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I want to be an Ski Instructor

nopoleskier

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I did it. Registered and paid for the Instructor Hiring Clinic. Wish me luck.

Gore makes you Pay for the hiring clinic?? wow.. ours are all free at Royal! We're always looking for instructors, just open Sat/Sun and school holidays..
 

2ski2moro

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Gore makes you Pay for the hiring clinic?? wow.. ours are all free at Royal! We're always looking for instructors, just open Sat/Sun and school holidays..

$25 for a two day lift ticket and 9-3 on the snow each day. It's not too bad.

West Mountain is all of 20 minutes, door to door, but I know I would be teaching pre-teens and children every afternoon when school gets out. It's a zoo!
 

nopoleskier

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
$25 for a two day lift ticket and 9-3 on the snow each day. It's not too bad.

West Mountain is all of 20 minutes, door to door, but I know I would be teaching pre-teens and children every afternoon when school gets out. It's a zoo!

ah.. 25$ not bad at all and you'll have fun! Do you know Gail Setlock? she's a SUPERB Instructor/examiner, have had a few PSIA clinics w/her.
 

marymack

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
It really is true that personality is rated way above actual skiing skill. Coachability is very valued I think...I've been in instructor clinics where another instructor will get some feedback from one of the instructor trainers and he just doesn't make an effort to make any changes in their skiing. (This also applies to feedback about lessons).

You should see that soft skills are very much emphasized such as:
Safety: ability to "play it safe" and not let the group of pre-teens convince you they are ready for the chairlift when you know they really aren't.
Patience: With irate parents, with whiny children, with the supervisor on days you show up and there are no lessons to teach
Building rapport and customizing the lesson to the goals of the STUDENT: being able to relate to the 4-year old that just wants to play in the snow, the teenage boy that wants to just go fast and the girlfriend whose boyfriend pressured her into trying skiing and all the other reasons that people are in lessons. Being able to put aside your own goals (people should be on X-lift by the end of their lesson and need to learn to make perfect wedge turns before progressing!) is really important to meet your clients where they are.

Welcome to the teaching world...you will never be able to "turn your brain off and just ski" again!
 

2ski2moro

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
ah.. 25$ not bad at all and you'll have fun! Do you know Gail Setlock? she's a SUPERB Instructor/examiner, have had a few PSIA clinics w/her.
I know Gail to see her, but I don't know her personally. I know BJ, Kathleen and Karen fairly well. Joe Childs, too.
 

mountainwest

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I did it. Registered and paid for the Instructor Hiring Clinic. Wish me luck.
Good luck!! Did you join PSIA first or are you starting with the Instructor Hiring Clinic?

This thread has been very inspiring because I have been thinking about becoming an instructor too, but my husband has been telling me I'm not ready yet because my technique isn't 100% perfect. But it sounds like it actually doesn't need to be from what I am reading here.
 

marymack

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Good luck!! Did you join PSIA first or are you starting with the Instructor Hiring Clinic?

This thread has been very inspiring because I have been thinking about becoming an instructor too, but my husband has been telling me I'm not ready yet because my technique isn't 100% perfect. But it sounds like it actually doesn't need to be from what I am reading here.


Typically, one doesn't join PSIA until you are ready to take your level 1 exam, which is either towards the end of your first year or often not until your second or 3rd year. At least that has been my experience. Its not like CSIA where you need to be a member and have passed an exam before you can get a job teaching at a ski area.
I was only in my 3rd year of skiing when I started teaching, so no, your technique does not need to be perfect by any means. Its important to remember that the bulk of lessons taught are to people that are never ever skiers, you are teaching them how to walk around in boots, how to carry their skis, how to slide around on one ski and then 2 skis on flat ground. At my ski area lessons are 75 minutes long and its not uncommon to not even progress to the magic carpet in that time. Never ever lessons are usually taught by the newer instructors while anyone coming to take a lesson beyond beginner basics would be given to a more senior instructor.
 

