Male or female instructors?

[ski diva]

To me, it doesn't matter. As long as the instructor is knowledgable, patient, and able to explain and demonstrate things well, I'm happy.

But I wonder if it matters to you.

Some people have told me that female instructors are more patient (if the instructor is a mother, could this be from dealing with kids?), while others have told me that male instructors push them harder.

Both are good traits to have. I like to be challenged, but I also like some understanding and patience, along the way.

What do you think? Any preference?

 

[teachski]

I've found that a lot of Beginning or Novice female skiers (between 25 and 50) prefer to have a female instructor. They also prefer to have an adult instructor. I have been called upon, from my ranks as Patrol Director, to give lessons to adult women who requested another adult woman teach them. I was an instructor at the area for many years in addition to patroller, but now that I am the director, I really can't instruct on a regular basis so I only patrol.

 

[Snowbird]

Doesn't make any difference to me. I figure they're all better than I am, so who cares?

 

[Lilgeorg]

Male or Female Instructors

I used to think that it didn't matter if the instructor was good until I experienced the Women's Alpine adventure clinic at Okemo. This clinic is for all levels of skiers . they have top women instructors and put you in a class with a maximum of 3 other skiers of your ability level. I found the experience to be so supportive. as a result, my confidence increased ten fold. There is something very positive about not having the highly competitive vibe in the class that allows each women to relax and do her best. We also talked about fear and skiing with men in our families who ski faster and more difficult trails. By the end of the clinic we were all skiing trails we never would have tried before. So now, I stick with a class taught for women by women.

 

[Molly]

I actually prefer female instructors. I feel that they have a better handle on what I'm doing and can draw from their own experience. Plus they just make me feel more comfortable.

 

[Jilly]

I'll vote for the female instructor too. At our CSIA courses I always choose the girls. We have more fun and learn so much. The emphasis is on the female technique. There is a difference. Guys just don't get it.

 

[eng_ch]

Thze only instructors I've had who've been less than excellent (for me) were women - but that measn nothing really. I suspect one was not yet fully qualified (in CH - we usually use British instructors n France which means the level is top notch) and the other was a French slalom specialist and whilst she was perfectly nice, we just didn't click in terms of teaching styles. We're having a lesson with Easiski at the PSB in a week or so but it just happens that the instructors who've helped us most are men (and one woman) trained through the BASI system. Had a lesson once with a woman who was a BASI 1 (top cert) and there was def a certain solidarity of outlook with two women together but the male instructors I (we) have had have been uniformly excellent. So my conclusion? It doesn't really matter :D

 

[Jilly]

Eng_ch, did a session a few years ago with BASI at our CSIA Fall convention. The instructors were to give us an overview of BASI techniques and teaching methods. Both instructors were women. I had a great time with them. But like you say, it seems to be the relationship between you and the instructor, whether it's male or female.

 

[SnowHot]

Have all of you women had instruction?
I've never had a formal lesson in my life!
This is not necessarily a good thing for my skills!

Never occured to me until I was well into my skiing "career"(ha ha that's funny)
Now I'm just excited to get into some instruction from the coaches at ESA! Can't wait
I'll tell you if the women or men are better IMO after I go there!

 

[Shellski]

Some people have told me that female instructors are more patient (if the instructor is a mother, could this be from dealing with kids?), while others have told me that male instructors push them harder.

I tend to agree with this, in general. But there are a lot of exceptions, I've met plenty of tough women instructors. My regular instructor is a man. I think it's about working out what you need from an instructor, then finding someone whose teaching style matches your learning style.

I like and need to be challenged, my husband doesn't do this, he treats me like a precious piece of porcelain, and lets me wimp out far too much. My instructor doesn't, so I follow him down a lot of places I wouldn't follow hubby. He doesn't let me get away with saying 'I can't'.

 

[liquidfeet]

Seems like one major factor in answering this question is whether one is reflecting on a group lesson or an individual lesson.

I've only had group lessons. I have not been happy afterwards. It hasn't so much the teacher, nor the teacher's gender, but the relationship between the teacher and the group. Most of my teachers have taught to the lowest common denominator in the group, which hasn't happened to be me. So I've been unhappy.

I suppose had I been that lowest skilled person, then I would have been very happy.

I'm a teacher, an art teacher, and have been for years. I've learned that some teachers teach to the middle, some to the bottom, and others to the top. In any group displaying big skills differences, two thirds will be left out, unless there is lots of time for individual instruction. Those two thirds will learn something, but not as much as if they were the direct focus of the instruction.

I suspect this is the case with ski instruction as well as with art instruction - both are skills-based educational situations. Tell me if I'm wrong!

 

[eng_ch]

Apart from our first ever week skiing, we've always had private instruction. A group is a good laugh but if you want to progress, privates are teh way to go. One two-hour private session (usually 2 of us) is the equivalent of a whole week in a group IME.

I would think skiing is one of those areas where it would be dangerous for an instructor to teach to any but the common denominator. Also, with the individual attention of privates, the instructor can tell whether your "no I don't want to do that" is because it's outside your comfort zone and persuadable or a dig-my-heels-in, gut-feel, today's-not-the-day-so-I'm-NOT-doing-it outright refusal