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Mrs. Peel

NRA Instructor Course...

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I've noticed that a number of experienced shooters on here enjoy training new shooters, which I ROUNDLY APPLAUD!!! (In fact, there's another thread on that situation happening as I type). That said, what value do you all think NRA instructor certification brings to those situations? Does that training focus on "mechanics"? Or, does it also give instruction about "how to instruct" (child learning theory/adult learning theory, etc.)?

I do know that some of the women's groups - the local Second Amendment Women (SAW) group as well as NJ chapters of national The Well-Armed Woman (TWAW) - seem to really be putting a focus on training. They seem quite intent on moving women from new to intermediate to expert, providing development throughout their shooting careers, and also encouraging (interested) expert shooters to move up to instructor-level. (I only cite that as an example btw, I'm not focusing this thread on female shooters). But, I can tell you from experience that I observed (1) TWAW chapter leader I shot with a couple years back grow tremendously in confidence, in leadership and in training ability when she went the route of trainer certification - I mean, the difference was palpable. As a former trainer myself (NOT in firearms, where I'm sadly forever noob-ish it seems!!!), I could easily see the difference  - so I'm guessing they did something right in her certification class).

Should we (meaning the whole 2A community) be encouraging that across the board? Should people who regularly take noobs out to shoot consider trainer certification as a personal goal? Wouldn't it be good for the 2A if there were MORE instructors, and therefore more high-quality, low-cost (and even no-cost) training occurring informally? It's not that I'm suggesting we undermine the role of commercial ranges in providing instruction... I'm suggesting that supplementing the ranks of instructors could only help, especially in NJ.  

And I'm wondering if that's something we could help facilitate here at NJGF? (Ha! I haven't even spoken to @Maksim yet, so he's probably going to say: WTH is Peel doing? Dammit, rein that blabbing woman in! LOL). But my point is, we occasionally arrange discounts for products, shooting events, etc. - if we were able to sponsor a NJGF discounted NRA Instructor course... would there even be interest? OK, enough of my Saturday afternoon musing... weigh in, pls.

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I don't know how much you've looked into it but there are two parts to becoming an NRA certified instructor. The first is required no matter which discipline you want to teach. It's called Basic Instructor Training (BIT). The purpose of this is to teach methods of instruction; i.e. how to teach.

 

After that you take the discipline specific class; e.g. basic pistol, basic rifle, basic shotgun, etc.

 

Your BIT class counts for all disciplines so you only have to do it once. This means that if you want to certify in pistol and rifle you would start with BIT, then do the two specific classes after that.

 

As an incentive, becoming a certified instructor opens a little bit of NJ's draconian laws up. Without it you can only legally do a temporary transfer (hand you student a gun) at a range that has sent it's membership list to NJSP on an annual basis. As a certified instructor you are allowed to do a temporary transfer anywhere that is suitable for the training being offered. That could be a private range, or around your dining room table while you go over the mechanics of a firearm or how to clean and maintain one.

 

This is the main reason I got my NRA Instructor cert. SCFGPA didn't used to submit the membership list - I think that changed a couple of years ago following a members' vote.

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Thank you for the intel! I hadn't looked into it... mainly because it's something I would personally not consider at this stage (sometimes I feel permanently stuck in noob-dom, lol). But, I thought there might be interest from more advanced shooters.

And that's veeeery interesting about the additional "rights" it confers in terms of temporary transfers. I didn't even realize that.

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The instructor training mostly focuses on how to teach.  The NRA course material that the instructors use to teach the student classes covers the mechanics.

During the instructor courses, you take the Basic Instructor Training first.  This is a 2 day course that's 100% how to teach.  Once you have that out of the way, you can take any of the disciplines: pistol, rifle, shotgun, etc. 

In the individual instructor discipline courses, you go through the course material for that course. You will teach a portion of it in front of the rest of the group.  This is also a how-to-teach course but it focuses on how to teach that course's material - so you are exposed to the material but that's not the purpose of the instructor training. 

If you want to really refine your shooting, teach shooting.  In everything I've done, shooting or otherwise, I always learned more as an instructor/trainer than I did as a student.

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@Mrs. Peel In addition to what's already been said, I'll also add that NRA B.I.T. is a great starting point on the pathway to becoming a certified RSO (Range Safety Officer).  Old Bridge R&P holds NRA RSO certification classes from time-to-time, and we employ volunteer RSO's to "scan" the indoor & especially the outdoor ranges we own to make sure everyone is safe & following the club rules during "open shooting" by conducting unscheduled "spot-checks". 

Chief Range Safety Officers (the next level of RSO) like myself are empowered by the NRA to hold RSO certification classes, so being a NRA "TC" (Training Counselor) isn't required to run a RSO class to certify RSO's.  TC certification requires earning NRA Instructor ratings in a vast majority (all?) of the NRA shooting classes offered, and is generally the pathway to starting your own training business.

As far as discipline-specific training goes, I have friends like @Mr.Stu that are league discipline chairs (like myself---I'm OBR&PC's Police Practical Competition league Match Director) and assistants at their respective clubs that have earned IDPA & USPSA Instructor & Safety Officer ratings through national organizations that conduct discipline-specific matches at local, state-wide, regional and national match venues.  These instructor ratings also teach "how to play the game" within the games' rules, and not just which way to grip, draw a loaded sidearm from a holster & point the firearms.  Things like minimum safe distances to engage steel plates, heights on berms so no slugs escape entrapment, and "cone of fire" are reinforced.

Teaching & mentoring at this point in my shooting career are what keep me going.  As I type this my home club is running 2-3 different league matches simultaneously this morning!

Mentoring others is a pure joy and I love it so!  Mentors never finish learning, often loan equipment & ammo to friends & strangers alike, and promote good will at every range they visit.  In my shooting career I've enjoyed being mentored by some famous (JJ Racaza of Top Shot & others) & not-so-famous shooters at league matches I've attended these past several decades.  These Mentors of mine (including Stu) molded me into what I am today!

~R

Image may contain: 1 person, standing and outdoor, possible text that says 'SUNDAY GUNDAY'

 

 

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I just did the nra bit class the other Saturday and on sunday the basic pistol instructor class at union hill gun club.  With roc training. Rocco Larocca.  I did the nra rso class a few years back. Thank you Rosey for letting me know about the classes.  If anyone out there wants to do any of these classes. Contact him at union hill.  Great instructor 

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2 hours ago, Golf battery said:

I just did the nra bit class the other Saturday and on sunday the basic pistol instructor class at union hill gun club.  With roc training. Rocco Larocca.  I did the nra rso class a few years back. Thank you Rosey for letting me know about the classes.  If anyone out there wants to do any of these classes. Contact him at union hill.  Great instructor 

I was there as well. I have re-try the shooting qualification again. 

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An added bonus for being certified in one of the shooting disciplines is you can just take the test and become an RSO without sitting the class. The same goes for instructor for metallic cartridge reloading and shotgun shell reloading. 

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