Right now, there’s a current blowing through the training community where we are hearing that students need to “learn under stress” in order to be able to protect themselves during a stressful event. There are a few instructors who think they need to yell or even scream at their students while the student is trying to learn something new. I don’t think that’s an effective teaching technique. There’s a place for that type of pressure, but I think that pressure should be applied after the student has already learned the techique and become reasonably proficient in it.
For most adult students, learning something new provides its own kind of stress, and that type of stress is enough during the learning process. Once the skillset is learned, and with the student’s permission, you can apply more stress so they know well they can perform under pressure. But you have to give them time to learn the skill first—otherwise, you produce dangerous, fumbly behavior with very little retention in learning.
Teach first, give them time to learn and practice the skillset, then get permission and pressure test.
Yep, fully agree. A new shooter needs to be nurtured through a solid skill set first. Once that process is complete, a new set can be added – including operating under great emotional and physical stress.
I think this new tacticool approach is simply a by-product of a nation at war for the past 10+ years. Lots of new training and gear available for the weekend warrior (and, honestly, absolutely nothing wrong with this training at all) that just kinda crosses over to the personal protection side of the house.
I think there is value in learning to operate under stress, but that can be worked on in competition and at various training facilities – but only after they have learned the initial skill set.
All IMNSHO, of course.
Bill
I have found that what works best for me is a quiet yet strong training style. AFter a student learns to handle a gun in a safe way and their training has progressed to the point of where I think they could handle it, training under stress should be the next step. We are not just using these guns for fun purposes (although the matches ARE fun), but we all ultimately got them for protection. When or IF the time comes, it is NOT going to be a quiet atmosphere, you are going to come under an ENORMOUS amount of pressure and you really need to know how you will react under those circumstances and you need to be prepared.
Any class, whether it involves firearms or quilting, should clearly inform students as to what and how they are going to be taught prior to the start of the class. I cannot imagine anything worse than a basic handgun class where an instructor begins screaming at a new shooter. It is crucial that the learning environment be one that challenges the student to learn and to improve without denigrating the individual. There is a time and a place for the screaming instructor, but that is best left to advanced techniques and students who consent to such treatment.
That’s….. Bizarre, IMHO. I know of one training group that pulls silly stuff like that, but they are avoided by anyone who can do some research.
Applying stress *without* having buy-in from the student sounds like a good way to get accidentally shot.
I agree with you 100% – it is NEVER appropriate to yell or scream in anger or disgust (how many people can yell without that?) at someone who is trying to learn. Others might get mad or whatever – I know I would just shut down and learn nothing. Raised voices, excitement and urgency (applying stress) would be appropriate perhaps if you were being run through a tactical course after a lot of other training, but for new or even not-brand-new shooters? Many would go home, put up their gun and never touch it again.
@Knitebane – Excellent point. 🙂