Below is a list of frequently asked questions from students considering attending our training the trainer courses in London. However, there is scope for a long list of other pertinent and related questions.
If you have a great attitude and look forward to making a difference in your life and career, please consider joining us on our 2-day training the trainer courses in King's Cross. Why not improve your skillset and take your achievements to the highest level?
Diversity, inclusion, and equality — Ensure everybody receives the same opportunities unless impossible. Everybody must be welcomed, seen, heard, accepted and acknowledged. In class, we practice many creative exercises. Performing at the highest level is impossible if you do not feel accepted.
Leadership in the classroom —The trainer's role is a leadership role. You set the standards for everything, from the energy with which you convey the message to making the class feel they can achieve whatever they want.
Fairness — Seemingly favouring one person more than another. Avoid teacher’s pet syndrome. Who wants to go first? Make sure it’s not always the same person. A pack of cards works well. Have a card for each of the participants. Shuffle and allow them to draw a card. Nobody can accuse you of favouritism.
Health and Safety — Be careful with bags, cables, kettles, and classroom obstacles. Isolate any dangerous areas. Not all training occurs in a classroom. Be cautious and do a full risk assessment in the training space. The trainer is responsible for everybody's safety.
Punctuality — Arrive first and be the host. Welcome students. Stop what you’re doing and make plenty of eye contact when they arrive in the classroom. After class, stay behind and see if anybody has any questions.
Lunchtime refreshments — If you offer your students a buffet lunch or the session is at their workplace, allow them to eat first. Leaders eat last.
Induction — prepare one - we'll show you how. It provides orientation. Ensure you cover the fire drill and Health and Safety issues. You're responsible for H&S.
Engagement — prepare a ‘connection before content exercise’ for the first arrivals.
Activities — Prepare activities that are relevant to the subject of the training.
Jargon and acronyms – make sure everybody has a glossary of terms. There are many acronyms and jargon in law, medicine, accountancy, IT and other disciplines. If they don’t understand these terms, the students are lost.
Vocal care — Don’t strain your voice. Wear a scarf over your chest and throat in cold weather. If you suddenly can’t work and there’s no substitute, it’s a setback for everybody. Cancelling and rescheduling training is incredibly disappointing and expensive. You’re trebling everybody’s work. Cancelling trains/flights/hotels/classrooms etc. It’s a massive inconvenience for everybody.
Dress code — This is a subjective issue, dependent on many things. My work is in the classroom, and here is my response. I recently watched an interview in which Barack Obama said he had three navy blue and three black suits, ten white shirts, and a selection of plain-coloured ties. He is widely watched and quoted, and as a communicator, the true colours of his wardrobe always work for him on TV. I have my training uniform, too. Smart blue or brown trousers. Smart blue and green shirts with cufflinks. I can mix and match them, which saves a lot of thought. I always wear smart shoes, and never jeans, shorts or trainers.
Cleanliness — Tidy the room, food, drinks, cups, and papers. Clear them away and ensure a tidy environment throughout the day. You don’t want to arrive for tomorrow’s class and find a messy room. Learning in a cluttered space is suboptimal. Ask your students to use the bins provided.
Session length — If you see people leaving your session before the break, it indicates that it is too long. Plan sessions to last around 45 minutes.
Room temperature — Learning will be inhibited if it’s too hot, cold, or humid. Students will feel uncomfortable, so check the temperature regularly.
Refreshments — Teas, coffees, water, and biscuits. Keep milk out of the sun. It goes off quickly and can cause a bad tummy.
Storytelling — As the trainer, you must tell stories of success and be prepared to tell stories of when and where things go wrong. Tell the latter without judgment. Use them as cautionary tales, especially concerning health and safety.
Venue hire — Book rooms in advance if it’s your responsibility. If not, speak to those responsible and check regularly for confirmation.
Training evidence — documentation, signing-in sheets, and feedback forms. Maintain evidence of student engagement. When you hand out feedback forms, leave the room for five minutes so they can concentrate in your absence. Ask students to be objective in their answers. If students are allowed to discuss the course together, they’ll produce groupthink. If there’s a senior person present, their thoughts can influence others’ thoughts.
Feedback by email —The best answer is a gentle ‘No’. You want to establish their thoughts now, just as the class has ended. Otherwise, you'll be chasing them for weeks.
Vince Stevenson - Founder College of Public Speaking 2006 Ltd.
If you have a great attitude and look forward to making a difference in your life and career, please consider joining us on our 2-day training the trainer courses in King's Cross. Why not improve your skillset and take your achievements to the highest level?
