Teaching can be a difficult task, whether teaching as a profession, training an employee or colleague on a new skill, or simply helping your children with their homework.  Sometimes I get frustrated when I can’t explain something that is so clear in my mind but is so clouded in the mind of the person I’m trying to help.  Fortunately, there is a great tool for becoming a better instructor on the FAA web site, oddly enough.  The manual is titled, Aviation Instructor’s Handbook and is free to download, having already been paid for with taxpayer money through the U.S. Department of Transportation.  Although intended for flight instructors, the manual has almost nothing to do with flight and instead discusses learning theory, human behavior, teaching methods, constructive criticism, and the planning of instructional acitivities.  It’s a comprehensive yet succinct manual covering these topics in just over 150 pages.  It’s an excellent read for anyone interested in becoming an effective teacher.

http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aviation/