Wilderness Survival Instructors

[corndog-44]

It seems to me that a lot of people feel qualified to teach wilderness survival. I was wondering what qualifications really makes for a good wilderness survival instructor and what would you expect to learn from him/her. Any thoughts on this?

[Jay]

Today what most people look for in an intructor of any subject is ceritfication from some formal certifying/governing body. It seems they want to have some higher authority to hold responsible if things dont go to plan. (at least thats what I think)

Having such a certificaton is good but personally I would look for someone who knows what they are talking about and more importantly someone who has practical field experience. There is no substitute for practical experience. Also important is the ablity to teach the skills in a logical and methordical way and the patience to do so.

[Rick]

For the teacher:
Jay is right on the money. I would just turn them around. First is the ability to teach then the skills and experience. I agree the certifications are nice because they indicated training in specific areas but not the end all be all.

What would I expect to learn?
The ability to look at a given tool or situation through new eyes. To understand it from different view points. To learn how to transport the skill or idea to different settings and still be effective in its use.

[dilligaf2u2]

My father used to say: If you want to know how to do something. Ask the guys that has done it.

I am not IMO qualified to teach survival. I have done more of the out and about survival courses there are, then most folks. I feel qualified to and have taken care of myself. Desert, winter, forest, extreme weather, and jungle, to name a few.

I say start by reading. Then under controlled conditions (IE where you are not in jeopardy of life or limb), Practice. Once you learn a skill. Don't put it aside till you need it. Use it and keep up the practice.

Before you choose a course to pay to attend. Ask others that have done that exact course as to how useful it was. Ask for references from the course administrator.

Dilligaf2u2

[wareagle69]

i think references are the best any one can get certified someone can be good at their craft yet not have the ability to pass that knowledge along to others in an effective way..so find ppl who have been to the school..

[Proud American]

I think there both realy importin!
Experience is the best teacher learn from them, but also not a exeptionaly large amount of people who knew alot survival tecniques and when thrown into it got to see how it realy worked.Soooooooo alot of people who seem to know alot realy dont! Goin back to drinkin your pee, not truly a smart plan, but Bear Gryls did it?(never seen the show but tryin to remmember the post O BTW not bashin a guy i know nothin about just usining him as a example)

Certified
Nice to know that someone important thought they were good! But again they learned from textbook techniques and textbook tecniques are only good for some situation its survival no situation is the same.

My final 1 cent
Learn through the forum is my best bet! Corn Dog you an active member you know what im sain.This forum since its so active filters through alot of crap and sheds some light on when its good and when its not, but if you dont practice knowin tecktbook plans will not help you.

[Rick]

Hey, Proud - Bear only said it was pee. We don't actually know that it was.

Certified doesn't necessarily mean textbook only. Most survival schools/teachers teach "in the field" classes where you have to prove what you've learned in order to be certified. But you are dead on about practicing what you've learned.

[Proud American]

Certified=Textbook, yes they got outthere and tried it but what makes them certified is the fact that they used a standard(aka Textbook) to show that they knew what they were doin! You dont think that the Eand E trainin dosent have a textbook, but I see what you comin from.If my thread is as confusing to you as it is to me then say so because i dont think im puttin my piont across well.

[Rick]

Nope. I'm with you.

[Proud American]

Thanks Rick OBTW in another thread you told carpet a website were he could get military textbooks i loved It thanks.(Actualy tried downloading so many files at once it messed up my comp lol)

[Gray Wolf]

Having such a certificaton is good but personally I would look for someone who knows what they are talking about and more importantly someone who has practical field experience. There is no substitute for practical experience.

Well stated Jay.

I saw a man, who we found out after EMS got there, was certified in CPR... He FROZE at the scene, and all his training and certification meant squat to the guy laying on the ground...

[Sarge47]

The best teachers are not always the best in their field, although they should be very knowledgeable. I doubt anyone would think Dr. Ron Hood, Cody Lundin, & Ray Mears,(hope I spelled this right) would be incompetent teachers. The thing about TV Survival personalities like Bear Grylls is that at one time guys like Dr. Hood was there to teach them so they could show us. Now they are getting their advice on the spot from Survival teachers that are native to the region they are going into and relaying that to us through the media. Again, one of the best Survival shows on Discovery was the one on the Marine Corps Survival School and how the teachers worked together to teach their students the Survival Skills, then how to put those skills into play.

