Most teachers are used to giving orders in the classroom, but two local teachers were the ones on the receiving end of Marine Corp Drill Instructors at the Marine Corps Educators Workshop. Every year the Marine Corps Recruiting Depot in San Diego, CA, plays host to teachers from across the country. The purpose is to gain a better perspective on instruction and see what Marine life is about.
From the moment the teachers stepped off the bus and onto the yellow footprints, they were treated like new Marine recruits. Drill Instructors taught the educators basic marching and commands, and from there it was off to the combat fields where they learned basic self defense techniques and went through a series of obstacle courses. Senior Drill Instructor, Staff Sergeant Bankes said this workshop is vital to their recruiting process.
“For teachers to come here and actually experience what their students could experience and get the answers to the questions that they have and bring that knowledge to the schools to give them a better heads up of what they will experience is big for us,” Bankes said.
Coronado Defensive Coordinator, Thomas Walser said that he was surprised to learn that the instructors use some of the same methods that his staff does on the field as a coach.
“I came out here with the idea that it was going to be a lot of the harsh in your face yelling,” Walser said. “It’s not like that at all. It’s a lot like what we do when we are coaching and a lot of positive motivation.”
