Tell me about teaching

[Moonrocket]

My home Mountain posted about a clinic they are having about learn what it’s like to be a ski instructor. I’m a bit curious. I would only teach part time if I did it.

I’m curious if anyone else started teaching as an approaching 50 year old and how it went. Or even your experience if you started younger.

I have taught swimming and math and economics- but never skiing. I’m a confident double black skier and raced a bit growing up. I enjoyed teaching my daughter and some of her friends.

If I’m a new instructor am I most likely going to teach beginner kids?

I’ve heard the clinics can be really educational.

Would love to hear some diva’s perspectives.

 

[marzNC]

Paging @Nedgirl . She teaches at Winter Park.

 

[SkiBam]

I was over 60 when I got my level 1 CSIA. Spent a season teaching at my local hill - mainly kids and school programs, some of which were a lot of fun. But I soon realized that teaching little ones (unless I was related to them!) wasn't my favourite. I got my level 2 the following year and was very fortunate to be able to teach in two adult groups for a number of years. I think older people (especially women) appreciated having an instructor of their own age (or, often, older!).

I was skiing at my local hill last week when my 12-year-old grandson was here and was chatting with a fellow I had taught with at that hill all those years ago. He's still there and was trying to convince me to come back. (That would mean he wouldn't be the oldest instructor - ha ha!). I doubt I will though. Not so keen on little kids or weekends!

I often loved the instructing but the biggest bonus for me were the dozens and dozens of clinics I took. Really, my skiing improved a great deal thanks to these sessions. I'd say, go for it!

 

[Skier31]

I started teaching part time at age 35. It has been a blast.

I love the community, the clinics and my locker!

Teaching has helped my skiing improve tremendously.

I also met my husband through teaching.

I would not want to do it full time or depend on it for income.

 

[snoWYmonkey]

I started in my 30s but a few started later including one post 50 who kept teaching full time into his late 70s!

I never taught group kids, but love teaching a mix of all ages. Did teach group adults for the first few years.

I think every mountain is very different in how new instructors fit in relative to the available work. Your experience and skills would give you an edge at my resort, but many day destinations really only need group children's instructors on weekends and holidays.

If you can teach part time but get access to great coaches and enjoy improving then teaching is the fastest and most fun way to tap into free learning opportunities with colleagues and coaches.

I would likely get bored with skiing if I was not teaching all the time.

My unsolicited vote: go for it! If it sucks....quit.

 

[Nedgirl]

Hey there, sorry I've been out of pocket on this one. Thanks @marzNC for letting me know to chime in. I've been teaching at Winter Park for eight seasons. I first started teaching skiing in my 30s for two seasons at Lake Tahoe and then resumed teaching in my 50s. There are a lot of folks who are semi-retired that become instructors for the very first time in their 50s and 60s. I would say most of our adult teaching staff is older and part-time.

I believe Winter Park is having some sort of clinic Saturday, April 15 for prospective instructors which is funny because it's my last day teaching for the season.

It's really not about how good a skier you are now, but your ability to break things down for others in a way that makes sense. I thought I was a pretty good skier, but have become a much better skier, but more importantly a better teacher. I will say that most of our new instructors start on the kids side, but they do include a rotation in adults for all new instructors.

Patience is key. Also creativity in thinking about learning styles is very helpful. Some people need to feel it, some people need to see it, some people need to hear how it's done. Incorporating different ideas into lessons and making it fun, also having a positive attitude and lots of patience.

I did get involved in PSIA, and am now Level 2 certified. It is a very helpful, but a sometimes ardurous process, and as once you get past Level 1, it is much more difficult to pass exams. But the PSIA clinics are first rate, and I've gotten a lot of good ideas that I have incorporated into my own classes.

In addition, my home resort offers clinics every day of the week. Sometimes, they are just an hour in the morning before line-up, sometimes all day. We had a women's clinic for our female instructors which was super empowering. I've met a lot of great people that I often ski with during free time as well.

The one issue that probably bugs people the most about part-time instructing is you really can't count on working. Full-timers get preference and part-timers who work more hours are higher in priority. It can be frustrating to show up only to be dispatched with no lessons for the day. And of course, then you only get show-up pay.

For me, it doesn't bother me as much as I have another job as a consultant that is my main job. But some folks have gotten really bothered by lack of lessons at times. I've been pretty busy this year for the most part. And choosing to work high volume times like Christmas and spring break weeks insures more work.

Feel free to DM me if you want to chat more, am happy to share on my experience.

 

[Pequenita]

I'm not sure what your employment situation is, but it's probably more manageable out west to be a part time instructor with another full time job/not-retired than to do it in the east/midatlantic because there is often a minimum lineup requirement that is really tough to meet with a short season. But, the clinic itself is valuable and worthwhile, and you can get a better sense of the requirements at that time.

 

[Nedgirl]

FYI, at Winter Park, there is a point system for part-time instructors. Weekends, Christmas Break, holidays and spring break are rated at the highest points per day. You have to at least accrue 100 points over the season to be satisfy the lowest level of part-time. If you worked every high value day, you can probably meet the requirement over 20 days for the season and you can choose your schedule, which I find nice. So if you don't want to work certain weeks, you don't have to, as long as all your days get you to at least 100 points.

 

[Jilly]

I've been able to teach in Canada since 1982. As mentioned many times before, things are a little different here. But teaching is teaching.

Take the clinic. You'll find out what they expect and find out where you are and if you'll fit. It's not just the teaching, its the climate too. Like any "job", you are there, but what are they going to do for you. What education and support is available to you. Then what is expect of you. Time, education etc.

But do it! It can be very rewarding!!

 

[echo_VT]

Everything that has been said has been said! Take the clinic first, then decide!

 

[snoWYmonkey]

On a side note. For about 4 years running a guy used to sign up and pay for (yes in the old days we had to pay for the clinic to then see if we were offered a teaching job) the 4 day hiring clinic as he found that it was the least expensive lesson he could find with top notch coaches. He had zero plans of becoming an instructor. Even if a lot of the feedback was on his basic wedge turns the truth is that fundamentals are always the foundation and he recieved great feedback. Too funny!

 

[Jilly]

One of the reason's I do Pro Camp every year.

 

[echo_VT]

there is another post with Qs as well.
Here’s the thread I started in 2019 that has a lot of good info: https://www.theskidiva.com/forums/i...-about-becoming-a-ski-instructor.23860/page-3