[wareagle69]

yeah i 've seen ppl who did well in medic school unable to perform after the first chest compression when the felt all the cartilage snap, d o r really fast after that..

[Rick]

I hate to get technical here and a good many already know this but for those that don't, there are three types of learners. The majority are visual learners that have to see something written down to understand it. The next group is auditory. They have to have things explained to them. They have to hear it. The third and smallest group are tactile learners. They are hands on and have to do it to learn it. A good teacher will employ all three methods to reach his or her students.

The most knowledgeable instructor, with tons of certifications, can do a wonderful job teaching the visual and auditory learners but if they leave out the tactile learners (for example) then they have not done a very good job.

It's a concept I explained in every class I taught and I told the students that if they did not understand something then let me know. It might not be them having trouble understanding, it might be me having trouble utilizing the right skills sets to teach them.

[wareagle69]

so what's the best group, i would be tactile i always say i can see with my hands..

[nell67]

I would say tactile WE,learn by doing,it's the best way IMHO.

[Rick]

Hi ya- WE. There is no "best" group. We are what we are. I'm visual. I like to see things. You know, a picture is worth a thousand words and all that. That's why pictures work so well for most people. They can visualized the concept. It's about which centers of the brain are activated and other smoke and mirrors. Anywhooooo. I haven't met a lot of folks that are true tactile learners but they are a fascinating bunch to me. Remember the Rubic's Cube? Hand it to someone and they solve it in seconds? They, too, see through their hands.

Want some tips on tactile learning? Good, glad you do. That's tells me you're anxious to learn. Good man:

1. Write things down because you remember them better that way.
2. Try working with someone else so that you can talk out loud and hear the information.
3. If you want to memorize something, pace or walk around while reciting to yourself or looking at a note.
4. Keep something in your hand that is malleable. Knead or tap to a rhythm as you study.
5. While trying to solve a problem, eat, drink, chew gum or listen to music.
6. Underline main points with a bright colored highlighter.

By doing other things while you read or listen, you fire the tactile areas of the brain when you tap, eat, chew gum, etc. It all helps retain the information better for a tactile learner.

Think back to school and some classes that were exceptionally hard for you or a teacher that was a nice person but a lousy teacher. If you are a tactile learner the reason you had trouble learning in that particular class may not have had anything to do with you or the instructor but simply the wrong teaching style for you to be able to learn.

After that dissertation, folks should think about the way they learn skills in the bush and adapt to their learning style. They'll pick the concept up much easier. If you are visual then watch someone else, if you are auditory have someone explain it, if you are tactile, do it yourself. That's somewhat intuitive but we don't always get to chose the method of instruction if we are the student so be aware of your learning preference and make certain the instructions meet your needs. If you are uncomfortable in a class or simply aren't understanding what is being taught then consider the method of teaching as the culprit.


And...if you teach survival, think about including all three methods into your class so you reach all your students. Write it on the board (yes, even outdoors. If you aren't writing it for them to read then you aren't reaching your visual learners), explain the concept out loud and hand out some items as examples of what you are trying to convey. Everyone in the class will look at the item and pass it on EXCEPT the tactile learner. They will turn it over and over and examine it from every angle. Not only are they learning by doing it, you have just discovered who your tactile learners are!

[Gray Wolf]

Impressive Rick. Well put.

[corndog-44]

I'll give my Indiana Hillbilly version of what Rick said .

Survival teachers should be able to demonstrate survival (woodcraft) skills and to provide opportunities to learn and practice those skills. The best way to learn is for the student to get a hands on woodcraft experience. That should be guaranteed by the instructor. The subject of survival has many levels and the aim of the instructor should be to initiate beginners and encourage them to continue to broaden their knowledge. At this level of training the students should realize that a wilderness survival teacher only introduces them to the basic skills needed in survival and not necessarily the woodcraft skills needed for the backwoods lifestyle.

[Rick]

Well put, Corndog for an Indiana Hillbilly version.