Tips to a Ski Instructor?

Sorry boy but you're wrong, at 6 a kid doesn't care at all to learn technique, even the snow plow he'll have difficulties to associate the skiing position with the name you giving it. ASK ANY older instructor, the Basic Athletic Stance, is learn the sooner as possible, get the hand on the knee is going to be fine at their age. BAS is the most important thing to get on, so play game to associate the feeling, like jumping like bunnies, starting from the BAS, you can do like catching snow in the air (jumping) and clap on their knees when they caught some (BAS).

as you working from 4-7 years old kids, a nice game is the snake, get em all on their skis, stack em together as a snake, with their hand on the hips of each kid (BAS) the first got is hand on is knee (or your hand for the first class so you can control the speed)

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, REMEMBER TO ALWAYS have a flat surface to get em STOP, from the flat, walk about 7-8 meter higher (lil slope) so they get enough speed to UNDERSTAND they gotta keep standing in BAS and that the ski doesn't keep em up without working.

Ski instructor is maybe one of the best job you can have, seeing the improvement of each kid at the end of the season is so much a great feeling

you've said you're not expecting to get on lift before the end of the season, if you got a SMALL LIFT, like 200m alt. between the bottom and the top of the chairlift, you should get there bye the week 5-6 (that's what we're use to in my home resort, with teddy'S level (2nd out of 5 / 4-6years old kid lvl)
 
I am also a 3rd year instructor, love working with kids rather than the 10 adults that all speak a language that's not english. Kids are so fun, and being positive is SO key. Boost their confidence, they need that confidence more than anything- if they don't feel good that they can ski, it doesn't matter how athletic they are. Also challenge your kids. Don't keep them on the bunny hill just to keep things easy. Once they can stop, take em to the pony lift (buttercup in my case). Even if they are "scared" do it up. Make them feel like badasses when they are done shredding buttercup =)
 
hey bro if you really want to know more about it PM me and i will help u. I have been instruction for the past 4 years and i am PSIA level 1 going for my level 2 this year and i can help u out with it so u are not board out there and make the kids love you. IT all starts with you being confident
 
give the kids evaluation to the parents at the end of the day, because itll help you with tips, i can get 50 a day on a good day sometimes more but usually 25 a day, prob cause ive been around our program for like 6 years, and have kids who like me.
 
umm buddy, if i could give you only 1, only 1 advice... DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS BOY, except for a little come back, DO NOT EXPECT FOR TIPS. i,ve respond to your mail
 
I am a ski instructor, I'd suggest joining PSIA (Profesional Ski Instructors of America), and when you're good enough, going for your level 1 certification. PSIA also has a book with techniques and stuff you can buy (i think its like 25 bucks). What is the mountain where you're working/going to work teaching you?

Remember to teach in progressions (called "stepping stones" by PSIA or something similar to that)

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For example, a simple first time progression might be:

1. walk around with your boots on

2. slide around/sidestep on flat ground

3. bullfighter stance

4. straight run

5. gliding wedge

6. turning to a stop

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With younger kids, its always good to teach with games. "follow the leader" is an EXCELLENT way to teach 7&8 yr olds.

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Don't be afraid to improvise, if what the book tell you to do isn't working, make up your own (*safe*) method.

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ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS Check people's gear before beginning the lesson, you'd be really surprised at the just plain idiotic things I've seen people wear/do (boots on right feet, make sure they have gloves or mitts)

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Make it a point to learn people's names right off the bat. It may be only an hour or hour and a half lesson, but just knowing people's names can make a lesson go that much smoother, and make you appear more professional, which will encourage repeat students.

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#1 most important thing though is to keep it safe, and fun. learning is secondary.

Just some pieces of advice I've picked up. I've got tons more, and technical information, as well as specific methods if you want any, just Message me

 
yes,,

my first year teaching i was put with the little kids and its all about having fun.

theres no point just going up to a 4 year old and telling him to wedge his skis and put pressure on his downhill ski lol.

if you are cool with the kids and get them to like you youll have a much better chance of teaching them and way more fun
 
one that they used when i was a lil tyke was to put a little bag of mini marshmallows in front of their shins on their boots and say that if they squish them a lot (keeping them in a forward stance) they get them in a cup of hot chocolate
other than that good luck
 
make the kids laugh and smile and have a good time and such even if they aren't the greatest skier or learning very well, it helps convince the parents it was worth their money alot
 
things i didn't see in the posts that should help...

1. ALWAYS check boots before you get started... look for ridiculous amounts of socks, pants inside of boots, boots on the wrong feet... super loose boots...

2. NEVER over terrain your kids, it leads to meltdowns, injuries, and very stressful days...

3. a kid has no idea about time... if they ask how much longer ask what their favorite movie / t.v. show is say they have the amount of time left that is in "Nemo" or two "sponge bobs" they love those shows have some idea of how long they are, and associate it with fun...

good luck with this season...
 
Teaching Level 1's sucks and if the kids ask you a question and you dont feel like answering them just say i dont know, they usually shut up after that.
 
yes.

i've taught one year and had 2 classes of parents and tots, one class of 8 year olds to myself and a shared class of 6 year olds and without a doubt having fun is necessary if you want the kids to learn anything. with my 8 year old class most of them wanted to just go straight down the hill over rollers and stuff and that was obviously not gonna happen. The amount of snowball fights and games we played made up for it tho and the kids made lots of progress because every technique was incorporated into the games.

teaching is actually really fun.

Good Luck!
 
really depends on what the atmosphere is at the place you teach.

The last couple winters I have worked at 2 ski hills, Beaver Valley and Chicopee. Being a private club Beaver Valley is very family oriented, and for the most part everyone is pretty relaxed. You either get a member or a guest for a lesson. When it is a member you are most likely doing a babysitting job. Most often with a young kid the parents want some time to ski on their own, so they pay for the kids to be put in a lesson for an hour. Yes, you should teach them some things, but keep it fun and play games. With guests its a little different, as their parents may actually want them to progress, seeing as it is maybe their once a year ski vacation.

At chicopee the atmosphere is totally different. The parents are usually not skiers/riders themselves, and so many of them expect their child to be a champ after 2 hours of skiing. So here you have to still have fun and play games, but make sure that the parent knows that he kid has learned something. Easiest way to do this is before your last run talk to the kid and go voer what you have worked on. When you get to the bottom the parent (if they are a good one) will be waiting there. Ask the kid what you worked on and get them to repeat a thing or two in front of the parent. Chances are the kid will forget what they did by the time they get home and their parents ask them what they learned. Think back to when your parents used to ask you what you learned in school that day, most often you didnt really remember/care.

All of this comes with experience. Eventually you will be able to read the situation and learn to read the parent before taking the kid out for a lesson. Although it may seem stupid, at a young age your real customer is the parent. As long as you keep things fun the kid is guranteed to have a good time, but the parent may not see this as worth their money, so if you want return customers you have to make the parent believe that these lessons are good for their child.

A little late but hope that helps! Also, if your snow school offers sessions, attend them. Not only will this help with your skiing but also will greatly improve your teaching.
 
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