CUT STRAIGHT!
Arboriculture Canada chainsaw instructors and associates gathered together for Chainsaw Instructor Intensive Training Camp 2011, in the Peterborough, ON region at Elmhirst’s Resorts from Jan. 30 – Feb. 4th. The purpose: to review, develop and collaborate together on improving our teaching techniques and updating our course resources with a specific focus on technical tree falling, hazard & danger tree cutting and advanced chainsaw safety, operations and maintenance.
Nine instructors and industry experts from Canada and the US attended this intensive train the trainer program. The group included:
Dwayne Neustaeter – Train the Trainer Instructor
Dave Ward – Arboriculture Canada Instructor
John Ransom – Arboriculture Canada Instructor
Mark Cooke – Arboriculture Canada Instructor
Matt Logan – Arboriculture Canada Instructor
Danny LeBlanc – Arboriculture Canada Instructor
Michael Harrell – North American Training Solutions Instructor
Bob Smith – Humber College Instructor
Andrew Hordyk – Arboriculture Canada Instructor
The program included an in depth analysis of the competency profiles for each of the chainsaw modules offered by Arboriculture Canada. Teaching templates, power point materials, course workbooks and exam questions and format for all blocks of instruction in our chainsaw modules were reviewed and discussed. The purpose of this process is to ensure that skills, techniques and methods are safe and modern and instructional material is consistent across the country in the following modules:
- Chainsaw Safety & Cutting Techniques
- Technical Tree Falling & Cutting
- Advanced Hazard & Danger Tree Cutting & Falling
- Hazard & Danger Tree Cutting Techniques for Power Service Restoration
This panel of experts in our industry draws on a combined 150 plus years of experience using chainsaws and working in the urban forest, from owning and operating tree services, working for municipalities and teaching in college environments. This experience, expertise and shared knowledge serve to strengthen and improve course curriculum and teaching methodologies of our courses.
Attendees delivered a block of instruction in camera and before their colleagues, which was followed by a peer review and feedback session on all aspects of the instruction, including the strengths and weaknesses; from introduction, use of accelerated teaching techniques and suggestions on ways to increase retention and the effectiveness of teaching the content. A day was spent in the snow at the edge of the lake, studying and practicing advanced tree falling and cutting techniques. An evening of chainsaw maintenance in the shop, tearing down saws, examining maintenance practices and learning from each other was a techie’s dream.
Our customers will see new course workbooks for all chainsaw training modules in 2011. A complete rewrite of these modules has recently been completed, with accompanying photo’s, diagrams and illustrations to better supplement the learning during the training programs. These new workbooks provide additional resource material which will strength the retention of learning and supply a resource that can be used following the course to remind students of the skills that they learned. In time, this learning resource will be available for sale to arborists and chainsaw professionals outside of our student groups and around the world.
The mantra of the week – ‘Cut Straight’ – reverberated strong and was heartfelt. Each instructor is passionate about teaching, and is especially passionate about reducing the accidents and fatalities caused by chainsaw accidents, cuts, and ‘struck-by’s when falling and cutting trees. This week was dedicated to studying the techniques used in chainsaw operations and tree felling, as well as learning and practicing teaching skills that will continue to make the programs delivered by Arboriculture Canada instructors effective and leading edge.
The unique personality, passion, authenticity and power of purpose was evident and strong in this group. Arboriculture Canada is proud and privileged to be associated with such quality people. To quote the creativity and quick wit of Bob Smith – all our customers can be assured that our instructors ‘gauge the depth of their cutting edge personalities’!
Arboriculture Canada offers instructor training privately for small groups of people. Contact us to learn more about how you can get instructor training that reveals the secrets of how to deliver high energy, memorable and effective presentations using adult learning techniques such as; suggestology, accelerated learning, edutainment and educomedy.