The North Dakota Safe Communities Coordinators attended a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)/Transportation Safety Institute (TSI) training in July entitled Instructor Development. The training was made possible by the North Dakota Department of Transportation’s Office of Traffic Safety. The four day training gave the Safe Communities team more experience in training and speaking and also offered some fresh ideas and contemporary instructional techniques.

The principal purpose of the Instructor Development Workshop is to improve skills as a classroom presenter. Although no course can substitute for actual training experience, this workshop was designed to give coordinators the basic information and skills needed to prepare for and facilitate the majority of training situations that they are likely to encounter.

The workshop centered on three goals; teaching effectively, developing effective presentations, and delivering presentations effectively. Lesson plans and other materials were provided by NHTSA and TSI to help participants learn to teach effectively. Coordinators were active in developing effective oral presentations, or speeches, and then in delivering those presentations effectively. Participants learned about adult learning principles and their importance in conducting effective training. Different learning styles and motivation techniques were described, along with creative training techniques to enhance the learning environment. Strategies for handling challenging situations in the classroom were also identified. All participants were given the opportunity to develop and deliver four different oral presentations, including an icebreaker at the beginning of the training, and, on the last day, a ten minute “teaching” presentation.

The Safe Communities Coordinators came away from the training with many new ideas and more experience in speaking and teaching, or facilitating. They also had a lot of fun.

The traffic safety team from left rear; Darryl Hall, Three Affiliated Tribes Traffic Safety Coordinator, Bruce Judd, Jamestown Safe Communities Task Force Coordinator, Kasey Skalicky, Sheyenne Valley Safe Communities Coordinator, Barnes County, Robyn Litke, Red River Valley Safe Communities Coordinator, Cass County, Jennifer Habib, Head of the Red Safe Communities Coordinator, Richland County, Carol Thurn, Program Manager, Office of Traffic Safety, Rebecca Gerhardt, Region 7 Safe & Drug Free Communities Coordinator, Bismarck, Instructor Cheryl Janklow, Robert Sharp & Associates, Rapid City, SD, Instructor Pam McCaskill, TSI, Oklahoma. Second Row from left; Gina Espinosa-Salcedo, NHTSA Rocky Mountain Region Deputy Administrator, Tonya Kottre, DLN Consulting, Inc., Dickinson, Kimberly Lemieux, Region III Safe Communities Coordinator, Rolla, Kristen Partlow, Mayor’s Council for a Safe Community, Minot, Lorrie Nantt, DLN Consulting, Inc., Dickinson, Bill Vasicek, Northern Valley Safe Communities Coordinator, Grand Forks. Front Row from left; Instructor Mary Damon, NHTSA Rocky Mountain Region, Denver, CO, Debra Nelson, DLN Consulting, Inc., Dickinson, Lydia Camp, DLN Consulting, Inc., Dickinson, Carrie Bolstad, Region I Safe Communities Coordinator, Williston. Not pictured, Becky Byzweski, Southwest Safe Communities Coalition Coordinator, Dickinson.