Milan High School Driver Education, 2011-2012
Mr. Vonner,
Teacher/Email:vonnerj@milanssd.org
February 6-10, 2012
Students will begin the final phase of driver education during the second
trimester, the road test. Each student is expected to complete the road test
whether or not they are eligible to get a drivers license. Students can get
an actual assessment of their current driving level by a certified driver
examiner. This is a good assignment because students will know how they rate
as a driver among other students their age. Some students will get an actual
driver's license if they qualify. All students will get a written driving
assessment listing their strengths and weaknesses, which in effect, can help
them to better understand where improvement can occur.
Note: Final examination information will listed in the "Announcements"
section of this website on Friday, February 10, 2012.
January 30-February 3, 2012
Students that show proficiency in car control will begin parking (parallel,
angle and perpendicular). Throughout the annals of driver education history
parallel parking has been the nemesis of young drivers, however they will be
taught a basic technique that will suit them forever.
January 23-27, 2012
Students will begin Step 2 curves, driving on rural highways and roads
expanding their knowledge of driving on highspeed roadways where there
numerous curves. Students will use their experiences in Step 1 Curves to
further their skill of driving on these potentially dangerous roadways.
Remember most deaths of young people from Milan and surrounding areas have
occured on curves, with speed as a contributing factor. Students must learn
the basics of driving using the following information:
1. Accelerating into curves will cause the car to swing out and possibly make
the driver lose control.
2. Coasting into the curve will lessen the opportunity for a driver to swing
out thus increasing control of the car.
3. After the driver has coasted into the curve about half way into the curve,
the driver can resume acceleration.
4. An important notion of class is recognizing hazards before in the target
and not becoming surprise when the hazard appears and naturally after having
recognized the hazard, the driver will be better prepared to deal with it
more appropriately.
5. Students will also understand rural driving, how to determine the speed
for two-lane highways, four lane highways and rural roads and how to be
prepared to safely drive on them.
January 16-20, 2012
This week students will concentrate on city driving. Remember, one of the
hardest aspects of driving is in the city, characterized by desnse traffic;
cars, trucks, motorcycles, controlled and uncontrolled intersections, signs,
markings, etc., much to potentially distract any driver, regardless of
experience. Imagine the intense stimulation that occurs with new drivers,
not understand how to identify danger and properly execute evasive maneuvers.
Students will review intersections, realizing that two-thirds of all
accidents occur at intersections, therefore students must be trained to look
for danger using the IPDE process and Smith System, two effective ways to
find problems. If one can see a potential problems before it becomes an
emergency then it is likely the a crisis can be averted. Students will
review car control techniques and some will be introduced to limited highway
driving. Turns, braking, positioning, tracking techniques will be
highlight. Parents keep working with your child on any level, since practice
can lead to being comfortable behind the wheel. Any practice helps.
January 9-13, 2012
Most students begin step 1 curves. Curves have been the downfall,
overwhelmingly, of students that have been killed in automobile wrecks in
west Tennessee since 2007. It is imperative that driver education at Milan
High School focus on teaching students how to drive on curves. Parents do a
good job of teaching their students basic driving skills but few teach their
children how to safely maneuver curves. Students must understand the
anatomical nature of curves using natural laws and specific skills that will
enable them to safely manipulate them.
January 3-6, 2012
Students will learn car control techniques such as
turning and backing skills. Students will learn how to control car speed to
safety and effectively complete these skills. Students will do figure 8's,
forward and backwards and turnabouts. Turnabouts are ways to turn around and
go in the opposite direction. Cones lead up to turnabouts and turnabouts
give students skills to complete parallel parking but they are important
skills to teach a child car control techniques.
December 12-16, 2012
The first week of BTW has ended and all students have been given a
basicassessment of their driving skills. Students were grouped in
categoriesaccording to their skill level. Students also worked on lane-
changing andintersections. Remember sixty-seven percent of all collisons
occur atintersections and if students learn hazard recognition skills at
intersections they will reduce their chances of getting into a collision.
Many students worked on "covering their brake", placing their foot over the
brake and prepare to stop if necessary and the "point of no return", where
student watch the light for a change and when they have gotten so close to
the light that if it changes, they may not be able to stop safely and would
continue through the intersection
Students were rated in the following categories:
-Beginning Beginner-A student that has very little driving experience, little
control and/or knowledge.
-Intermediate Beginner-A student that has some driving experience, in various
driving situations, including urban as well as rural driving experience,
however cannot demonstrate advanced driving skills.
