I have mixed feelings about my driving instructor Maria.
On two of the four lessons I've had with Maria, Maria was late by around 10-30 minutes. Also, for one of the lessons, Maria called me after the lesson was supposed to start and ask me if we can reschedule the lesson. I view my time as a valuable commodity and I think it is unprofessional to be late for a lesson, and especially unprofessional to cancel a lesson after it was supposed to start. If a student misses a class without prior notice, the student cannot reschedule the lesson and would not be refunded for the lesson because of the opportunity cost. It isn't fair that the instructor can reschedule a lesson without refunding the student's lost time.
Also worth noting is that Maria has somewhat of a temper. When I make mistakes on the road, Maria occasionally snaps and criticizes me for making mistakes, mistakes I admit could have led to scratching the car or putting us in danger. I do not mind harsh criticism and I think it contributed positively to my driving education. However, (IMHO) this kind of negative feedback may be discouraging for those who are more sensitive or emotional. If you become easily nervous from harsh criticism, you may want to consider seeking other instructors who are more patient with you making mistakes.
That being said, I believe Maria is a knowledgeable driver's instructor. I received six hours of driving instructions from Maria and practiced another five hours of driving with a friend. I passed the road test with relative ease. I believe this is because Maria took me to the exam site twice and showed me exactly what I need to do. She is very familiar with how one can fail the road test and gave me helpful tips on how not to fail. Maria seems to really care about whether I do well on the road test. At times, I felt she got out of her way to help me learn. She changed one two-hour lesson into two one-hour lesson to better prepare me for the road test. Maria is competent at explaining how to drive in the real world. She would constantly be giving me great feedback on what I should look out for on the road.
If you are flexible with your time and don't mind harsh criticism, I would highly recommend Maria. read more