944 Spec tech session?

[ttweed]

Granted the approaches are different and the skill levels varied, but I would say every instructor in this club has something to teach a beginning driver or even an intermediate one.

I would agree with Gary. There is always going to be a range of experience and skills among the instructor cadre. The key for the CDIs is to match those skills with the needs of the students, which is a very complex and difficult undertaking, since they are not omniscient.

It sounds like Toby's needs have not been met on some occasions, and that is understandable to me. The CDIs cannot be expected to know exactly where every student is in their development and make the appropriate assignment of an instructor. It would be helpful to them for students who recognize their own needs to be pro-active, and pre-arrange their assignment with an instructor they believe will be most helpful to them. This may not always be successful, or even possible, due to logistics or the conflict between overall student needs and the available instructor pool at any given event, but it is worth trying, and I have always found the CDIs will make every effort to accomodate specific requests.

I wonder if there is an accurate way to gauge the effectiveness of each instructor and rank them--

Attempts to collect evaluation information on instructors based on student input have been ongoing in the club for many years.

It is my thinking that until I can add enough value to justify my 167lbs in the car I wont instruct.

I think you are shortchanging yourself if you think that you have nothing to contribute to a beginning driver. Anyone with a dozen or more autox events under their belt and reasonable communication skills can help a newbie get through the day, and by contributing your talent and knowledge, even though you may believe it is limited in certain ways, would help the CDIs in making more appropriate matches in student/instructor assignments as discussed above. If you could take care of a complete newbie at each event, that is one more experienced instructor who might be matched to a more advanced student. You might even enjoy it, who knows? And it has been proven that teaching helps one learn.

TT

[Curt Yaws]

Tom:

I'll never forget the day at Streets with OCR when I was instucting and told my student he was taking an apex much too early, in fact, just like I was taking the same corner. I learned so much that day from seeing a student do the same thing I was doing. We both fixed it, we both got faster by the end of the day, and I think I learned as much as my student. It's really beneficial to both parties.

And you are so right when you say a person with a dozen AX's can be of real benefit to a new driver. Any drivers out there who have even a hint of interest in instructing should contact the CDI's. It's good for the club, and it's good for you. Like most volunteer activity, you will get way more back than what you give.

[Tim Comeau]

Just caught up on the last 4 or 5 pages........
Wow...... What a highjacking.....
Pretty disappointing for a thread that started off being so positive and helpful. Maybe some good will come of it?
The only comment I wanted to answer to was Jackie's post finishing in "put up or shut up."
Couple points.
There's no whining or crying going on here.
I wouldn't just walk up to someone else's car and pop the hood without asking. I don't even do that without permission when I'm functioning as 944 Spec Series Director, though hoods are normally open most of the time.
The info about your gear box came from your husband, through Toby, when he and I were discussing his lap times.
Wow.......
Anyway, I'll try the idea of a 944 Spec tech session again on a new thread.

[Jackie C]

HA! Well, Tim, nice of you to bring it around back to the tech session? positive note? If you'd like to speak to me directly, feel free to pm me as I did you a week ago.

[Tim Comeau]

Not necessary, not desired.
Over and out.

[Autobahn]

Ok, everybody be nice. Any more outbursts and I will paint your car orange at the next Auto-x. I have plenty of paint!!!

[Jackie C]

Sean,
Does this mean the motor is up and running?

[Autobahn]

Very close. Thanks to Volker Bruckman. He sold his business and retired, but can't stay away from Porsches. He has been working on the new motor for me at our shop. Had it not been for him I am sure my next event would have been in 2015. We found a good motor at the shop, pulled it all apart...turns out it had absolutely perfect compression on a low mile motor. Right now it's totally assembled and ready to come home for installation. It's so clean and perfect I don't want to take it off the stand. It just might make it to the Auto-x on the 10th... if not I am driving your car!!!

[Jackie C]

Excellent Sean!