-Advanced Beginner-These are usually students that have a driver's license or
have lots of driving experience in many driving situations.
MHS Driver education involves two components; classroom and behind-the-Wheel
(BTW)
Classroom Grading Information
A specific grading policy as outlined in the driver education classroom is as
follows
Quizzes and Test (50%) - Students will be tested on information presented and
the average of those tests will be calculated and assigned a final grade of
fifty percent of the final classroom grade.
Journal (20%) � each student is required to keep a journal of each day�s
instruction that can be used for many test and quizzes. Tests that notes
cannot be used are the following: Pre-test (no grade value; assessment
purposes only), written driving test midterm classroom assessment, defensive
driving test and final exam. All other tests and quizzes notes can be used.
A final grade on the quality of the book will be assessed at the end of the
trimester.
Projects (30%) � several projects will be required that will account for
twenty percent of your grade. These projects include an oral presentation,
writing a letter to government and one other assignment that you will select
based on your own interest.
Final grades for the classroom portion will be based on the compilation of
the above areas, with a final examination at the end of the trimester. Grades
will be issued using the following scale:
A--------------------- 100-93
B-----------------------92-85
C-----------------------85-75
D-----------------------74-70
F-----------------Below 70
Make up Work and ICU
It shall be the student�s responsibility to complete make-up work, tests or
any other assignment from the teacher. The teacher will assign the work,
give reasonable length of time in which to return the work and grade the work
when completed. Failure to complete missed work may result in a failing
grade.
Behind-the Wheel Grading Information
BTW begins Monday, December 12, 2011 and will continue for seven weeks until
the end of the trimester, February 15, 2012. Each student will be among a
group of three that will meet once per week for at least twelve weeks in the
car. BTW is �on the street� driving experience with two three students
assigned in the driver education car. Specific skills are emphasized to
enhance one�s driving experiences. Students are given daily grades based on
driving performance. Midterm and final skill assessments are given for
grades based upon performance. Each student will find a placement prior to
BTW and spend those days (four days per week) that they are not in the car in
classes that they have chosen. Each student will be responsible to find
their own placement and it will be confirmed prior to the start of BTW. More
information is forthcoming about this process.
Behavior Information
Student Code of Conduct as outlined in the 2011-201 2 Student Handbook will
govern all general school rules, care of school property, dress code, and
school grading policy.
----------------Cut and Return Bottom Portion to Mr. Vonner-----------------
I have read and discussed the grading and behavior expectations for driver
education students with my child ____________________________________ (print
student�s name).
Signed,
Parent or Guardian of MHS student__________________________________
Date_______________
MHS
Student______________________________________________________Date_____________
Goals and Outcomes of Classroom of Driver Education
I. The student should be able to recognize the dangers posed by peer
pressure, alcohol or other drug use, and underestimation of risk.
A. Assessing and Managing Risk � risk is always present in
driving is introduced along with strategies for minimizing that risk.
B. Self-knowledge as it affects driving knowledge and emotional
and physical factors that can adversely affect the driving task.
C. Know the dangers of alcohol and other drugs and coping
strategies. Familiarize yourself with the legal implications of alcohol use.
II. Understand the fundamentals of driving. You should be able to
recognize the foundations of safe, responsible driving.
A. Signs, signals, and markings. This information system is
important to foster the safe and efficient use of the nation�s highways.
B. Rules of the road. Laws, right of way rules, speed limit
restrictions, and the legal obligations of drivers.
C. Knowing your car. Familiarize the systems in the car that
provide drivers with comfort, control, visibility, protection, information
and means of communication.
D. Basic car control features such as starting, steering,
stopping, acceleration and deceleration.
E. Understanding basic driving skills. Entering and leaving
traffic flow, driving on hills and mountains changing lanes, passing other
vehicles. Understanding the relation between visibility, time and space.
III. Moving onto the road. The student should be able to understand the
intricate and complex driving maneuvers and their influence of natural laws.
Also how different driving environments affect the execution of these
maneuvers.
A. Left and right hand turns, turnabouts, and parking and
strategies for safely executing these complicated maneuvers.
B. Different driving environments.
C. Light and weather conditions.
D. Sharing the roadway with pedestrians, motorcyclist,
bicyclist, etc.
E. Understand natural laws and how they affect driving.
Understanding these laws can make one a better driver and minimize risk.
F. Responding to emergencies and specific strategies for dealing
with them.