Welcome to your first year of the National Training Institute! You are about to embark on one of the most exciting and productive professional development activities of your career. The first year is a great time to further enhance your knowledge, skills, and abilities related to instruction, learning, and student motivation and interaction. You will also explore your role as a JATC instructor in order to maximize your effectiveness in the classroom and your students’ learning and performance. The first year provides the opportunity to network with other instructors, professional educators, and various individuals who share your desire to provide the highest quality of technical instruction and training in the industry.
There are two courses in the First-year curriculum. These courses are: Course 10-Principles of Learning and Course 11-Elements of Trade Teaching. You will get a chance to read more about these courses and to do a bit of preparation as you complete this Pre-NTI module. At NTI this year, you will also participate in a Professional Portfolio session and a panel discussion with the First-Year Professional Educators. Both of these activities are designed to be interactive and tailored specifically to your needs as a JATC instructor.
Since it is your first year, it may be helpful if we share a few important items with you that will become second nature to you as you progress through the program. First of all, you are referred to as an instructor. Your fellow students are also instructors. The professors who lead your classes are the professional educators. The National Training Institute is commonly referred to as NTI. You are a member of the I-Group. There are many other groups such as the C-Group (Training Directors) and the T-Group (Technical Courses). You will have a chance to interact with these participants at general activities such as the Opening Session, evening sessions, and at graduation activities. Certainly, there will be other aspects of the program that will be explained once you arrive. Be sure to come to NTI with an open mind, a desire for knowledge, and a willingness to ask a lot of questions and to work hard!
GOOD LUCK TO YOU AS YOU BEGIN YOUR NTI EXPERIENCE!