An Cosantóir

www.military.ie the defence forces magazine | 19 The course itself is very intense with a lot of information being delivered during the two weeks and I was amazed at the num- ber of different lectures and topics that are considered essential to producing a good instructor. These lectures covered subjects like the leadership/instructor correlation; training management; military instructor training; care of trainee; and learning in groups. Each subject lecture is designed to make instructors think about how they portray themselves and how you can get information across to students in a learning environment, while also keeping up to date with training logs and reports. There is plenty of interaction with the topics and feedback from instructors. There is also an opportunity for personal experiences and views to be expressed while operating in syndicates within the classroom. I found this very helpful as it showed the challeng- es that other instructors face from day to day. Defence Forces values provide a fundamental centre point in many of the lectures and play a keen role on the course. Capt Mc- Donnell told me, "Defence Forces values are used to shape individu- als mentally, morally and physically, and as a guide to building a military career. They will also help leaders to make good decisions." I also spoke with Coy Sgt Graham Nuttall, BTC staff, who has been an instructor for 27 years to get his thoughts on the course. "It is a very important leadership course for instructors," he said. "It instils DF values, which can only be of benefit to them as well. My own instructing has had to evolve and has changed for the better. This course made us evaluate our students and pitch their training at the level required." Students on the course complete a reflective daily diary, which is used to keep track of the learning outcomes of each day. This diary ties into the newly published Handbook for Military Instruc- tors: a new publication that has a wealth of information and should be kept in the back pocket, metaphorically speaking, by all instructors as a quick reference guide to getting the best from themselves and their students. We all remember great instructors and we tend to retain more of the information we get from them. This course promotes this idea by building confidence and giving an instructor the tools required to be the best and to move the DF forward in the pursuit of teaching students to the highest standard. I am completely bowled over with how much I took from this course as a student; it has made me open my eyes to in- struction and how to apply it, while giving me the confidence to make better decisions. I would recommend the course to every NCO or officer, especially those looking to improve their instructional abilities. CPl seán CAmPBell (instruCtor), 2 BtC AtHlone "What I like about instructing on the SIC 2 course is developing the instructional and leadership skills in the students. Whether they are a recently commissioned officer or a seasoned NCO, they will learn something new; from effectively delivering situation, observation, associate and access, reinforce and recommend (SOAR) reports to recruits or cadets, to personally developing their own instructional skills and styles in the classroom." CPl tommy gillesPie, 28 inF Bn "The SIC 2 course, for me, emphasises and cat- egorises methods of instruction that we have done in the past, and defines a clear path and guidelines to follow for eliciting the best per- formance and standards from new inductees. A big part of this is DF values and how these are instilled, not only in recruits, but also in us as military instructors. After this course I will be instructing recruits in 28 Inf Bn." sgt miCK lennon, 1 Cn Cois "I have previously instructed recruits and three- star courses as both a section commander and physical training instructor (PTI). On the SIC 2 course you are bombarded with a lot of informa- tion. Some of this is revision but overall it is quite beneficial and it gives you a chance to fine-tune the skills you already have as an instructor, while also introducing you to new perspectives and ways of thinking. The course gets you back into the instruc- tional mindset through theory, facilita- tive and practical lessons. It also empha- sises your rules and responsibilities, not just as a leader but also as a coach and mentor. Immediately after this course I will be attached to the Cadet School in the Cur- ragh to instruct with the 94th Cadet Class." Vox Pops

• Cover