Walter & Group......
From Jeff Barefoot.....
Hey, just something to think about. Approaches/methods/techniques to testing
are no different than teaching.
You have to adapt to the individual circumstance.
When Floyd Franke tested me for my basic certification saying
that he made the atmosphere far less than comfortable for me would be an
understatement. I passed due to the fact that I was well prepared for the
written, oral, and performance aspects of the test but Floyd knew that my
attitude was not where it should be. I thought he was just being a hard
nose and didn’t quite understand why he was being that way. Well looking
back at it years later I have to say that he was doing exactly what we all
are supposed to do and that’s choosing the tool for the job at hand. As many
of you have found out by now teaching situations [for that matter all of
life’s situations] can sometimes stray out of our comfort zone and it
become a matter of how you can perform under the gun when the pressure is
on. Floyd put on the heat and I’ll bet I’m a better instructor today
because of it. When I tested for my Masters w/ Bruce Richards [who was
rumored as being the toughest tester out there] I showed up not only well
prepared physically and well versed for the criteria of the test but also
mentally/spiritually prepared to serve my students. I built his confidence
in me quickly and the testing process became very enjoyable. Had I showed
up a Hot Dog /parking lot hero like I did with Floyd Bruce would of no
doubt sent me home w/my tail between my legs. So my opinion on testing is
the same as teaching. Be prepared to adapt because it’s also a moving
target.
Jeff Barefoot
P.S. Sorry I have not spent much time participating on this forum. I do try
to read most of the stuff when I get the chance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jeff....
I highlighted a key statement in your message.
Deflating a, "hot dog" such as you were in your younger years becomes a necessary part of the exam in rare cases ..... but, as with Floyd, it should not affect the outcome if the candidate is truly qualified. Floyd accomplished his purpose even though you passed, and you became a different person by the time you took your Master's exam. I remember well being concerned about that when I coached you for the MCCI exam. You were super qualified..... but both Floyd and I were afraid of your remaining with a cocky attitude which might well have turned off your examiners. Frankly, you were ahead of your time with descriptions of the concept of alternative loop planes which might not have even been understood by some examiners of the time.
I was the same way as a budding medical student back in the 50's. I got a bad attitude grade on my surgery oral exam. I went to the dean's office and he showed me the record in which the head examiner had written: "Lectures to the examiner". I, too, learned a lesson never to be forgotten!!!!!
Your contributions to the Group have included the alternative loop plane idea, lessons learned from the Roman Moser grip and other advanced concepts. For that we thank you.
Gordy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
COMMENT: Dusty and I were really discussing the best ways to handle the candidate who may be well qualified, but who is more nervous than expected with respect to the exam process, itself.
Granted, that an instructor at any level must be able to withstand the, "heat" of teaching scenarios of all sorts. He/she must be able to handle various student challenges, site and weather adversities, etc. The effective instructor must be sufficiently outgoing as to not be intimidated by presenting material before audiences large and small.
The one word description is: CONFIDENCE.
Gordy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~