Mississippi NRA Training Counselor Workshop Finds Focus
NRAblog 05.23.12
No one is born a teacher. Sure, some are more suited to step in front of class and dispense knowledge then others, but sharing that knowledge in a fashion that embeds the lesson in a student’s mind requires more than natural ability. And that’s part of what they were teaching at the NRA Training Counselor Workshop in Gulfport.
“It was an intense, rewarding weekend,” said workshop student Andrea Cerwinske. “Three days from morning to night with an exceptional group of instructors.”
Led by NRA Education & Training’s John Howard and Andy Lander, the seminar also had the privilege of hearing from Master Training Counselor Tom Monahan out of Florida. (The designation of “Master Training Counselor” has been retired. Tom is one of the few who still holds the title.)
Counselor hopefuls appeared on scene from as far as Arizona, Rhode Island and Virginia. We say hopefuls because attending the class does not guarantee an appointment to the position. But after learning a little history about the host hotel, missing out on an appointment wouldn’t be the worst thing to happen.
The Gulfport Beachfront’s Hurricane Katrina experience
The Courtyard Gulfport Beachfront played host to the NRA Training Counselor Workshop last weekend. But in August of 2005, an intruder all but laid siege to the hotel. An intruder in the form of Hurricane Katrina.
“Instead of playing ESPN or Headline News on the video screens in the lobby, they ran a video of the Hurricane Katrina experience,” said Cerwinske. “A car floated into the lobby.”
Though the siege lasted all of three hours, it was enough to engulf to hotel. Water rose to waist level on the streets and filled the first floor with remnants from the Gulf of Mexico. The vestige was ultimately removed and recovery underway. In time, they were finally back up to speed — welcoming guests and events like this NRA Workshop.
Becoming an NRA Training Counselor
Not everyone who attended the Gulfport Workshop received an appointment. But those who did are certain to carry on the NRA’s high standards of techniques, training and experience. No matter what the result, there’s always something to take away from the experience.
“A real benefit are the tips the other instructors share about running their classrooms,” said Cerwinske. “You can walk away with new tricks of the trade to teach your students. It’s a great supplement to the experience.”
For more on the Training Counselor Workshops (five more are scheduled for 2012), check out the NRA Training Counselor Program webpage now.
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