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Question: Tell me everything I need to know about becoming a ski instructor!

liquidfeet

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
For teaching the littlest ones, 3 and 4 year old never-evers, follow an instructor around who has done this before. Shadow. If your SSD doesn't want to pay you to do that and won't allow you to do it clandestinely (since the law says you have to be paid for that), stand and watch when you are unassigned. That's the best way to learn this stuff.

I hope your ski school rotates those kind of assignments around so one person doesn't always get stuck doing the lean-over work. Little kids are fun to work with on a limited basis, but getting short to work with them at their level is quite tough on the older instructor's body.

One other thing about your gear. Use your shortest skis for those kids. That way you can get closer to them. And keep your poles so you can hold them out behind you and let them grab the grip - that way you can pull them along behind you which is much more fun for them than trying to walk or skate. Also, you can ski in front of them backwards with your poles (or pole) held horizontal, and have them ski towards you, grabbing your poles. You can also ski beside them with a pole held out to the side so they can ski next to you while holding onto it.
 
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echo_VT

Angel Diva
This is such a great thread I forgot I started it! I have been instructing snowboarding and skiing and I’m taking my alpine level 1 in mid March. I’ve logged 30+ lessons ranging from 1-2 hours. Largest group was 15 and smallest is 1. It’s been good so far I’ve learned a lot about teaching but I mostly get adults. Every so often I get the 7-12 age range. Listening to folks with experience teaching kids - their advice - I’ve been doing so a lot-
 

echo_VT

Angel Diva
For the kids stuff I am borrowing what I learned from my daughters coach from before race when she was in seasonals. I don’t know if it’s right by psia standards, but I have done similar drills as an adult — She has them do “thumper” like the bunny in the movie Bambi to get the kids turning their wedges into parallel skiing. Also J turns are done with a “hello hill!” At the end so the kids are facing the top of the mountain and turn their skis back up the hill. She does something for garlands but I forget what ATM.

As for the smaller more inexperienced skiers who are still wedging, the kids center of mass is in their head and not their shoulders like men or hips like women. So all the tricks to get their center of mass over their base of support but in terms the kids can understand.

For snowboarding kids, the instructors I’ve spoken to use “let’s get low like a monkey“ and “not be an elephant” (the trunk of an elephant flails). I haven’t used this yet but perhaps I will. It helps give the kids a visual in terms that they can imagine and emulate.

I’m curious to hear what works for people and also what psia says. And I think I need that book! I am signed up for the elearning course—
 

Peaheartsmama

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Re center of gravity. For the little kids, what’s the thought on having them put their hands on their knees to stay forward? I find that it causes them to flail less and makes it easier for them to engage a turn. I also use the “bug squishing under your toe” analogy to get them to pressure the right ski for turning. One challenging thing I have come across are the really little kids who don’t even know their left from their right yet. :smile: thinking of maybe bringing stickers to my lessons so I can mark the skis. I used to do that with my 3 year old. Blue and Pink Princess aurora on each ski.
 

liquidfeet

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Buy this. It has tons of progressions to do with kids.

Children's Alpine Teaching Handbook – PSIA-AASI NORTHWEST
 

brooksnow

Angel Diva
Not exactly relevant, but I am SO tired of having to keep track of kids' stuffed animals/toys/blankies that they insist on skiing with. Yes, it's adorable to have a little stuffed face poking out of the jacket. But think of the poor coach who has to make sure none of them are lost!
 

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