Beginnings

I recently had the experience of being a complete beginner at something again. I attended flight training and had to learn to fly an airplane solo in a little over a month. It was daunting, and I went in with an only two hours of previous flying time under my belt. It was an emotional and difficult experience that reminded me of many things I had forgotten about being a beginner. Here is what I learned:

• Most often, not being able to do something came from simply not knowing how to do something. This sounds obvious, but it’s often easy to get frustrated at students (and ourselves) for not doing something correctly or up to a certain standard. However, I realized that when I didn’t do a maneuver adequately it was because I didn’t have a thorough understanding of exactly what needed to happen. Therefore, if a student is unable to do something well, take the time to make sure they understand how to do it. What exactly needs to happen with fingers and air? What should the student focus on as she performs the task? Explain it to them, or, better yet, have them explain it to you.
  

• I needed to feel comfortable asking questions. The only way I was going to figure something out was by asking a lot of questions. I did the best with the instructors who welcomed and encouraged these questions. It was disheartening when I knew I wasn’t getting better, but didn’t completely understand what to do correctly, or how to practice in order to get better. And sometimes, the only way to figure that out is to ask. As a teacher, try asking, “What are your questions,” instead of “Do you have any questions?” The former acknowledges that, as a beginner, you should have questions, and that, as a teacher, you are happy to answer them. The latter is simply to easy to say “no” too, in order to avoid looking dumb.
  

• I did not know how to practice! One of the biggest learning curves was learning how to practice flying (also known as chair-flying). Everyone kept saying, “Make sure you chair-fly; keep chair-flying.” So, I would dutifully go out to the hanger and sit in the grounded planes, going over checklists and maneuvers. I learned however, that other than learning where the switches were, this didn’t really help the actual flying part of flying a plane. Eventually I found some strategies that worked, like reading through the procedures, then visualizing doing them and what it should look like outside the cockpit. Teachers should remember that practicing is a skill, just like anything else. Take the time to practice with a student in lessons. Show them good habits and practice techniques that they can use when they’re home practicing alone.
  

• Encouragement is necessary. The instructor who told me I had great procedures and could tell that I worked hard made such a difference. It gave me confidence, which counts for a lot in anything we do. If we’re not confident in our abilities, it barely matters what our abilities actually are. We’ll hinder ourselves with our lack of confidence. It’s a bit of a cliché to always start with something positive before giving a critique, and honestly, I don’t think that’s always the most effective approach. Sometimes you just have to say, “That was really sharp.” However, genuine encouragement - really letting a student know that you believe in her and her ability to do it - can make a big difference in a student’s progression.
  

• I was not a “natural.” In fact, several instructors even told me this! The things that I could practice, like procedures and general knowledge, I was very good at. The things I couldn’t practice, like exactly how much to move the stick or throttle, or how to account for winds, I was sorrowfully behind everyone else. Yes, some things may come more easily to some people, and some things may be more difficult for others. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible, or that we shouldn’t try. There is so much more to learn in struggle than in ease.
  

 
Being a beginner was humbling, especially after I was used to a certain amount of proficiency in my life as a bassoon player. In the end, persistence and a good attitude seemed to get me through to solo and pass my checkride. Everything wasn’t perfect, but I came home with some big takeaways about learning and the frustrations and joys that go along with it.
 

What have you been a beginner at? What did you learn? Drop me a line and let me know. I'd love to hear from you!