By Dr. Donald L. Green, 11 October 2022
The last week of ruminations has centered a lot on Motorcycle Rider Education. Still, to narrow my focus, I began thinking about the MSF Safety Pyramid and the potential Professional Development aspects it contains. Although I have looked at the pyramid many times, I began to wonder how it associates with RiderCoach knowledge and levels. Although I am not a fan of labeling RiderCoaches by groups, I believe the intent has always been the self-analysis of where we are and where we could be with a little effort…
1) Level ONE RiderCoaches deliver the Basic RiderCourse per minimum standard and do not work toward making each course better than the last. We all may start here as we graduate from our RiderCoach Preparation Course (RCP). However, when I completed my RCP, I had not done a full BRC without help; so much of being a graduate is just a familiarization of what is possible. It takes time and effort to get to the minimum standard or develop a knowledge base foundationally grounded in the underpinnings of the curriculum. Level ONE is the minimal standard.
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2) Level TWO RiderCoaches are Beyond Level I; they routinely review and study the RCG and range cards. Do you peruse the range cards and RiderCoach guide every time you coach? I have a professional habit of opening each at least twice a week. This post is an excellent example of how someone can get lost in the information embedded in the RCG. It all started with the Safety Pyramid, and look what thoughts it inspired me to spend time with. As an aside, those who attend Tribe Talk Happy Hour are constantly sifting through the RCG and Range Cards to ask, answer, and question how we interpret and apply the words.
3) Level THREE RiderCoaches are Level II – plus delve into the principles of SAM (Safety, Adult learning, and Motor skill development principles). These principles (or underpinnings as described by one of my mentors) guide our interactions and behaviors as facilitators of the curriculum. Tab IV Teaching the Basic RiderCourse is my favorite tab because it explores a small bit of the depth and breadth of how the underpinnings support what we do in the classroom and on the range. Spending time in this area of the RCG helps one begin to understand there is a world of knowledge incorporated within the pages between the two covers. In the words of Leonardo DaVinci – “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” The RCG is a simplistic translation of a much deeper and broad collection of research and educational knowledge.
4) Bonus – Level FOUR is Level III plus reflects on experiences both as a rider and as a RiderCoach to improve performance and behavior when teaching a BRC. I believe this is a place to visit but difficult to stay because improvement is never-ending. Every time the bar is raised in proficiency, the requirements are increased. Here is the cyclical issue and why giving attention to these levels is essential (in my opinion). Those who sustain level I and level II in their coaching do not rise with the bar and cause an unsustainable draw on the efforts of others who genuinely try to raise the bar. Achieving levels III and IV are essential to our students and the profession. Those who sustain level I or even level II begin to limit everyone’s potential.
I hope this stirs thought and exploration of the RCG. I hope everyone has a great week!
-Don
