Overview
Weird title, right? Yeah. We thought so, too! But this is perhaps one of the most overlooked skills in all of the drill team world!
Sure, it’s important for our leaders to teach really, really well. And that should be a huge focus when it comes to being a cadet commander, squad leader, or honestly anyone on the team who can help others improve their skills.
But what if that were only PART of the journey…
How To Be a Better Drill Team Learner
Most of the teaching we do in drill, at the cadet level, is essentially “show and tell.” We demonstrate a skill, talk through the skill, and break it down by the numbers. An outstanding teacher will have numerous ways to break things down and help their cadets understand how to perform, say, a single spin with a rifle or a funny turn in unarmed exhibition. But by-and-large, the burden of learning is on the ones being taught!
Here are THREE things we can do RIGHT NOW to help our leaders/teachers out!
- Engage our senses! To be a good learner, we must actively use sight, sound, and touch intentionally. When something is being demonstrated, you should use each of those senses to make sense (no pun intended) of what you’re being shown. Most of us rely on SIGHT alone but listening to what a movement sounds like or imagining what it would feel like to perform yourself while you’re seeing the demonstration helps your brain connect the dots. Have your cadet leaders/teachers remind everyone to be using their senses actively, rather than passively, to maximize learning. For example, it’s just as important to listen to how marching should sound as it is to see how it should look!
- Ask questions! While it’s important for a good leader to present information in a way that minimizes questions, good learners ask questions constantly. Strive to create a culture where learning involves asking questions for clarification. And when you ask a question, be as specific as possible! This will help you receive the best possible information. Leaders, you should strive to make it comfortable and normal for your cadets to ask questions. It can be awkward but with your help, everyone in the team can learn at a faster pace!
- Play! This is the BIGGEST thing we see neglected in a regimented, by-the-numbers activity like drill team! Do not undervalue spending time experimenting with the movements you’re learning! It’s just as valuable to try and perform a movement INCORRECTLY as it is to learn to perform it correctly. By allowing the team time to explore each movement they’re learning, they can “triangulate” the correct approach because they’ve eliminated incorrect ones. Leaders, we can create space for each cadet to experiment (and for you to help those struggling more effectively) by building in individual “play time” where after learning a skill for the first time, cadets get structured time to work through that movement on their own!
Conclusion
Good teaching is important. But as we always say, there can’t be any followers on the drill team. Everyone is leading themselves and their own learning and by following the simple tips above, we know everyone’s ability to learn (and retain) skills between practices will only improve!