Driving well takes time – A portrait of how to become a driving instructor. Getting a driver’s license, owning your own car – a dream for many young people, but also an increasing professional necessity.
A man’s job
Casually dressed in blue jeans and a baseball cap, I meet Eberhard Hunger in his training room. He quickly wipes the blackboard and sorts the small traffic sign magnets. You can’t tell by looking at him that he said he wasn’t quite fit this Saturday morning. With a smile he tells me that it will be fine and sinks into the black office chair at his desk.
Working with young people requires patience and trust. It’s a very varied job and Eberhard confirms that driver training is becoming more and more demanding. The training to become a driving instructor itself lasts at least nine months and consists of a theoretical and a practical part. “You always have to be flexible and broaden the spectrum,” he adds. Incidentally, the proportion of women among driving instructors is low. “It’s still predominantly a man’s job.”
A piece of independence
In the former GDR, you sometimes had to wait a long time before you could get your driver’s license, which was still the “driving license” back then, and you had to wait 10 to 15 years for a car after registering it. “Today, the desire to have a driver’s license is still as great as it was 20 years ago, especially among young people.” And Eberhard mainly works with them and adds, “I think it’s good that driver’s licenses are available from the age of 17 . If you get your provisional driver’s license, you can gain more driving experience, and when you’re young you learn even better.”
For him, learning to drive was rather unspectacular. “I come from a small village in the Ore Mountains and was already on a tractor when I was 12 years old. This continued into my youth. Anything that could be driven, whether motorcycle or truck, I got behind the wheel. Driving was comparatively less exciting then.” When asked about his first car, he has to laugh. “Of course it was a Trabant!”
“Driving a car is not decided on the gas, but rather on the brakes”
Today’s generation can hardly imagine having to wait years before you can get your driver’s license. “Today it’s no problem,” says Eberhard, adding, “20 percent of my learner drivers are sent to me by their parents, 80 percent come voluntarily and would rather get their driver’s license yesterday than today. But good driver training takes time.” And this is where he gets more serious. If you want to get your driver’s license in a hurry and drive fast, you can usually get rid of it even faster. “It’s important for me to make it clear to my learner drivers that driving a car is not decided on the accelerator, but on the brakes,” he explains.
Have You Got What It Takes To Become An Instructor?
The teaching profession is one that can offer a lot of satisfaction and fulfillment, if you have the right personality and qualifications. To be a successful instructor, you need to be good with people, have patience and compassion, enjoy teaching, and have an entrepreneurial spirit. You also need to be prepared to work hard.
Being good with people is essential for a successful instructor. You need to be able to connect with students and create a positive learning environment. You need to be able to listen carefully and respond thoughtfully. You also need to be able to convey your ideas in a clear and concise manner.
Patience and compassion are also important qualities for a successful instructor. You need to be able to control your emotions and keep a positive attitude even when things get tough. You also need to be able to handle criticism constructively.
Enjoying teaching is also important. You need to be able to find joy in teaching, even when the students are not doing well. You also need to be able to convey your enthusiasm for the subject matter to the students.
Having an entrepreneurial spirit is also important for a successful instructor. You need to be able to think outside the box and come up with new ideas to keep the class interesting. You also need to be able to take initiative and be able to work independently.
Being prepared to work hard is also essential for a successful instructor. You need to be able to stay organized and be able to handle multiple tasks at once. You also need to be able to stay positive and motivated even when the going gets tough.
Driving Instructor Test Requirements
Since becoming a licensed driver in the United States, one of the most important requirements is to pass a driving test. In order to ensure that you are prepared for the test, it is important to understand the different types of tests that are available.
The three types of tests that you will most likely encounter are the theory test, the practical driving test, and the instructional ability test.
Candidates for a driving instructor certification must first pass a theory test. This test covers traffic laws, safe driving habits, and the use of the vehicle. Candidates must also pass a practical driving test which demonstrates their ability to operate a vehicle safely. Finally, they must pass an instructional ability test which measures their knowledge of driving techniques and safe driving.
Each of these tests has specific requirements that you need to meet in order to pass. The most important requirement is to prepare for the test by studying the material that you will be tested on.
If you have questions about any of the tests or about how to prepare for them, please contact a driving instructor. They can help you to prepare for the test and will be able to advise you on the best way to pass it.
Conclusion
If you are interested in becoming a driving instructor, there are a few things you should do first. Make sure you have a valid driver’s license and have undergone driving safety training. Next, learn how to properly teach driving. Finally, find a teaching location and begin teaching.