The Clumsy Iguana: Re-Thinking the Evaluation/Training Process in Field Training

On-boarding a new trainee, can be frustrating at times for the Field Training Officer (FTO), but what about the Probationary Police Officer (PPO). For many it may be their first job and while they have made it through your agency's hiring process and the academy, the test continues on.

For the PPO to continue, they must successfully complete the Field Training and Evaluation Program. Having trained many PPO's through the years and observing others, there is a significant amount of stress that occurs during the training process. The PPO wants to do well, but are they able to put out their best effort when everything is a test?

While on vacation, sitting pool side, I heard a commotion in the Mangrove trees behind me. Looking back, I observe an adolescent Iguana dangling from a branch. Iguana's love to sun themselves in the Mangroves. As I continued to observe the Iguana, it was able to pull itself back up on a branch. It didn't fall to the ground so it didn’t fail, or did it?

No sooner did the Iguana regain its perch on a branch about 10 feet up, it again lost its balance and landed on the ground with heavy slap. Stunned, it sat for several seconds then wandered off into a low shrub on the ground.  

If the Iguana's purpose was to remain on the branch, it failed. If it was to get out of the tree, it was successful. But was it accidently successful? 

Let's look at the Iguana's performance through the lens of the FTO. If this was the Iguana's first attempt at sunning itself in a Mangrove tree, performance for that day would be below standard and require remedial training.

Or was the goal to reach the ground? Which the Iguana did, it wasn't graceful and probably painful but it did reach the ground. So, did the Iguana meet the standard for the test?

From a purely development standpoint, this question begs to be asked. Why are we evaluating a trainee's performance before we give them on opportunity to learn how to perform the tasks and behaviors they are being rated on? The PPO wants to do well, but when everything is a test their goal is to avoid failing the test.

Did you demonstrate to the Iguana how to use its claws to hold and their long tail as a counterbalance to remain in the tree? Did you give the Iguana several attempts to balance on a lower branch closer to the ground?

How about combining two skills together? Purposeful practice sessions of climbing the tree to a low branch, obtain balance and then return to the ground in a controlled climb down. Then repeat to a higher branch and repeat. The FTO can then conduct self-testing/critical thinking review at this point.

Did the branch the Iguana chose have enough sun to warm its body?

Is the branch sturdy enough to support its weight?

Are there other predators (Large birds, larger Iguanas, alligators) nearby?

It's not just about climbing up and down the tree. Purposeful practice sessions provide the opportunity for your Iguana to developed not only the psychomotor skills necessary to be successful, but also develop situational awareness.

After each attempt a feedback session occurs. The FTO asks questions of the Iguana and the Iguana provides the feedback, developing the capacity to self-assess, self-correct and self-think. After several focused practice sessions, we can now evaluate the Iguana's ability to climb up the mangrove, balance on a branch and climb down without falling, while maintaining situational awareness for predators.  

This early training without evaluation permit mistakes and corrections to occur. By rating on Day 1 or 2 of training, the performance scores are going to be below standard. This can lead to a lack of confidence and motivation in the trainee, along with frustration for the FTO.

Training before evaluating provides the opportunity for your Iguana to begin learning, in a safe to fail environment. Training in this fashion allows for mistakes to occur with the emphasis on doing it right, not what went wrong. 

Training along with focused practice begins the process towards skill mastery. Something that almost never occurs in a training program because the FTO is conditioned to only develop to a minimum passing standard. By combining skills together your training will speed up. There's no guarantee your Iguana won't fall, but if it does it can try again.

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Originally appeared in the Summer 2019 Edition of the ILEETA Journal. Re-published with permission.

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Thom Dworak is a Senior Instructor with The Virtus Group Inc. Thom’s signature course is The Adaptive FTO, a field training method that combines Emotional Intelligence, Lawful and Ethical Decision Making, Critical Thinking, Cognitive Coaching and a generation-proof feedback model. For more information about or to host The Adaptive FTO, contact [email protected] You can also follow Thom on twitter @dworakt and @TheAdaptiveFTO