Baker-Massey & Shands Ltd.

     Our approach to training is to "Not" just do what everyone else is doing; but to instead "do" what makes sense and what actually works! Location, Instructor/student ratio and class size, training dates and times, and price. Everything has been tailored to creating an environment that facilitates simple, inexpensive and effective learning. 

    We are aware that like us most of you have very busy lives and the time, energy and money to get everything done is short.  For these reasons the training facility offers 1, 2, and 4 hour classes on Mondays - Thursdays and 1, 2, 4, 6 & 8 hour classes on Saturdays.  So if you want a class during the week schedule it Monday - Thursday between 6pm and 10pm.  If you want a class on Saturdays schedule it between 9am and 7pm.  If you want to set up shorter classes after or before work, no problem.  If you don't want to take classes during the week but want to do it on Saturday, no problem. If you want to combine weekday and Saturday, no problem. We try to be as flexible as possible with scheduling the classes, we will also work with you to possibly setup classes at times and dates that our regular schedule may not permit; and offer them in a comfortable setting, with a peaceful break area / smoking area (smoking outside only), and at extremely reasonable prices.

     Because we do also offer training at you home and/or place of business; we have benefited from the observations of how students respond to learning in untraditional (familiar, relaxed and comfortable) settings; as opposed to traditional settings (College & high school classrooms or auditoriums,  break rooms and training rooms at work).  And while we have all been able to assimilate information in traditional settings all of our lives; our results show nontraditional to be more effective.  After seeing the benefits of smaller classes (students & classrooms) the training areas and class sizes were tailored accordingly. A study from 2012 was published, showing the average student : teacher ratio in the US among high schools & colleges.  The results were as follows:

*  Public high schools 16:1

 

*  Private high schools 12.5:1

 

*  4 year colleges 11:1 to 24:1 (The variance is due to factors like school size, location, private vs. state, etc.).

We have also witnessed firsthand, the relationship between student: instructor ratio and higher written test scores and higher skill proficiency (the fewer students per instructor, the more attention to address each students needs, the higher the written and skill test scores).  As a result our onsite training area student : instructor ratio limit has been set from 1:1 (private) to 5:1 (group). 

 

     There is no huge room with 10 to 40 seats, with 10 to 40 strangers.  The training area is a blend of what is absolutely necessary in a classroom and the things common in most homes.  All of us have at one time or another walked into a classroom and found ourselves surrounded by strangers, in a hard uncomfortable seat, at a table or desk seated under bright lights (sort of like a group interrogation room).  Often this has occurred after searching for the building, then a parking space, only to get lost looking for the correct classroom.  Everything possible has been done to reduce or eliminate these problems; and when you add the element of signing up for the class as a private class or as a group with your friends or family members, you remove the stress of being surrounded by strangers.

     This leaves you with:

 

*  Personalized training

 

*  A comfortable and relaxed setting

 

*  Being accompanied by people you know

 

*  An optimal student ; instructor ratio

 

*  None of the hassle of searching for the correct classroom or sponsoring the class in your home or business.

 

*  All at a very reasonable price

 

*  And even the class date time can be tailored to fit your schedule (most classes can be divided into 1, 2, 4, 6 or 8 hour segments and setup for days and times that may better fit your needs).

 

     There is nothing else we can do to make this more practical and cost effective for our clients.  Feel free to shop around and check with our competitors, and if you can get better or even as good for less take it; otherwise give us a call, set up a class, and let us show you what we do. 

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Ronald A. F. Shands, Operations and Training:

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

Started: February 2015

 

Ohio Certified Firefighter II

Instructor:

*Hands-Only CQB

*Improvised Tools

*Situational Awareness/Avoidance & Recognition

*After Incident Procedures

*Procedures for Defense from Inside A Vehicle​

*Knife, Pistol & Revolver

Head of Community Volunteer Project:

* Victims of Violent Crime

   

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