How Do You Teach an 11 Year Old How to Fly?

  • Repetition. Repeat the material several times, in several different formats (lecture, interactive CD-ROMs, videos, flight simulators, flight instruction) to allow for several learning styles.
  • Networking. Connect the student to people and community resources on a diverse array of topics surrounding aviation. The people connections are the key to making this work!
  • Make it fun! Play is still very important at age 11, but it is also a way that learning can happen. Flying "combat" flight simulators keeps the interest up!
  • Adults to coordinate support. The repetition, networking, and play need to be coordinated and tailored to the specific child, which requires a fairly high level of adult involvement.
  • Interactive Teaching Tools. Attention spans are shorter for kids, and most kids tend to learn by "doing". Interactive teaching tools like the interactive CD-ROMs work better than watching videos. Lectures work better if punctuated by hands-on demonstrations.
Examples of combinations of the above:
  • A Visit to the Engine Shop combines repetition outside of class materials, networking, play, interactive teaching tools, and requires adult coordination to set up.
  • Listening to aviation radio on a scanning receiver repeats lecture and reading material, and is fun to listen to and follow along.

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Contact:  Fritz Funk (fritzf@alaska.net)