Our Training Philosophy
by Jim Marshall, President
It is an enormous privilege to bring what I have learned from the practice of psychotherapy to the 911 Community. What began as a personal interest in my sister's career years ago has become my greatest professional passion.
Reckoning with Extraordinary Demands
In my view, the psychological demands facing 911 dispatchers daily are extraordinary. Emergency telecommunicators are in a very real sense the first First responders, and they deserve to be equipped with far more sophisticated knowledge and skills to cope with and effectively dispatch complex, traumatic calls.
And with increasing legal, media, and funding pressure on dispatchers, the need for training based in sound psychology has never been greater. I am devoted to developing dispatch training curriculum and classroom experiences that will meet this need. That is why 911 Training Institute was established.
The Institute's Learning Philosophy
I believe every person is created with dignity and deserves to be treated with respect. As an instructor, my approach to teaching is driven by the conviction that all class members have an important contribution they can offer the class based on their unique life experiences and personal strengths.
So, whether training at the national or local level, to professionals in various fields or the public, I have always told the audience or class that we are a team: the job of the teacher is to bring distinct expertise to his students, prepared and delivered in the way that will most empower them to learn.
Yet during our day together I will also be listening very carefully so that class members can contribute by sharing their own knowledge, questions, and ideas.
That is the formula that results in the most useful "take-home" knowledge. And the unique dynamics of each group inspire lively dialog that makes the day rewarding and worth remembering! I hope you'll join and contribute to one of our 911 Training Institute courses soon. See you there!
It is an enormous privilege to bring what I have learned from the practice of psychotherapy to the 911 Community. What began as a personal interest in my sister's career years ago has become my greatest professional passion.
Reckoning with Extraordinary Demands
In my view, the psychological demands facing 911 dispatchers daily are extraordinary. Emergency telecommunicators are in a very real sense the first First responders, and they deserve to be equipped with far more sophisticated knowledge and skills to cope with and effectively dispatch complex, traumatic calls.
And with increasing legal, media, and funding pressure on dispatchers, the need for training based in sound psychology has never been greater. I am devoted to developing dispatch training curriculum and classroom experiences that will meet this need. That is why 911 Training Institute was established.
The Institute's Learning Philosophy
I believe every person is created with dignity and deserves to be treated with respect. As an instructor, my approach to teaching is driven by the conviction that all class members have an important contribution they can offer the class based on their unique life experiences and personal strengths.
So, whether training at the national or local level, to professionals in various fields or the public, I have always told the audience or class that we are a team: the job of the teacher is to bring distinct expertise to his students, prepared and delivered in the way that will most empower them to learn.
Yet during our day together I will also be listening very carefully so that class members can contribute by sharing their own knowledge, questions, and ideas.
That is the formula that results in the most useful "take-home" knowledge. And the unique dynamics of each group inspire lively dialog that makes the day rewarding and worth remembering! I hope you'll join and contribute to one of our 911 Training Institute courses soon. See you there!
