Just Took A Mckissock Course...

[Don Clark]

B) Well said Mike, and a big "AMEN".

 

[Keith]

No. 20. And certified-residential. I have been at this for 6 or 7 years.

I really do not have a beef with the instructor. The class is boring and dry, but it's the nature of the material in USPAP. Maybe I should say that it is boring to me. In any case I believe I was in good company as many of the other students felt the same way.

Some of the people would rather attempt to demonstrate their ability to argue more than their ability to learn.

Debating, and asking questions are a good way to learn. Arguing wasn't what I had in mind; sorry that was the wrong word.

FWI- I gave the instructor a good eval. I can't see how anyone could make this class more interesting, unless it was taught by a sexy flamingo dancer.

Mike, how do you look in lace -- uh -- nevermind

 

[George Hatch]

There are three elements involved here, each of which are critical to the outcome:

The course subject and material - is it a relevant subject and is the course material well designed. Unfortunately, a course has to be designed for the masses rather than the individual, which means we are pitching to the middle 70%; the people at the margins are left more to their own devices. The only thing attending the courses do for them is to document that they have been exposed to the material. We have some regulars on this Forum who already have as good or better a handle on the material than some of the instructors - sorry, but if people hang out here long enough a lot of them are going to find the USPAP update course to be nothing more than the same old thing.

The presentation by the instructor - even a good instructor can have a bad day, one where they are unable to find their rythym or properly sync with the group of people they're teaching. Not only is a course no better than the instructor, a course is no better than the instructor is on that day.

The attitude and aptitude of the students - it doesn't matter how good the material and/or the instructor is if the student cannot or will not make a fair attempt at getting something out of it. Some students come in with a hostile attitude toward the subject and the requirement that they have to spend their day in that class, and they decline to pay attention or to make an effort; so it comes as no surprise when they finish they have the 'proof' necessary to justify that attitude. Not surprisingly, these people are usually the ones who have the least realistic interpretation of the role of USPAP in their appraisal practice. They often tend to think they know a lot more than they do, and they take the "everyone does it" rationale for disparaging the material.

Then too, there are a few appraisers out there who lack the aptitude to understand the material, often as a result of lack of competency with the English language. Hopefully they do better with written materials than they do orally. I believe that there are a few people who basically lack the intelligence to substantially understand the material, but fortunately those folks seem to be very few and far between.

 

[Mike Garrett RAA]

Valid points from everyone!

I don't think I would look good in lace...but I am known for wearing pink shirts and unusual ties. Here are a few of my favorites I would teach in Bermuda shorts if they would let me...I believe everyone should be very comfortably dressed for a class.

USPAP, like it or not, is here to stay and we are required have a working knowledge of it. Hopefully the instructor can make it interesting by throwing in a few visuals, comical sayings, and a good joke or two. I presently have a dozen or so visuals to spice things up a little.

 

[Jim Onderisin]

Mike, my first career was teaching. Early on I made the startling discovery that in any class, about half the kids liked me and half didn't. The same was true for all the parents, teachers, other staff and administrators. Half liked me or agreed with me or thought I was doing a good job, half didn't. I was amazed. Until that point, I liked everyone and assumed everyone liked me. Ah yes... I was young and stupid.

 

[Mike Garrett RAA]

Perhaps a really good question is....did they respect you and your knowledge of the subject?

 

[Don Clark]

B) Mike,

On the cruise next February it will definetly be shorts, hawaian shirts or similar, no socks, and sandles. In between the vegtable carvings, cheese & wine tasting, dancing classes, art shows, and all the other activities at sea, we will do 7 hours of USPAP and 1 other 7 hour course. I expect a great time.

 

[Jim Onderisin]

Mike, I assume your question regarding respect and competence was for me. I'd say 'yes' generally. But, as you noticed in your classes, there's ALWAYS someone in the class that thinks they know more than you, even when they don't. And they'll take things to the point of argument. The ones who actually DO know more than you are usually the ones with the most respect for the amount you know.

I think back to classes I took in college. Some of the teachers I liked and respected had a different effect on other students, who would complain about them. That's the kind of think I'm talking about. Half think a teacher's just great, half don't. And, many times a teacher can't tell which are which. Many students won't come out and say what they're thinking. If they think you're the worse thing to come down the pike, they don't want to jeapardize their grade. If they think you're just great, they don't want to be seen as a kiss-up.

 

[Robert Dunkle]

Jim,

You should sleep through some of what our local schools call education!! I have taken a couple McKissick courses (plan to take another this summer) and they are head and shoulders above the courses put out by the Oklahoma educators. Most of the class, literally slept through the classes when I took the basic courses several years ago!! The instructor read Henry Harrison's books verbatim with some very boring war stories thrown in. I had been appraising for 15 years so I knew the material, but had to go through as they didn't consider my experience to be "USPAP compliant".

I took the 7 hour USPAP class from McKissick and found the instructor, from Washington state, to be very good at teaching a dry subject. He was a former teacher, current appraiser and pretty darned good instructor....or I am easily impressed! :rofl: He encouraged, and got, participation from the students, some of which became heated, but he was good at keeping the class moving.

On the flip side, I was upset that I had to pay $35 for a USPAP book and wait several weeks for a "refund" when I carried my own book to class!!

Bottom line, I felt much less violated paying for that course than for most of the garbage that I have had to pay for to get the CE per our regulations. I just wish we had some local talent that could match up to their level!!!

 

[Hank Henry]

I just took Appraising the Oddball from McKissock and it really is probably one of the worst courses I ever took. The instructor was a nice enough guy and no wrong advise as far as USPAP goes. The course itself was pretty dry.