You don’t have to look far, in order to find an article about learning to drive, which looks into the subject of whether gender in any way affects the way we learn. It seems to us that “someone” is making a lot of money out of this old chestnut!
You will regularly see such comments like, men are more co-coordinated and have natural driving ability, whilst the girls are said to be more patient and be better listeners.
Stereotypical nonsense?
People are people, with different start points. Yes, boys do tend to have a little more mechanical knowledge, it’s just a male thing. However, learning to drive does not require the learner driver, to be able to change a track rod end!
Learning to drive is the same as learning anything else.
Firstly, the student taking the driving lessons must want to learn! The old saying “ you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink”, deals with this point very nicely.
Secondly, teaching methods need to be suitable for the learner driver. This means, focusing on their individual learning style. Again, here there has been much research into the field, and we often hear such statement like, they are a “ visual learner”, or such like. I heard someone on a course once say to the trainer, “Oh I see what you mean”, and the trainer came back with “Ah, you are a visual learner”. Yeah, right! Most of these theories have never been proven, however it is known that if a driver instructor focuses to heavily in one area, it can hamper learning, whereas a combination therapy approach; possibly weighted yes, has a more beneficial effect on learning.
Lastly, the importance of learning in the right learning environment.
This has many facets, and includes learning on the right routes, at the right time, and not being undermined by the Driving Instructor abusing the dual controls.
On the human side, this means, for some, using a Female Driving Instructor.
Again, lots of myths and stereotypes here as well.
A driving article recently said that female Driving Instructors tend to be more gentle and patient in their approach to students, whereas the male driving instructors, were straight in! This, once more is too stereotypical, to be of any use; people are people.
When we questioned, some soon to be 17, potential female learner drivers, about their preference for a driving instructor, 81% said that they would choose a female, over a male instructor, if they could find one.
On asking why, some different reasons were given, however the overwhelming response was that they felt more comfortable, being taught by a female driving instructor, and as such might enjoy the process more.
