I have had the experience of teaching several people how to drive. Some were youngsters, but I have also taught a few adults how to drive too. Let’s just say that I am more than glad to have “retired” from this practice as teaching someone how to drive can be taxing mentally as well as physically. Still, not everyone has the funds to go to driving school or an available friend to help out. So, if you are one of the “lucky” ones playing the role of instructor, here are some tips to help keep you sane and your student listening.

1. Set A Schedule. Keeping teens on a schedule can be nearly impossible as they juggle their busy lives with after school programs, work, homework, socializing, etc., but it is something that you must do. Find a time that works for the both of you and go out no more than one hour each time for your lessons. Oh, by the way, make sure your driver in training has his or her driver’s permit on them at all times.

2. Simple Start. Keep the first lesson or two simple. Backing in and out of the driveway and driving around the neighborhood first are good starts. If you live on a busy road, then you should drive the car to a less busy area before allowing your student to take over. At the very beginning, avoid driving on days when pavement is wet – dealing with water on the road is a separate lesson for the more experienced student.

3. A Good Beginning. Thirty years after I first received my license, I remember in my lessons being told that there were four things that a driver must do before even starting the car: door, seat, seatbelt, mirror. In other words: close and lock the doors, adjust the driver’s seat for your personal settings, fasten your seatbelt, and adjust side and rear view mirrors. Then, put the key in the ignition, start the car, look all around, engage the transmission, and slowly step on the accelerator and get moving.

4. Moving Forward. Once your driver has a good feel for the car – no jackrabbit starts or hard breaking observed – step things up and start practicing using hand and turn signals, parallel parking, how to negotiate turns and curbs, etc.

5. Stepping Out. After several lessons of driving locally and practicing safe driver habits, it is time to take the student out onto a busy road. Keep this lesson short to allow the nervous student time to adjust to driving in traffic. At least initially avoid rush hour traffic, highways, and areas with excessive pedestrian traffic. Make sure your student understands road signs, traffic signals, stopping/yielding, and the myriad of other rules of the road. Repeat lessons as needed to help your student grow accustomed to driving in traffic. Once your student builds up their confidence, take them out on the highway.

6. Study and Review. While behind the wheel lessons are extremely important, knowledge about driving rules and regulations are important too. When driving down the road, point out road signs and ask your student what they mean. Discuss the fines and points that can be assessed by the Department of Motor Vehicles {DMV} for violations. All of these things will be on their written test.

7. Defensive Driving. If you live in a more northerly climate, learning how to drive on ice and snow is essential to being a safe driver. Even if your student learns how to drive and secures their license in warmer months, insist on getting back in the car with them when wet leaves, snow, and ice are on the ground. Also make certain that your student understands how alcohol can impair judgment, how a radio, cell phone, or other passengers can distract them, and how to drive around pedestrians, bicyclists, mopeds, etc.

8. Check Fluids. An important lesson apart from actual driving and preparing for the written test is maintenance of the vehicle. Your student should be familiar with looking under the hood, checking fluid levels, hoses, belts, etc. Also show your student how to check tire pressure, do a visual check of turn signals, headlights, and all other lights. Familiarization with the exhaust and suspension systems is important too.

9. Ready, Set, Test! Once you are certain that your student understands all the rules of the road, is exhibiting safe driving practices, and is a confident driver then take the test. Do not let a pending birthday or special event drive that decision as you want to produce a safe driver, not a reckless one.

Once your student has passed their test make certain that the information on their license is correct, your car’s registration is up to date, your insurance has them covered, and the car that he will be driving is road ready before allowing him to drive by himself.

Remember, driving is a privilege and not a right. Good driving habits are formed early on, but so are bad habits. Nip any problems in the bud early to ensure the safety of your student and everyone else who is out on our roads.

Copyright 2006 – Matt Keegan is a contributing writer for the Auto Parts Warehouse, a leading wholesaler of quality performance and replacement parts for your vehicle. At the Auto Parts Warehouse we encourage all drivers to use their turn signals, adjust mirrors, and check fluids to help ensure a safe and sane driving experience.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matthew_Keegan

(May 2, 2006)Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Education today announced guidelines for current college students and high school seniors to apply for new Academic Competitiveness Grants and National SMART Grants for the 2006-07 academic year. Students who completed rigorous coursework in high school or who are pursuing degrees in math, science and critical foreign languages are eligible for a portion of $790 million in new federal funding for higher education.

In creating these programs, Congress directed that students who completed rigorous programs of study in high school, as established by a state or local educational agency and recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education, would be eligible for Academic Competitiveness Grants. Because many states do not yet offer formally recognized rigorous programs of study, and to ensure that private school students, home-schooled students and students enrolled in Department of Defense overseas schools are eligible, the Secretary of Education will immediately recognize four options for eligibility. They are:

• Advanced or Honors diploma programs. The Secretary of Education will recognize all Advanced or Honors diplomas conferred by the states as rigorous programs of study. According to research by the Department, nineteen states currently offer such diplomas upon completion of recognized coursework.
• State Scholars Initiative requirements. This program, supported by Congress, sets course requirements modeled after the National Commission on Excellence in Education recommendations. Fourteen states participate in this program, and eight additional states will begin participation this year.
• Course requirements similar to the State Scholars Initiative. This program of study includes four years of English, three years of math, three years of science, three years of social studies, and one year of a foreign language.
• Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses and scores. Students who have taken two AP or IB courses and received passing scores on the exams for those courses will be considered eligible.

These guidelines will define rigorous secondary school programs of study for academic years 2006-07 and 2007-08 while long-term coursework guidelines are established. States that wish to identify alternative rigorous programs of study for 2006-07 have the option of submitting proposals to the Department by June 1, 2006. To identify alternative programs for 2007-08, the deadline is November 1, 2006.

"We worked quickly to establish these options so that deserving students could benefit from the grants this year, while states had the flexibility to recognize their unique rigorous programs," said U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. "As time goes on, standards will be tightened and toughened. But these initial options will give states and students the time to adjust if they start planning now.

"The bottom line is that, to ensure our nation's economic competitiveness, we must first expect high academic performance from our students. Rigorous coursework and an increased focus on math and science will prepare students to succeed in college and the workforce of the future."

Congress passed the Academic Competitiveness Grants and National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (SMART) Grants as part of the Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 2005, signed by President Bush on February 8, 2006. These grant programs make available $790 million in the 2006-07 academic year and $4.5 billion over the next five years.

Congress established that first-year students may receive up to $750 and second-year students up to $1,300 in Academic Competitiveness Grants, if the student has successfully completed a rigorous secondary school program of study. Second-year recipients must also have attained at least a 3.0 grade point average in their first year of study. According to the statute, a rigorous secondary program of study is one that is established by a State or local educational agency and recognized as such by the Secretary.

Up to $4,000 in National SMART Grants will be available to students in the third and fourth years of college and pursuing a major in mathematics, physical sciences, life sciences, computer sciences, technology, engineering, or a critical need foreign language. Students must have a cumulative 3.0 college grade point average. In the coming weeks, a full list of eligible postsecondary majors will be posted to www.ifap.ed.gov.

To qualify for either program, students must also be eligible for federal Pell Grants, be United States citizens, and be full-time students enrolled in a two- or four-year degree-granting institution of higher education. In addition, for Academic Competitiveness Grants, a first-year student must not have been previously enrolled in a program of undergraduate education.

For more information on Academic Competitiveness and National SMART Grants, visit www.ed.gov.