bushcraft instructor

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That is essentially what i have asked for in opening this thread, some constructive pointers to help us 'youngsters' to make something out of our enthusiasm for bushcraft and pass it on to others, as a mod should you not understand this?

Actually, thinking about this a little more, have you thought about joining your local scout group? You will be dealing with young people, they will most likely be keen on outside activities and it will give you a great audience to practice on.

Also, they will let you know if you are not capable of teaching!!
 

JonathanD

Ophiological Genius
Sep 3, 2004
12,809
1,479
Stourton,UK
As a parent, you aint getting anywhere near my child!

Sorry but you need to be able to instill confidence, and that is a lot different to bravado!

However, if you think you can do this, good luck and I wish you success.

I've actually met Josh when he was up here and he came herping with me. In person he is knowledgable, has a real passion for the countryside and comes across very differently than you would expect in a quiet confident sort of way. I think he would be great with kids and in a teaching role would readily leave my kids with him, although he may regret it as the youngest is a nightmare. The videos are made with mates out in the woods and we all behave differently when out with mates, especially at that age. Employed in a responsible role would certainly see a different light to the percieved character that seems to have been built up here. Good luck to you guys. Work your butts off and cram your minds with more practical and theory than you can possible conceive.

The scout idea is a good one too. Experience is unfortunately a major factor, and teaching is very much based on experience. I do a lot of school visits talking about conservation and herpetology, as well as teaching young zoologists venomous snake handling. Learning how to teach was a learning curve for me, and engaging people was alot harder than I thought. Although, I'm waving venomous snakes in peoples faces so have a major excuse for failing.
 
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Tiley

Life Member
Oct 19, 2006
2,364
374
60
Gloucestershire
Hmmm. An interesting one, this.

Enthusiasm is great and will certainly help the delivery along quite well. People seem to confuse the need for the 'experience of teaching' with 'experience'. I cannot vouch for your bushcraft experience but I would assume it's pretty sound but I would imagine that your teaching experience is nil and therein lies the problem. As others have suggested, make the investment and go on a couple of courses, watching and listening to the instructors very carefully. Try and note down the things that contribute to a successful lesson/session, including timings, pacing, resources, shifts from talk to demo to participation. Then, it's a matter of practice, practice, practice, ideally with a 'user-friendly' small group.

Do be aware that there are huge differences between what kids can do, what teenagers can do and what adults can do, not just in terms of out-and-out strength, but attention span, loo breaks, drink 'n' snack breaks and, bizarrely, levels of discomfort that your clients are prepared to endure. Be prepared to be very flexible with the content, pacing and goals of your sessions: if you can only operate within a rigid scheme, you will become frustrated and your delivery will be poor and, actually, the whole thing of teaching is probably not your bag.

It is desperately important that you become a reflective practitioner. Always be honest is the way you appraise your performance and delivery of a lesson and take the time to make notes of how you can improve and what you can improve for the next session. It makes very informative reading, looking back at the assessments to the lesson plans that you absolutely must generate.

Liability insurance, a really, really good wilderness first aid course (with the necessary investment in the kit to cope with life's little travails), food and hygiene qualifications (if you're intending to feed them...) and an absolutely rock solid understanding of what is considered 'best practise' (a.k.a. 'safest techniques' - not necessarily the most flash but mandatory for success) for each of your teaching modules is a starting point to which you add your enthusiasm and that elusive ingredient, experience of teaching.

Before you start off, do research your market: do you actually have a client base to start this enterprise? Is there scope for it to expand? If folk aren't interested in what you have to offer or if they don't trust your lack of experience, then you'll have to go away and plug those gaps.

I don't wish to pontificate or be damning or parental about it but these few observations come from being a professionally qualified teacher AND an alumnus from John Rhyder's year-long Bushcraft instructor's course. If I can be of any further help, please feel free to pm me.

Good luck.
 

Dogoak

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jan 24, 2009
2,286
286
Cairngorms
wanted you guys to tell us what you want to learn more about so we can cater for people who are knowledgeable yet want to learn more, we aim to be up and running in the next 6 months and any input would be much appreciated :)

IMHO if you are planning to instruct people who are already knowledgeable you really need to be on top of your game. Clients who already have some knowledge will probably be much more enquiring so your knowledge needs to be wide, and I would suggest you will need the experience to back it up.