mountainwest

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Typically, one doesn't join PSIA until you are ready to take your level 1 exam, which is either towards the end of your first year or often not until your second or 3rd year. At least that has been my experience. Its not like CSIA where you need to be a member and have passed an exam before you can get a job teaching at a ski area.
I was only in my 3rd year of skiing when I started teaching, so no, your technique does not need to be perfect by any means. Its important to remember that the bulk of lessons taught are to people that are never ever skiers, you are teaching them how to walk around in boots, how to carry their skis, how to slide around on one ski and then 2 skis on flat ground. At my ski area lessons are 75 minutes long and its not uncommon to not even progress to the magic carpet in that time. Never ever lessons are usually taught by the newer instructors while anyone coming to take a lesson beyond beginner basics would be given to a more senior instructor.
That is very helpful to know, thank you!
 

bounceswoosh

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
This thread has been very inspiring because I have been thinking about becoming an instructor too, but my husband has been telling me I'm not ready yet because my technique isn't 100% perfect. But it sounds like it actually doesn't need to be from what I am reading here.

Yeah, he's just wrong.

Typically, one doesn't join PSIA until you are ready to take your level 1 exam, which is either towards the end of your first year or often not until your second or 3rd year. At least that has been my experience. Its not like CSIA where you need to be a member and have passed an exam before you can get a job teaching at a ski area.

You don't have to be a member of the PSIA, but it does give you access to some very nice pro deals. You also get a magazine with instruction/exam tips. So if you're planning to buy some outerwear, skis, etc, it would probably pay for itself or better.
 

Jilly

Moderator
Staff member
In Canada it's all about the insurance. You must be certified by the CSIA to teach. So most areas offer a season long course to get you ready for the exam. Level 1 is a long weekend, plus an on line component.

Also this way, every snow school in Canada is teaching the same methodology. Every instructor has access to information on the website and clinics on snow.

I can see charging you for a lift ticket, but to pay for the hiring clinic? Again because here you have to have at least L1, any hiring clinic it to see if you fit with the school. And because of the certification, you got a cert, you're usually hired sight unseen. We are so lacking in people.
 

2ski2moro

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
At this rate, my Instructor Clinic may be my first day of skiing. Life has been getting in the way and the weather isn't cooperating.
 

ski diva

Administrator
Staff member
This might be helpful. I got this press release about an on-line course for new instructors:



Want to Work as a Ski or Snowboard Instructor?

Stay Ahead of Your Competition: Take the E-Learning Course for New Instructors


LAKEWOOD, COLO. (Oct. 24, 2017) - The Professional Ski Instructors of America and the American Association of Snowboard Instructors (PSIA-AASI), just launched a new E-Learning Course for New Instructors, which will help people interested in learning more about, or securing a job as ski or snowboard instructor stay a step ahead of their competition. The e-learning course walks participants through three key things to know when working as a ski or snowboard instructor: teaching and learning theories, how to interact with guests, and safety considerations. To see if a job on the slopes is right for you, take the free course on the PSIA-AASI website thesnowpros.org.

“It’s never too late to turn your passion into a profession by working as a ski or snowboard instructor,” says Aleisha Padilla Seubert, course co-author and PSIA-AASI educational development specialist. “You’ll spend time outdoors doing what you love, and be part of the growing snowsports industry. The course outlines different teaching methods and helps you learn what working as a ski, snowboard, adaptive, or nordic instructor, is like.”

The E-Learning Course for New Instructors is organized into three modules: what to expect as an instructor, how to work with students, and job safety. Each module includes written lessons, audio, and video components, and ends with a short quiz to test understanding. The entire course takes approximately one hour to complete. Upon completion, a participant can send a certificate to a snowsports school hiring manager to demonstrate their understanding of the job.

“If you rock your goggle tan deep into the summer, always catch the last chairlift, or daydream of bottomless powder all year long, take this course to see if a job on the slopes is right for you,” says Padilla Seubert. Visit thesnowpros.org to get started, and after creating an account, you can take the E-Learning Course for New Instructors for free. In addition, visit PSIA-AASI’s Work on Snow site to learn what it’s like to work on snow. You’ll receive a trail map guide to ski / snowboard instruction and can access a Job Board to search open positions.



