A Training Of Trainers Training

This week I was tasked with training more trainers for the Native American Curriculum (NAC) that is presented in our state approximately 8 -10 times each year. The trainees consisted of nine males and 3 females.

Our group of senior trainers has been training more trainers since 2010. And the question is why are we continuing to do this? The younger trainers have full-time positions and can’t get away for a 3-day training and are in different parts of the state, so we fit them in where we can.

Most senior trainers are retired. One can train only in the summer months as he is a professor at a tribal college. 2 female trainers recently retired and have more time to train. It seems that if we keep training trainers they will all eventually get to retirement age and can train with other trainees.

The trainers consisted of 3 female senior trainers and 2 other female trainers. Two of our male trainers, 1 senior and one other popped into the training to check in and meet the trainees.

As trainers, we met the afternoon before to come up with a plan based on moving the Training of Trainers (TOT) to two days of training, rather than three days. And we needed to decide who would train on what part of the curriculum, and what parts may be cut out of the training.

The trainers consider the NAC similar to an American Indians 101, college-level class. The personal stories are what make it richer and more valuable to the participants, including the other trainers.

The meeting was important as we hadn’t presented the TOT in some time. It was a good meeting but we had no idea that one of our trainers had covid. She tested just a few days before joining us and tested negative. Then the last day of training she tested and was positive.

It put off plans that many of us had for the weekend to wait and see if we would also test positive in a few days. I will surely be glad when the pandemic is over. She thought she had a bad cold and was getting over it when she drove to the meeting that day.

She said and continued to say throughout the training that each day this week she was feeling better. She did not wear a mask, gave hugs, and sat close to me, even though I continued to move away and even told her I was doing that, as did another trainer, as I did not want to get a cold.

I had difficulty with cutting the training to two days when there was so much to cover and with 12 people present as trainees.

Then there was the spiritual leader that is usually invited to open the training with a ceremony and then leaves the training. This man came back throughout the two days to share more teachings. In a three-day training, this would work. Two days, not so much!

So, we went to the very end of the day and then had hours to drive to get home. My car was in the shop, so I got a ride from the trainer with covid. Needless to say, I was exhausted after the training. I would normally be tired for a few days after a 3-day training.

Because of being so tired, my thoughts were, is it covid? I tested now for 2 days and my tests are negative. As suggested, I have been drinking lots of water. I also use some other Native American medicine.

The good news is we did get a good bunch of trainees that will do a nice job of sharing the Native American Curriculum around the state and in their communities. There were already plans in place for four to work as a team to train in one of their areas.

Is this bad form to complain about what happened at the TOT? Maybe because I haven’t said it to more than one other person and I am saying it to who knows who! Doesn’t this discussion come up in more places than we know?

I would vote to go back to a three-day TOT. And to have real clear expectations of trainers and trainees. As the pandemic continues, to excuse themselves from training if they are not well, and wear a mask if they have been exposed to covid, or are coughing.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Published first by Bad form in Medium