Knight CDL School Diary

Just let it go.. Soon you will be done and just a memory... I tried to use the arm rest in school and the instructor said I haven't earned the right to use it... They are just trying to get you to pass the dot test and get your cdl....

If there is an opportunity to present your feelings towards this instructor with a policy or feedback loop I would otherwise its just an opportunity to show that you have a hard time dealing with a personality ( perhaps part of the training) .... just because you have experience as a teacher or in education doesn't mean that you have any ability to teach and if the same applies perhaps about knowing how to teach driving...... one of the questions I ask the recruiters that have been coming in " Do you have an established feedback loop on your trainers?" Perhaps Randy is the best driver the company has......doesnt mean he can teach anyone "how"...... Company programs use employees.....perhaps this is the start of "their" instructional career..... Imagine how you would feel if a "student" tells you how to teach..... Something needs to be said but how you say it and where and when will make all the difference in how your "advice" in received

.... just because you have experience as a teacher or in education doesn't mean that you have any ability to teach

Wow. Really?

.... just because you have experience as a teacher or in education doesn't mean that you have any ability to teach

Wow. Really?

Ignore his comment.

As far as the instructor he may be just testing you and trying to stress you to see how well you handle it and if you get flustered and quit. Some do try to create pressure to see who cracks. Stay focused and don't lose track of what you are trying to achieve.

Yes really...now let me explain

People learn in different methods .... the fact that you cant fathom that ( based on the response) while you have experience and perhaps success with teaching , there will be people out there that would be unable to have a positive learning experience with you as the teacher...... I'm sure you have a personal experience that there has been a disconnect with someone ( your current trial aside) who was unable to "teach " you the concept they were trying to get you to learn....( if you have never had that experience until now please provide the schools you attended there are parents everywhere who would pay exceptional money to have their offspring attend those same institutions with those same instructors.....

If you are unable to see that the person you are "learning" from perhaps is struggling to "teach" as much as others are struggling to "learn" then I'm sorry.... Those that cant do "teach"....those that cant teach "do" I'm sure you have heard or read that before ...In my experience there are very few people that are capable of both effectively....Many can make a transition with time and effort but the natural ability will always favour one or the other.

People learn in different methods .... the fact that you cant fathom that

You sir, are unreal. First, even though you don't know me, you make a blanket statement questioning my ability to teach. Then, you say that my brief comment in reply to your insult proves that I can't fathom the fact that people learn in different methods. I am not sure how you make such a quantum leap in logic.

I am well aware of different learning styles and the different instructional modalities employed to teach students according to said learning styles. I have taught basic and advanced NCO school (demonstrate the skill and then instruct it). I have owned a martial arts school and taught these skills as well (demonstrate the skill and then instruct it). I have also taught criminal justice courses at the university level (did the job as a police officer and then taught it). This is both/and, not do or teach. And, yes, I have certainly heard the well worn adage of those who can do, do, and those who can't teach. Just because it is oft repeated does not make it true.

Sure, I have had students with whom I did not connect and vice versa. Sometimes that is unavoidable.

But the subject at hand has nothing to do with learning styles and teaching methods. Insulting students, demeaning them, and being short-tempered has never been an effective teaching modality for any type of learning style for any subject matter. Telling this instructor that such comments are unnecessary and counter-productive is not telling him how to teach because such comments are not teaching. In addition, it is not just me who is having the problem with him.

And now I will take the advice of Tyler and ignore you.

One thing to keep in mind, the instructors job is to get you to pass your cdl test. You won't be allowed to hang your head out the window during the test and for parallel park, there's no reason to, it's all done in the mirrors. The only time till need to go out the window is on a 90 or things along those lines. For the test, you use the reference points they give you and if you're training in the Volvo with a Wabash or Great Dane trailer, those reference points are in the landing gear.

