About Marcin

Who you’ll be learning with

I’m Marcin Katarzynski, a DVSA Approved Driving Instructor. I’ve been teaching people to drive in Plymouth for four years, and Gearshift Driving School is my own independent school. There’s no call centre and nobody gets passed around: you learn with me every lesson, in the same car, and if you have a question you message me and I answer.

I teach in a manual Mazda CX-30 with dual controls and cover Plymouth’s PL1 to PL6 postcodes, picking up from your home, work or college. All lessons are two hours. I speak English and Polish.

How I teach

Everyone learns differently, so I don’t run every lesson the same way. The things I can offer, and that you can ask for at any point, include:

• Drawing it out. Junctions, roundabouts and positioning are often easier to understand on paper before you drive them. I carry diagrams and use them whenever a picture says it better than words.
• Less talking. Some people concentrate better with short, clear instructions and fewer words in between. If that’s you, say so.
• A predictable routine. Knowing what the lesson is about before we set off, and running lessons in a similar shape each time, makes some learners much more comfortable.
• Manageable steps and repetition. One thing at a time, repeated as often as it takes, then we build on it. Nobody is compared with anyone else.
• Calm communication. No raised voice, no pressure, no drama. Mistakes are part of learning to drive.

I’ve taught learners who are nervous, and learners who are autistic or have ADHD. I’m not a specialist and I don’t claim to be; what I do is adapt how I teach to the person in the seat next to me, and ask what would help. If you’re a parent looking for an instructor for your son or daughter, you’re welcome to message me and ask about any of this before booking.

What a lesson with me is like

I pick you up, we agree what the lesson is about, and we drive. Two hours is enough time to get out of your own area, practise something properly and come back without rushing. At the end you drive back to your drop-off point, we go through what went well and what needs work, agree the next steps, and book the next lesson. I keep a record of your progress so we both know what’s been covered.

• DVSA Approved Driving Instructor
• Independent, Plymouth-based
• Manual Mazda CX-30
• Two-hour lessons, pickup in PL1–PL6
• Monday to Friday, 8am–5pm
• English and Polish spoken