It’s almost Tac Con time, and the suspense is killing me!!!!!! [Takes deep breath, frenetically fans herself…] Stay calm, Tiff. Get it together. OK, sorry, I get all giddy around this time every year. Not only will I be helping out with Southnarc’s Experiential Learning Lab and running around making sure all the guys and gals have everything they need, but for the second year in a row, I’ll also be one of the Tac Con presenters! Yee haw!

As some of you know, my inaugural Tac Con topic was a little atypical. Instead of discussing subjects that require the use of words like “tactical” or “operator,” I offered tips for instructors to improve their classroom presentations. The first time I did it, the session went really well. A lot better than I expected, actually. I got lots of great input, some of which came from YOU, my loyal blogosphere homies! I remain forever grateful to everyone who attended my session last year, especially those who took the time to offer feedback. In fact, it was so helpful that this year I figured consult with you all ahead of time instead of afterwards. The official schedule is out, and here’s my course description for 2016:

Firearms students are often eager to blast holes, make loud noises, and jump out of flaming helicopters. But for most people, a solid foundation in personal defense begins not on the range but in the classroom. This session will offer several tips that current and aspiring instructors can immediately implement in order to optimize classroom content delivery, comprehension, and retention. Tiffany Johnson is a practicing attorney who teaches Legal Studies at the University of Memphis. She is a Rangemaster-certified instructor, publishes the Rangemaster newsletter, and has trained under Tom and Lynn Givens for nearly 15 years.

Last year, I focused mainly on making effective use of PowerPoint, but this year the description is a little broader (still not quite sure if that was a good call on my part). Tom and Southnarc and others have encouraged me to stay in the general vicinity of what I did last year, perhaps updated to the 2.0 version. Is there anything in particular that you all think I should cover? Any pet peeves, worst practices, or personal pit falls of public speaking or presentation design that you think could be addressed in my Tac Con talk? If so, please reply and let ‘er rip below, or send me a private email with your suggestions. Thanks in advance!

P.S. A great big shout out to my dear, dear friend, mentor, and former co-presenter, Craig Harper, whose endless encouragement and support has always meant the world to me. Wish me luck, buddy. Hope you’re watching.

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