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Online Drivers EdNew Students
Continuing Students
Our Instructors
Bob Tonthat
Students find me to be their favorite instructor because I am easy to get along with. In my many years of teaching, I have heard so many stories from my students about driving instructors that lose their temper or yell at their students. I cannot understand why anyone would want to be mean to an inexperienced driver. I can tell you that teenagers like teachers who are patient and explain instruction in a clear and simple manner. I just love traffic safety. I enjoy teaching students about the laws and rules of driving. I want my students to understand traffic safety. And I know the best way to do that is to be relaxed and easy going. The office tells me I am requested so much because of my precise careful teaching in an easygoing style.
Don Conway
I have always enjoyed teaching. I worked for another driving school for nine years. I care about the safety of young people behind the wheel and I have helped many students get their licenses. High School is a great time of life and getting a driver's license should be just as rewarding. Transportation is an important part of a high school student's life. My goal is to make them successful.
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Gerhard Bethe
I am originally from Germany. I have taught driver's training most of my life. I teach driving lessons part-time to keep myself busy, after moving to San Diego where I have more or less retired. I teach mostly in the Ramona area where I am told students constantly request me. I teach slowly and calmly the first day until the student gets his or her confidence up. Then on the 2nd and 3rd lesson we go down the hill. I know sometimes it can be scary, but it is important and I am very positive and supportive. I know you will like walking from my training car at the end of the lesson with the confidence that you can really do this--and the skills to ace your test.
Julian Alfaro
The owner of the school says I was born to teach. I pay close attention to what my student is saying and how he is doing to help him get through difficult driving situations. Students need simple easy instructions and then quiet to allow them to drive safely. Many teachers talk too much and interfere with their student's learning. I am naturally calm this has a calming effect on my students. A calm teacher with a gentle voice has relaxed students. A nervous jittery teacher has nervous students. If you have never driven in your life, you cannot imagine how fast you will learn with a good teacher. If you are nervous and afraid to drive, I am the right teacher for you. I like my job.
Lauren Spengler
I've been teaching driver's training for many years. I currently live in Oceanside with my family. Teaching comes natural to me. When you have the ability to always see the best in your students and when you are patient, your students relax and will listen to you. Being a good teacher is effortless for me and my students know success!
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Oscar Meza-Perez
When teaching there is a right moment to be supportive and positive, and there is a moment when saying nothing is the right thing to do. I give each student my full attention. I teach them how to be safe drivers and tell them when they are doing well. Students like when I laugh with them when they make mistakes instead of being impatient. Patience is a natural part of who I am. I am told my two month old nephew prefers to be with me because he is comfortable with me. The office says students find me more comfortable to be with because I am closer to their age and they can relate to me easier. They have reported through the office staff when scheduling, "Oscar is cool. He rocks!"
Roosevelt Courtney
The office tells me I am one of the most requested teachers at Bakker's. I teach the drive test material so thoroughly that my students have the highest 100% rating of all the teachers at Bakker's. I know that your driving instructor is the one teacher you'll never forget. I hope to make your driving experience enjoyable.
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Teresa Keneaster
I have been teaching driver's education and driver's training for many years now. I believe in concentrated teaching for the full 2 hour lesson. If the student is just going to "drive around" they don't need me for that. When a student has me as a teacher, I want him to feel as if he has learned so much that he can recognize the progress he has made from the beginning to the end of the lesson. If you want thorough road test preparation and defensive driving skills you will find me to be one of the most dedicated teachers you will ever meet.
Denis Hangl's
I really enjoy teaching. My favorite part of teaching I think like most teachers is seeing the progress of my students as their abilities improve from the beginning to end of each lesson. Some school teachers have to wait months or even a lifetime to see the fruit of their labor. But the great thing about being a driving instructor is seeing that increase in skill at the moment each student is learning. I had a military career in the Navy before teaching driving lessons. I moved from New York to San Diego in 1993. My dad and I went to Yankee games together for years and I am still a Yankees fan.
Scott Viau
(Retired)
Bob Hanrahan
I have been teaching since 1998. My specialty is teaching the freeway. The skill needed is teaching on-ramps, matching traffic speed with a proper following distance and lane changes. I have known driving instructors who are afraid of teaching on the freeway altogether. But I excell at this. Students feel comfortable on the freeway after having me as their instructor. We teach freeway only on the 2nd and 3rd lesson. I have raised my own family and am now watching my grandchildren grow up. I teach in a late model Accura. Students tell me its the best car to learn in because it is "forgiving." That is if a student doesn't do perfect through a turn for example the car compensates for small mistakes and the car goes through the turn smoothly anyway. I am careful to cover drive test material on that 3rd lesson thoroughly and defensive driving so they are well prepared for that all important DMV drive test.
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Rich Drivick
I am the youngest kid in the family photo, which kind of has a history. When my dad was in the Marines serving in Vietnam, my mom sent this family picture to him. Dad saved the photo all this time, later gave it to me and now I still have it. In the other photo I am the teenager with the long hair standing next to my first car, a 1964 Rambler. In high school I played soccer, baseball and football at Patrick Henry High School in San Diego. But I like football the most. I have been a Chargers fan as far back as I can remember. Nowadays in my spare time I enjoy sports plane flying. I also enjoy sci-fi books and films, playing the guitar and various art projects, which you can see by just walking in the school classroom and looking at the walls, my canvas. I have spent the last few years immersing myself in everything that has to do with America's space program. I teach both Driver's Ed in the classroom and Behind-The-Wheel. I know my job is to teach safe driving above and beyond than just what is needed to pass the drive test. Driving instructors know that drivers with good vision skills and space cushion driving habits are involved in less accidents. I teach what I call TSV: TIME, SPACE, VISIBILITY. Drivers need TIME to react to potential problem situations by leaving enough of a following distance ahead and around their vehicle. Drivers need SPACE all around their vehicle and aware of what is happening 360 degrees around them. Drivers need VISIBILITY, to be aware and alert of everything in the traffic scene at all times and when the driver's vision is blocked to have heightened alertness and to expect and be ready to solve sudden problems in the traffic situation well ahead of time. I have been teaching since 1991. I train new instructors how to teach. I consider it a privilege to teach every student safe driving practices and how to pass their drive test.
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Ron Sharp
I have been teaching since 1998. My specialty is first time never driver before students. This is actually a special skill that all teaachers don't have. While all students learn at different rates, my students always walk away from a driving lesson with me feeling they have learned so much and are so happy and want to drive. My secret in teaching nervous students so successfully is having them focus on the task at hand, by communicating clearly what to do and being calm. I have found that my being calm myself helps my students be calm which allows them to do well on their lessons.
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Breanna Hathaway
Ozzy Asmat
My name is Asmat Rafiqzad or as my friends call me Ozzy. I have a lot of experience with the specialty of DMV drive tests for Teenagers and adults. I understand the drive test and what DMV examiners expect and what they don't like, as my business cards say "100 plus drive tests". I enjoy preparing students of all ages for their drive test and consider myself having done my job when my students pass their drive with well taught defensive driving concepts that they would not have gotten from a less dedicated teacher. I am the type of teacher that has the reputation with the school office of always keeping my appointment commitments with my students.
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In the photogragh I am on the left; my son Seth is next to me, then my younger sister and on the right is my older sister. I am a gentle, optimistic, enthusiastic teacher. No student is a slow learner to me. I teach the fundamentals of driving along with safe driving principals.
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