This coaching tip concludes our 8 part series on simple strategies for maximizing your student’s ability to learn. These tips come from a lecture by Debra Bell. The final simple strategy is another one that’s already a key part in our program: students learn best when they have fresh air, sunshine, and physical activity.
While driving around in the vehicle is not necessarily physically strenuous, it is physical activity, and there’s plenty of fresh air and sunshine to be had as well (unless you happen to be getting in some night-time practice, but there’s still plenty of fresh air at night, too!). What is it about the physical activity, fresh air, and sunlight that helps us learn? I don’t know, I’m not a scientist, but I am an educator, and I can tell you that students are always more focused when they’re outside than they are in the classroom.
You might be thinking, “But aren’t there more distractions outside?”. There sure are. When we breathe fresh air and are exposed to sunlight, though, it’s a more natural state for us. In my experience, and you may experience this as well, we’re more in control of our thoughts and our focus when everything feels more natural.
So driving out there in the vehicle you definitely have the physical activity part covered, and unless you’re practicing at night, you’ve also got the sunlight.
It’s also very beneficial to find a place where you can stop safely, get out to of the vehicle, walk around, stretch and take a few deep breaths before you get back in the vehicle. You can use these breaks to discuss how the lesson is going and to praise your student for their progress.
Watch this video to see Patrick Barrett, the Driver Education Guru, talk more about how just being outside helps learning.