As others have suggested, H & S, lesson planning etc; it will require a great deal more than just showing people a few simple skills, I know some highly skilled people in a variety of disciplines who would be useless at instructing/teaching (and they would agree) as it requires the various 'people' skills that some folks just don't have.

An ability to communicate and the ability to be highly proffesional are just for starters. If it was me I would be concerned as other replies mention children, on more than one occasion when being assesed for national governing body awards assesors have stated 'I'd be happy for you to take my kids' I take that as a great compliment being an instructor and a parent. I have also used that philosophy when making assesments on others, regardless of other attributes.

Good luck with your venture, spend time on research etc; etc; etc; etc; but make sure you have got it right before you start so you won't end up wasting your own time.
 

sirex

Forager
Nov 20, 2008
224
0
bournemouth
ha ha very funny guys... constructive? we all know i was visciously attacked, jokes over....

I know this is going to seem really really minor, but if it bugs me it'll prolly bug other people. If you're aiming to give a professional impression of your company (and yourself) on an internet forum, dont start any post with "so".

Personally, I put pidgeon into hole at that exact moment. Sorry :-(
 

JonathanD

Ophiological Genius
Sep 3, 2004
12,809
1,479
Stourton,UK
I know this is going to seem really really minor, but if it bugs me it'll prolly bug other people. If you're aiming to give a professional impression of your company (and yourself) on an internet forum, dont start any post with "so".

Personally, I put pidgeon into hole at that exact moment. Sorry :-(

Blimey, you are kidding? Here we have two individuals wanting advice (negative and positive, but constructive), and you're having a pop because he started the first post with 'So' :lmao:
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
There is a point on communication style here though Jon. To appeal to a wide audience, you do have to adopt a tone and style that is at least not "offputting" to potential customers. There is a line to tread between not being too stiff and formal, but also not undermining your message by sloppy, slang ridden or unclear communication. Its a lesson worth learning...
 

JonathanD

Ophiological Genius
Sep 3, 2004
12,809
1,479
Stourton,UK
There is a point on communication style here though Jon. To appeal to a wide audience, you do have to adopt a tone and style that is at least not "offputting" to potential customers. There is a line to tread between not being too stiff and formal, but also not undermining your message by sloppy, slang ridden or unclear communication. Its a lesson worth learning...

Fair point, but how I present myself on here is different to how I present myself in my job. I'm for more informal in my communication here.
 

sirex

Forager
Nov 20, 2008
224
0
bournemouth
Blimey, you are kidding? Here we have two individuals wanting advice (negative and positive, but constructive), and you're having a pop because he started the first post with 'So' :lmao:

Sadly im not kidding. Maybe it's just my personal experience, but whenever I read a post that begins with "so" I tend to immediately think "teenager".

I know that's what I thought with this thread, but I dont know either of these guys so might be totally wrong !

You know, little things add up and all that... Well, I thought it was constructive anyhow. :)
 

Shewie

Mod
Mod
Dec 15, 2005
24,259
24
48
Yorkshire
I don't wish to pontificate or be damning or parental about it but these few observations come from being a professionally qualified teacher AND an alumnus from John Rhyder's year-long Bushcraft instructor's course. If I can be of any further help, please feel free to pm me.

Now that's an offer you guys should really follow up, right on your doorstep too

I was going to suggest John's Woodcraft School course as a good starting point and if Tiley has been there already then you can get a really useful insight.
 

Dougster

Bushcrafter through and through
Oct 13, 2005
5,254
238
The banks of the Deveron.
As a parent of young children and professional teacher I would advise you to aim a bit further away than six months.

There are so many obstacles to this you cannot imagine.

We live in a litiginous age of Risk Assessments and CRBs.

There is also a certain gravitas us parents expect when we leave someone in Loco Parentis.

In September 2011 I am looking to start a BTEC in Countryside and Environment for 8 - 12 studentsin a school which has emplyed me for the last five years, with two full time staff members in addition to me and still the admin load is enormous.

Maybe aiming at working for somone else - probably only in a voluntary manner would give you the experience people are looking for. Catch 22 - no work without experience, no experience without work.

