A New Student

The first thing I would look at if I received a new student who has started into their training is their folder. What lesson are they on? I would like to read the comments on each lesson sheet, and look at the grades they received for each lesson. Where have they been struggling? Excelling? It would be great to talk to the previous instructor to get a feel for the student and their progress. I would ask about the personality of the student. Does it seem like they learn best a certain way? Have they shown any hazardous attitudes during their training? What is their motivation level?
Talking to the student I would first get a feel for the student. Just asking the normal ice breaking questions. What got you into flying? Where do you want to take your career? Do you have any other experience? I would also look for some feedback about their experience with their last instructor. Is there anything they would like to see done differently? What did they like about their last instructor? If there were any noticeable weak areas after looking in the folder I would talk to the student about those. Do they know there are weak areas? If so, what can we do to help improve on those?
Ground knowledge may take a little longer to get a feeling for. I would ask the student more questions then normal before each flight to probe other areas and see if they have any weak spots, or misunderstandings. I would also talk to the previous instructor and see what they covered with the student. Were there any ground sessions where the student had trouble grasping the material? Have they been prepared for each lesson, or do they promote spoon-feeding?
I think there are many factors that come into play when exchanging students like this. The previous instructor should be a great resource to get some background. I think if the student has any weak areas that haven't been found by the last instructor, or from looking at the folder, etc. that they will come out on their own. They will be noticeable when flying or studying with the student. Also, building a good relationship with the student will promote communication. I would like them to come to me if they have a problem or feel something is wrong. They should not be afraid to voice any concerns they have.