10 final tips

  1. Focus on what matters. What are the essential skills, knowledge, and attitudes that students should have upon completing your course? Build your course around learning objectives that are essential and eliminate those that are merely “nice to know.”
  2. Be organized and manage expectations. Help your students know what to expect and be clear about your own expectations.
  3. Continually examine your instructional practices and seek ways to improve them. Effective instructors are always improving.
  4. Adopt a “lifelong learner” mindset and foster that mindset in your students. Stay up to date with the latest technology and research. Connect with other USPPA instructors and strive to learn from each other.
  5. Focus on the positive. Tell your students what to do rather than what not to do. “Keep running” vs “Don’t sit.”
  6. Speak their language at their level. Don’t use complicated lingo.
  7. Teach by example. Students pay more attention to what you do than what you say.
  8. Care about your students. Strive to make your students feel good about their decision to get into paramotoring. Don’t allow money or your ego to get in the way of their journey. This journey is a big deal for them!
  9. Be flexible. Sometimes things don’t go according to plan. Bad weather, family emergencies, and other things can derail your plans.
  10. Be patient. Remember what it was like when you were new.

Thank you for participating in this course! Have fun, be safe, and blue skies!