Let me start by saying that there are two schools of thought about when to take driver ed. Most people schedule their teen to take the class close to the end of their one year anniversary of having a permit. That way, the skills they learn in driver ed are fresh when they take the drive test with the DMV. Others prefer to have their teen take professional instruction at the beginning. Your decisio
n should be based on a number of factors, among them are your level of available time and commitment for practice and your teens schedule; including school, sports, work, homework etc. I find that I have greater success in having them develop good skills from the beginning rather than having to change habits they have learned in the months prior to driving with me. I have only 6 hours in the car with them, so I have to make as much impact in that small time as possible. For teens who take driver ed in the beginning of their permit year, I always take them for another drive close to the the end of their permit year to make sure they stay on track. My class is offered in Fairfield, on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:30-8:30pm. Driving, an hour and a half per week, is done after school with pick up and drop off near BFA in St. I use the VDTSEA curriculum, which is approved by the State of Vermont. The class consists of 36 hours of in-class instruction and 6 hours behind the wheel, 6 hours as an observer. They must complete 30 hours of class time and all of the in car instruction to complete the class. I offer the course 5 times per year; two summer classes, Sept/Oct, Nov-Jan and Feb-Apr. I am able to do the DMV exam, and they are well prepared for it when they complete my class. Students are required to have 10 hours of drive time prior to driving in the car with another student. Kids drive in pairs and I don't like to put someone else's child in the car with a completely green driver. That being said, I do offer private lessons for $95/hour, but after school times are only available between sessions.