As for what others are saying - you have left a digital footprint, people will not part with hard earned cash without research; which normally happens online..... and from what I've seen I'd go elsewhere I'm afraid.
 

JonathanD

Ophiological Genius
Sep 3, 2004
12,809
1,479
Stourton,UK
Sadly im not kidding. Maybe it's just my personal experience, but whenever I read a post that begins with "so" I tend to immediately think "teenager".

I know that's what I thought with this thread, but I dont know either of these guys so might be totally wrong !

You know, little things add up and all that... Well, I thought it was constructive anyhow. :)

I understand your point. It came across differently to me in your original post. It is a good point to learn for business communication. Don't forget though, that it's not business communication here, but an informal post in a forum. I wouldn't dream of posting big facepalms to my business contacts, but do it loads here.

Anyway, I'm going Off Topic as usual.
 

Ph34r

Settler
Feb 2, 2010
642
1
34
Oxfordshire, England
Sorry to be the evil guy, but I think this point needs backing up. I don't think from what I saw of your videos, and what I have heard from your behaviour that you are CURRENTLY up to it. I think that if you are only 18, then you should go out and get some experience of the world. From what I saw, you don't have enough bushcraft experience to teach, and none of you are in the forces, so I'm guessing that you don't know much about when fieldcraft goes wrong.(other than your lucky escape from your mates knife)

If you are serious though, you should remove those videos, get some more experience, and get a load of money to pay the insurance people. First aid qualifications would be a must, but seriously, if you had any experience in the forces or had a degree in biology for example, then i think people would feel safer around you.

Best of luck (you will need it).
Ph34r
 
First of all, the very best of luck with your new venture.
There is some sound advice above, but may I add......
1. Start working now to build your reputation.
2. Know any subject you intend to teach inside out.
3. Practice what you preach, don't read about how to do something in a book and then think you can teach it.
4. Don't expect too much from people. Challenge your students, but don't over stretch them
5. Don't waffle or bulls**t people. You'll be found out and bang goes No 1
6. Keep any promises you make
7. Get insurance and keep everything legal. Do a first aid course and get CRB cleared.
8. Go to some other Bushcraft schools as a student and learn what you can about how they opperate.
9. Start to promote and market your school now.
10. Don't expect to make a shed load of money.

RM set up Woodlore when he was a teenager, so don't let the merchants of doom get you down.
 
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Graham_S

Squirrely!
Feb 27, 2005
4,041
65
50
Saudi Arabia
I've been thinking about this,
At the end of the day, my advice would be to;
  1. get accredited certification in a recognised course
  2. get good first aid training
  3. get experience of teaching
  4. work with a known school for a few years

most people going on a course will research the school they're going to.
There are plenty of schools out there, so you need to be comparable in skill and experience, or offer something they don't.
Unless you have a unique niche you need the experience.
you're both 19, and this means you're very unlikely to be taken seriously without some serious credentials to back you up.
As they say in the military,
You need to get some time in.
 

FerlasDave

Full Member
Jun 18, 2008
1,760
533
Off the beaten track
I think what has been said here is correct. Knowing josh personally and having camped out with him on several occasions I have to say that he drastically needs to improve his campcraft and improve on lesser known skills. What he shows in his videos is good but from what I can see and I have told him this before is that he can be too quick to teach before he has learned himself.

I think the best choice is for him to join some sort of organisation, either helping out at the local scouts or even joining the local TA unit for some basic skills like; higeine in the feild, first aid, navigation etc. Which are the skills that josh is lacking in. Best of luck though and dont give up just because you need to learn, life is all about learning. ;)
 

Siberianfury

Native
Jan 1, 1970
1,534
6
mendip hills, somerset
I think what has been said here is correct. Knowing josh personally and having camped out with him on several occasions I have to say that he drastically needs to improve his campcraft and improve on lesser known skills. What he shows in his videos is good but from what I can see and I have told him this before is that he can be too quick to teach before he has learned himself.

I think the best choice is for him to join some sort of organisation, either helping out at the local scouts or even joining the local TA unit for some basic skills like; higeine in the feild, first aid, navigation etc. Which are the skills that josh is lacking in. Best of luck though and dont give up just because you need to learn, life is all about learning. ;)

i am first aid trained mate :p

although i would agree with the rest, and id also add on organising my camp and being less messy
 
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