coaching Learner Drivers: The 'G' of the GROW lesson plan

Why Set Goals?

"If we did all the things we are capable of we would literally astound ourselves" - Tomas Edison

Hi,

Without getting into the differences between goals, aims and objectives and long winded explanations. I am going to use a 'Goal' in its simplest term and that is 'something your pupil wants to achieve'.

There is a reason why goal setting is used by top-level athletes, successful business-people and achievers in all fields including personal and life coaching education and driver training. That's because setting short, medium and long term goals gives your pupils both a long-term vision and short-term focus and motivation. Goals help keep a track on what progress your pupil feels they are making and gives them something to measure that progress against.

Importantly the pupil picks the goal not the instructor. It should be theirs, owned by them and personal to them. This makes their goals for the lesson far more powerful and personally motivating. You may have come across some disinterested teenagers who are learning to drive not because they want to, but because dad and mum think its a good idea. A goal chosen for them perhaps and maybe the reason for their disinterest in learning?

Short, medium and long term goals:

A pupil set, long-term goal might be 'to be able to have my own car and drive because of the freedom it brings'. Or it might be bigger or more personal to the pupil i.e. 'to take my children on holiday', 'I will get a better job' or 'a promotion' etc. Learning to drive can have many benefits to a pupil which translate into long term goals.

Medium and short-term lesson goals:

Every journey needs a plan on how to get there. Having a long-term goal or goals provide a motivational target for a pupil to achieve pushing them forward. Smaller medium and short-term goals however, provide the pupil with stepping stones, a plan of action and little lesson achievement steps to be able to do it.

A medium-term goal for example might be mastering roundabouts. Through coaching questions the pupil decides on what short term goals are for doing that. i.e. Better gap planning, clutch control for a positive more confident pull away, planning lanes, spiraling out and signalling off. They may be even smaller than that. Mastering the biting point for example. Whatever these short-term goals are they translate into the goal for the lesson or that part of the lesson.

Its all relative

Remember depending on the pupil's ability and learning progress, little steps along the path to test success might be giant achievement steps for them. Give them the time they need to determine, set and own their lesson goals however small. Help them break down the medium term goals into smaller goals steps which then become your lesson goals.

By setting sharp, clearly defined lesson goals, your pupil can measure and take pride in the achievement of those goals, and they will see forward progress in what might previously have seemed a long pointless grind. You will help them raise their self-confidence, as they recognize their own ability and competence in achieving the goals that they have set.

Most importantly celebrate success and a have fun along the way!

Goal setting is just one of the things we work on together on the aCCeLerate BTEC3 'Coaching for Driver Development'. What not join me for a life and business changing 2 days?

What changes are you going to make today?

Message me for info.

Have a great coaching day.

Ray

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