The DKTS Instructor Development Process

Selection

Our primary criterion for our instructors is subject matter expertise. But that's only the beginning.

Preparation

At the heart of how we develop instructors is our "Train-the-Trainer" class. We call it Techniques of Instruction (TOI). It serves both as:

• A selection process -- only the very best candidates are offered teaching assignments, typically one out of each class of eight.
• A quality control process. Candidate instructors learn:
  • Our Balanced Instruction Technique -- the "BIT", featuring the Three Es: explain, exercise, evaluate
  • Classroom management methods
  • Effective communication techniques
  These things must be mastered and proven before a candidate instructor can be considered for assignment.

Professional Development

Instructors are professional practitioners of the technologies they teach. Their subject is what they do for a living. They have deep experience, and war stories to tell. Usually, teaching is a sideline to their primary career.

Ongoing Activity

Instructors often participate in the development of the materials and in their ongoing maintenance.

Getting Started

In preparation to teach a class, an instructor must first attend a delivery by a seasoned instructor, usually a live class at a client site.

Next, the new instructor must team-teach it (with a seasoned instructor). Having completed these steps, the new instructor is ready for live, paying audiences.

Quality Control

Classroom evaluation forms filled-out by students are scrutinized and discussed, and feedback from clients is treated with utmost seriousness.

Also, Dan makes occasional unannounced visits to his instructors' classes and reviews their performances with them.

Outstanding Results

The result of this lengthy process is that the person standing in front of the room is well-prepared to be there, and delivers a high-value training experience for every attendee.