I have also never seen a motivated student who got better as a result of being brow beaten by an instructor. Verbal abuse is not only unprofessional, it’s counterproductive.

Exactly. In a nutshell.

One of my favorite lines I use when ‘setting up the ground rules’ for a class is “You guys aren’t the only ones who get to learn here: Teacher does too”. And I truly believe it; instructing someone else on a topic enhances the instructor’s ability to perform the same tasks.

Instructional settings are irrelevant. It can be a range, a college lecture hall or professional conference workshop; respect goes both ways, and it goes a long way.

Whenever my department hires new deputies, I hold an all-day individual training session for each one, regardless of their experience or apparent shooting skill levels. The first live fire at the range consists of my shooting as tight a group as I can. I do that to establish my own bona fides as someone who can “walk the walk” and isn’t afraid to put his own skills on the line. Then I have the student shoot a group at the same slow pace I did. If the group is good, I praise the student and know that she has at least a basic ability to deliver accurate fire if necessary. That often helps break the ice between us and reduces the nervousness caused by the student’s being forced to perform under the pressure of being the single focus of my attention.

If the group is poor, I run the student through a drill that is all but guaranteed to produce a decent group. If the result is better than mine, I emphasize it as a confidence-builder (“See, you are capable of shooting well, and despite my much greater experience, you even managed to do better than I did.”) I’m never afraid to acknowledge when I’m beaten (as during a dueling tree competition, for example), and I’m firmly convinced that doing so actually enhances my overall credibility with my students as someone who will treat and evaluate them fairly. Instilling pride and self-confidence in shooting students is, I believe, one of the most important things a firearms instructor can do. It not only enhances the learning experience, it helps develop the student’s desire for more training and practice. The instructor’s demonstrations can show the skills to strive for, but the occasional failure can be used to illustrate the “No one is perfect” lesson and the need to keep trying.

That being said, after I demo at a fast-for-the-student pace, I demo at the EXACT pace I’d like them to begin the drill, usually repeating that pace. This does two things for me – one, I hit more accurately and again significantly reduce my fumble factor, two I show them that the drill is in the realm of the possible, and three I show them that I can do the drill at the speed I ask them to time and time again. Sure, it has me shoot a demo three times, but from my experience people like to see things 2-4 times before they want to try it themselves. YMMV…