How to deal with "Giggly" Students
 

Recently I had a female student on a trial lesson whose reaction was to giggle (laugh) at almost everything we did!

I am sure this reaction is as a result of feeling nervous but I wondered how other instructors out there might deal with this?

FireflyBob

Perhaps she had the Hots for you !;)

In my hobby activity of teaching Jiu Jitsu, I've seen the same a couple of times. Very disconcerting, and I've yet to see a solution to it other than just carry on, act serious, and not worry about it.

G

Took my sister in law up and she did the same - giggles all the way through until about 10 minutes from the end. She was crapping herself so I think it was a hysterical thing but it didn't bother me, just laugh along as well and put your arm around the girlie, blow in her ear, call her darling and then start rubbing her up a little bit and..... err... scrub that. :}

VFE.

Your SISTER?? :eek:

(Oh.. re-read it. -in law) That's okay then... move over little bro.

Get your prop balanced - its the vibrations:eek:

I'd rather she giggled than threw up! Reminds me of the old "Squawk and Engineer report".

Squawk-sheet entry: Aircraft handles funny.
Mechanic's reply: Aircraft warned to straighten up, "fly right," and be serious

giggly anxiety
 

My experience (not as an FI) is that you need to acknowledge that the situation is anxiety provoking but nonetheless safe and the tension should start to ease - it is annoying but is only really another way of saying 'I'm scared' - I'm not discounting tht she may have met the man of her dreams though -

Ignore it and carry on instructing. It's her problem, and hopefully she'll sort it out, whatever the reason.

Its got to be better than puking. She's obviously impressed.

She's obviously overwhelmed by the fun of it all and she's expressing her emotions. That's great! That's part of your job. :ok:

As I see it, it could either be a normal reaction to something percieved as fun (I though making steepturns used to be a blast!), or an slightly abnormal reaction to stress.

How are her reactions otherwise? Does she seem to be confident, motivated and enjoying the flight? Or does she sweat, perform seriously sub-standard, and show other signs of being stressed?

Let's hope for the first one. Good job on the CFI in that case :)

Can't see any problem with it - better than being miserable!!! :eek:

Give her to a female Instructor - she won't feel the need to be all giggly

Sounds better than having a student which is silent all the time. I have one who never really talks at all, even with encouragement. The only things said are prompting stuff like "too low, more power" and it feels like I'm nagging all the time!!!

Giggly ones are fun because you can laugh with and at them!!!!! :}