Saturday, November 28, 2015

The Next One

Traditionally, I do a ton of writing in November. Just not here.
November is the National Novel Writing Month or Nanowrimo. The challenge is to finish 50,000 words in one month-- a month with a major holiday, family obligations and all of your regular work, too. Lots of my friends take the challenge and I try to finish something. It's not a novel, but I add 50,000 words to a project.
For the last 28 days, every spare minute has been spent on the IDC manual. IDC was our cop jargon for "Instructor Development Course." So a book on how to teach. Finished it today. Or, at least, thought I did. Then realized I needed to add a new section. No idea why these things always seem to pop into my head in the shower.

So, if anyone is still reading the blog, here's a taste. The Table of Contents:

Introduction
Section 1: The Unique Problem of Self-Defense
Section 1.1: Rarity
Section 1.2 An Open, Not a Closed System 
Section 1.3 Surprise, Fear and Speed 
Section 1.4 The Problem is Longitudinal
Section 1.5 The Problem Exists in the Real World 
Section 1.6 You are Teaching Students, not Subject Matter
Section 2: Subject Matter Expertise
Section 2.1 Knowledge of the Problem
Section 2.1.1 The Ethical and Legal Implications of Using Force
Section 2.1.2 Violence Dynamics
Section 2.1.3 Avoidance; Escape and Evasion and De-Escalation
Section 2.1.4 Counter Assault
Section 2.1.5 Freezing
Section 2.1.6 The Fight
Section 2.1.7 Aftermath
Section 2.2 Applicable Solutions
Section 2.3 Experience Thresholds
Section 2.3.1 Sharing Experiences
Section 3 The Ability to Teach
Section 3.1 Adult Learning
Section 3.2 Assessment
Section 3.2.1 Reading Students
Section 3.2.1.1 Creating Student Profiles
Section 3.2.1.2 Troubleshooting Difficult Students 
Section 3.2.2 Reading a Class
Section 3.2.3 Assessing Sources of Information
Section 3.2.4 Assessing Drills
Section 3.2.5 Assessing Techniques
Section 3.3 The Transfer of Information
Section 3.4 Curriculum Development
Section 3.4.1 Curricula in General
Section 3.4.2 Curriculum Design for Long-Term Classes
Section 3.4.3 Curriculum Design for Short Classes
Section 3.4.4 Teaching Groups vs. Singles
Section 4: Principles-Based Teaching
Section 4.1 Background Concepts of Principles-Based Teaching
Section 4.1.1 Building Blocks
Section 4.1.2 Principles
Section 4.1.3 Concepts
Section 4.2 The Process of Principles-Based Teaching
Section 4.3 The Flaws of Principles-Based Teaching
Section 5: Teaching Professional (LEOs, Military and Specialty Teams)
Section 5.1 The Fundamental Fundamentals
Section 5.2 Before You teach, Know the Policies
Section 5.3 Teaching Professionals
Section 5.3.1 Class Structure
Section 5.3.2 Preparation
Section 5.3.3 Class Format
Section 5.3.4 Deciding What to Teach
Section 5.3.5 Setting up the Class
Section 5.3.6 Presentation
Section 5.3.7 Troubleshooting
Section 5.4 After the Class
Section 6: Instructor Ethics
Section 6.1 Ethics
Section 6.2 Student Empowerment
Section 6.3 Assumptions and Biases
Section 7 Business and Marketing, to be contributed by Randy King
Section 8 Tips and Tricks
Appendices
Appendix 1 Building Blocks
Appendix 2 Principles
Appendix 3 Concepts
Appendix 4 Dracula’s Cape as an Example of Operant Conditioning
Appendix 5 Example Flexible Curriculum Template 
Appendix 6 Example Revolving Curriculum
Appendix 7 Example Professional Lesson Format

Appendix 8: Sample Safety Briefing 

19 comments:

Tiff said...

To me, Section 1.6 is pivotal to the core of your teachings. Looks great - excited to read!

Anonymous said...

Interesting, but could it be the first of your books that's reeeally not meant for civilians?

Unknown said...

Can't wait to buy it. Will I be able to get it as a christmas present for myself?

Unknown said...

Can't wait to buy it. Will I be able to get it as a christmas present for myself?

The European Historical Combat Guild said...

It the book that offers up what one looks.for.when searching for.a teacher/place to learn. While laying out what some.who claims to teach the subject should be addressing.
Looking forward to it.

Mike said...

Looks solid and interesting so far; I'll enjoy reading this one. Thanks for sharing your ideas with us, Rory.

Jim said...

Looks really promising! Looking forward to the finished product.

Solid instructor guides & training is something that is way to rare in LE and SD circles. Instructor Development here focuses on the adult learner, presentation techniques, etc. but not really how to run a classroom. High liability areas (firearms, DT, driving) focus on how to run the instruction, but again, not how to actually do it. And the apprenticeship portion is only a bare starting point...

One of your talents is being able to look at this material from that skewed perspective about why it works and how to teach it... so I'm really looking forward to this!

Rory said...

Thanks, Tiff,Joshke, EHCG, Mike and Jim.
2rude-- I don't think so, but it is aimed at people who teach about danger. I think the bureaucratic restraints on most LEO/military trainers will make some of it harder to apply than for civilians.
Verner- Unlikely. I have to do a clean-up, send it out to first readers, listen to their comments, get it proofread, formatted and have K design a cover... Even the e-book is still at least a month out and probably two.

WING CHUN INCas said...

Still out here, still following.

Michelle said...

Anxious to see this one!!

Charles James said...

Looking forward to its publication.

Valeer Damen said...

Sorely needed! And it looks really solid.

It's still on my list to write a comprehensive-ish thing about teaching self-defence to victims of child sexual abuse, rape etc. It's kind of specific, but having been victimised is apparently one of the #1 indicators for being victimised again, and I've found these people have specific (non-obvious) obstacles to overcome. Your blog post just nudged this thing closer to the top of my list.

Thanks for everything you write and teach. It makes the world better.

Sick Guy

Ellis Weinberger said...

I look forward to another excellent printed volume from your good self. Whenever it arrives, it will be welcome.

hjkl said...

Could you also include a brief section on strength/ physical conditioning for SD?

I read somewhere about a woman that would run around a building before firing a few rounds at the shooting range in order to simulate the adrenaline dump.

Kostya Tzu looks up and spins in circles to simulate being disorientated from punches when he's shadowboxing.

things like this perhaps

hjkl said...

Also, I really enjoyed the daily mental exercises from the Drills Manual so, more of those would be welcome. heck, I'd buy a whole book on them

Something like homework exercises for the class to complete before the next meeting as well...

Unknown said...

Would definitely be interested in this work!

Anonymous said...

Waiting.

Agent Cbeppa said...

I really enjoyed your book, 'Meditations on Violence,' and it's exciting that you have some other books out there and in the making! In fact, I would like to use excerpts from your book in the novel I'm working on. Would that be all right with you? Of course I would cite the work as yours.

Anyway, thank you and keep up the great work!

Anonymous said...

Has this book been published?