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About PSIA-AASI
PSIA-AASI is a nonprofit education association with a membership of more than 32,000 men and women dedicated to promoting snowsports through instruction. The association establishes certification standards for ski and snowboard instructors and develops education materials to be used as the core components of most ski and snowboard school training. The PSIA-AASI Team is a hand-selected team of 30 individuals that are the “best of the best” ski and snowboard instructors and help promote the organization’s educational programs.
 

HockeyMom

Diva in Training
Two years ago I started teaching at a local ski mountain (that has night skiing) and will be starting my 3rd year soon. I really enjoy it! I was working a lot of hours at my full time job and did this to force me to "add balance" my to my life by teaching lessons on nights and weekends. I had always enjoyed taking my son and his friends and helping them with their skiing.

I've found that my skiing has improved immensely through participation in our weekly clinics. I hope to go for my PSIA certification if I can fit it into my schedule. I've taught a few adults but it's mostly kids. Nothing like seeing a kid who could barely stand up on skis when they first started with me, ski past waving and smiling. Good luck 2ski2moro!
 

nopoleskier

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I can see charging you for a lift ticket, but to pay for the hiring clinic?

LOL yes indeed but it is GORE. NYS Owns it they charge for everything. I grew up skiing at Gore, now I consider myself a 'gore refugee" they overcharge for everything and are notorious for lousy grooming, closing the groomed trails and being very slow to make snow. I have multiple friends that have been hit by snowmobiles, had major injuries due to the trails being cut on cross fall lines (if you fall you go in the woods)
BUT I hear Mike Pratt is gone finally (His experience was being an ORDA Executive's gardner!) Maybe Gore will turn around. I listen to the Gore Season passers complain all winter at my local bump. Gore should be exceptional with Free water for snow making, lots of Free money but they tend to buy Old clunky lifts, they took out the gondola that went to the top, moved the beginner area to a cross fall line slope, I have lots complaints are why I rarely go.. Plus you walk alot at "chore" it's other nick name. a shame they let a non skier make so many decisions. As A NYS taxpayers it pains me too much to go see what they didn't do so I drive to Okemo and get 30K+ of vertical on perfect snow and never complain..
 

Gloria

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Yeah, he's just wrong.



You don't have to be a member of the PSIA, but it does give you access to some very nice pro deals. You also get a magazine with instruction/exam tips. So if you're planning to buy some outerwear, skis, etc, it would probably pay for itself or better.
Joining PSIA doesn’t automatically get you pro-deals. Many require a certification or at least an affiliation with a ski school.
 

2ski2moro

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
The Instructor Hiring Clinic is over and I didn't make the cut. Wow, there were so many good skiers there and so many had teaching experience, as well. 31 people tried out. There were only a few positions open for this year (I heard, but cannot confirm, 8 open skier slots) and 3 of those went to sons or daughters of current instructors. (Don't know about the snowboarders.)

I'm disappointed that I didn't get hired, but I'm glad set a goal and tried it. I had early-season burning quads at the end of the day, but no regrets. Two days of skiing with PSIA Level 3 instructors was amazing.

I always say that if you can take away only one good thing from a class, it was a success. My Good Thing was when the group leader discussed the 5 Fundamentals of Skiing from an instructor standpoint, not a learner's standpoint. It was eye-opening for me, as an analytical person, to think about angulation, for example, in a different way. When an instructor teaches a class, she may use "push the hip" or "lower the shoulder" or "stab the frog and shine the flashlight" to teach angulation. In the Instructor Clinic, we discussed the mechanics of the movements, rather than examples of how it can be taught. It was fascinating to me to approach the skill from the other (instructor) side. My real regret is that I will not have the opportunity to learn more about this from these expert instructors in the ongoing instructor clinics throughout the next year.
 

VickiK

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Oh, bummer! But it sounds like a great experience anyway. Just the explanations from the instructor standpoint would be useful.
 

2ski2moro

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Oh, bummer! But it sounds like a great experience anyway. Just the explanations from the instructor standpoint would be useful.

I learned a long time ago to let go of disappointments, focus on the positive, and not to let it define me as a person.
 

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