MSA Newslink Marketing Special

For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
Helping pupils with learning difficulties
overcome the odds is highlight of my job
Every issue of Newslink includes a
Q&A with... a member feature;
this one is Julie Thompson of
JT Driving in Durham
When did you become an ADI, and
what made you enter the profession?
I’ve been an ADI for 12 years. I came
into the profession because I was looking
for a new career and teaching driving
seemed to give me the things I was
looking for.
What’s the best bit about the job?
Teaching individuals with learning
difficulties. It’s hard to describe the joy I
feel when I hear they have passed; many
had previously been told they would
never learn to drive
And the worst?
Sadly, other people on the road,
particularly how they respond to
learners. I think road rage against learner
drivers is getting worse and more
dangerous.
What’s the best piece of training advice
you were ever given?
Never give up on a pupil or yourself.
What one piece of kit, other than your
car and phone, could you not do without?
Diary. Sounds old fashioned but trust
me, I couldn’t live without it!
What needs fixing most urgently in
driving generally?
The attitude of young drivers and that
of their parents, many of whom don’t
listen to what they are being told.
What should the DVSA focus on?
Safety for all ADIs.
What’s the next big thing that’s
going to transform driver
training/testing?
The advent of more people
switching to electric cars is
going to be huge for our
profession. The other thing
that’s going to be big, and
is connected to that latter
point, is getting people to
change to automatic.
Electric cars – yes or no? And why?
A big yes. Why? We need to save our
planet.
How can we improve driver testing/
training in one move?
It would be good if the powers that be
listened to ADIs more and took our
advice on board. We’re pretty
knowledgeable about our jobs, you
know!
Who/what inspires you, drives you on?
My pupils, especially those who are
autistic.
What keeps you awake at night?
Work and how to fit everyone in.
No one is the finished article. What do
you do to keep on top of the game?
Try to keep on learning as I go. At the
moment I’m taking a course on autism
and learning difficulties to help me
develop the way I teach pupils with such
conditions.
What’s the daftest /most dangerous
thing that’s ever happened to you while
teaching?
I once had a pupil bring the car to an
abrupt halt as they were convinced there
was a mouse in the road and they didn’t
want to hit it.
It was a leaf.
As for the dangerous, the reocurring
problem is impatient drivers who are so
desperate get past a learner that they
overtake after we’ve indicated and
positioned clearly to turn right. I’ve had a
number of very near misses.
When or where are you happiest?
At home with my poodle after a good
day at work.
If you had to pick one book/film/album
that inspires, entertains or moves you,
what would it be?
To answer all three: I would
recommend ADIs read Adults with
Autism. Favourite film is The Killing
Fields. Favourite music, anything by
Abba.
Always a
crowd-pleaser.
Perennial pop
favourites Abba
NEWSLINK SPECIAL n JUNE 2021
27