If you happen to be lucky enough to have a teenager that's looking to you to teach her to drive, it helps to have a game plan.
With your student in car, explain the concept of a clutch as a controlled introduction of power to the wheels via the driveshaft. Start driving and demonstrate the reason for gears, keeping engine speed in an ideal range at a variety of road speeds. Downshift to demonstrate engine braking and discuss appropriate uses (steep descents, heavy loads, cornering).
Go to an empty parking lot. Turn off the car and have student get in the driver's seat. Have her run through the gears up and down a few times, until she can select any gear from Neutral on command. Have her locate the clutch pedal and make the necessary adjustments to be able to floor it comfortably. Have her pump it a few times to feel the weight of the clutch.
Have your student start the car (explain Neutral safety switch, ie; clutch disengaged to start), making sure transmission is in Neutral. Advise your student to depress the clutch if car starts to buck, stall, or if she needs to come to a stop.
Instruct your student to depress the clutch, select first gear and raise the engine speed to 2,000 rpm. Instruct her to slowly release the clutch, watching the engine speed. When the engine speed begins to drop and the car begins to move, instruct your student to release the clutch even more slowly while using the gas pedal to keep the engine speed at or near 2,000 rpm. This part is where patience comes into play -- if you stay relaxed, so will she.
Once your student has gotten into first gear several times smoothly, instruct her to bring the engine speed to 2,500 rpm in first gear, depress the clutch and release the gas, shift into second and smoothly release the clutch, adding gas gently halfway through. After this gear change is made successfully several times, and your student is comfortable, have her drive out onto the roadway and practice shifting gears at 2,500 rpm. Have her downshift to slow down, shifting at 2,000 rpm, and remind her to put the car into neutral or depress the clutch when coming to a stop.
Now tell her to raise the rpm higher before shifting gears to demonstrate the faster acceleration that comes with it, and practice until your student feels comfortable.