My 2 cents , just keep your cool and focus on your backing , sounds like you have your pre-trip in the bag already and that's a great thing. I finished private cdl school a few weeks ago and we had 4 instructors ,so 4 different opinions on anything you asked lol sometimes it made you more confused after asking then before you asked the question. They each could tell you a different way to do the same backing manuever BUT they all agreed on one thing , on our 90° backing we were to use the mirrors and put your head out the window . keep on with the daily updates , Monday I will be in gulfport,Ms To start orientation with knight and will try to do some sort of daily log myself.

Day 5

How does that old song go -- "What a difference a day makes.."

Started out doing a bona fide pre-trip for a truck going on the road. Someone hadn't been checking it very well though because all the tires were low. The drives were down to 80 and the rest at 90-95 instead of 100 psi. I must say though, that air hose you attach to your emergency line to air up your tires is pretty nifty!

After that me and two other guys went for a road trip. WAY better than last time. We had one of the other instructors who makes you feel much more at ease. I think I only missed one down shift this time (not counting the three I caught with a little grinding action...). It was like night and day between the two instructors. Much more relaxed. No yelling or screaming. A great confidence builder.

I do feel bad for a fellow student however. One of the other students in the truck today was the same guy I drove with a couple days ago. However, the other student along with us today was one who never made it off the shoulder of the road last time because he couldn't get his shifting down. We are required to drive along the wide shoulder of the road and go up through the gears 1-2-3-4, selector up, then 5-6. Then down again to gear one (it is an eight speed Volvo). Well, today, he couldn't downshift again. He had to go back to the rear seat with getting on the road again. I think he was almost in tears. This coming on top of him getting the worst score (flunking) on his pre-trip eval yesterday. He wants this so badly and it just puts more pressure on him. The instructor kept telling him not to worry because he is "salvagable" and would work with him next week to get him up to speed. I hope that happens. I told him what really helped me with downshifting was realizing that the clutch doesn't work when it pushed all the way to the floor like in a car. That after he clutches down to neutral, rev to 1500 rpm, and then slide into the lower gear as he is pushing the clutch (not neutral, rev, hold in the clutch, and then try to shift). He was also trying to rev to 1500 rpm while clutching which also can't happen with that motor apparently. I also told him that it really helped me a lot to dry shift. At the end of each backing maneuver, I ran through the pattern, 1-2-3-4-3-2-1. It helped me get used to the feel and position of the gear pattern. Anyway, I hope he is able to get it together.

After the road trip, we worked on some more backing. I was thrilled to finally get my offset down. The first time I tried it today, I got out and looked and I needed to come back about two feet. Then I figured out where my right rear tandem was and saw where it needed to be in order to be in the right position. After then I was able to do my next two offset backing maneuvers without having to get out or pullup. If I can get it down without having to get out or pull up, then hopefully, during the exam when I am allowed two pull ups and two get out and looks, I will be okay in case I get a case of nerves.

The blind side parallel is going much better too, but I only got in two reps of it today. The first time time I forgot and referenced off the big triangle instead of the smaller one so I had to pull up and reset. The second time I remembered to go off the smaller one and it went well. It seems that just getting those consistent reference points down is most of the battle. Do a good backing manuever and remember what your reference points were. I was talking to another student who is doing well at backing. He said he is referencing off the rivets on the trailer -- I may have to try that next week and see if that helps too.

Next week will be interesting. The group before us was only 3 people and our group is five for a total of 8. The next class on Monday will have ten people so that will be 18 -- more than double our current number. The prior group of three test out on Tuesday, but that will still leave 15 of us on the range with only three trucks. Sounds like a lot of waiting around next week.

It is amazing the difference between today and Monday. A lot of progress. It is nice to see the abilities of most all of the students progress throughout the week.

Well, two days to rest over the weekend!

Congrats and well done! !!!

One bit of advice though. When you get your own truck, it'll have the air hose kit. For safety sake, purchase a safety lead and attach it to the end. It has a built it pressure Guage and allows you to fill the tires from a safe distance rather than being right on top of the tire. Truck tires at these high pressure are extremely dangerous to be around when they blow.