How to be a better ski instructor?

Question

I'm wondering how to make my ski lessons even better for the customers at our resort. I currently am making the best tips out of anyone in our ski school, so I think I'm doing something right. What sort of things do you think make up a great lesson? Important qualities in an instructor? My typical hour and a half beginner lesson is as follows, would you change anything?

1) Start out by teaching them how to move with their skis on on a flat, going over to our magic carpet (conveyor belt) teaching area

2) Once there, teach how to remove skis and get a feeling for the boots, explain/show good, safe skiing form. Then move on to how to make a wedge

3) After they can all do it correctly with skis off, try it again with skis on, still in place on a flat

4) Take the conveyor up to the top of the small learning area (about 40 ft, small incline) and show them again proper form and have them go one by one, making a few complete stops as they go down saying directions to correct anything wrong

Answer 1

Tips!?  Who knew.  I figured if lessons cost over $100 there's going to be no tip!

Anyway, you seem to have it down.  And based on your avatar, being a sweet cute girl doesn't hurt either.

Answer 2

Well....that's pretty much what you should be doing. If what you do is working out well....keep doing it!

Judging by what you say, you seem to be working with kids or elementary skiers. When I tech at that level I tend to use a some games and different techniques that I've picked up over the years. I'm sure if you spoke to your ski school director they could show you some other things to improve or just make it more fun for yourself.

Taking some PSIA classes willl also help you progress to teaching more advanced techniques to intermediate level skiers. Again, I'm sure your director can get you info on clinics and classes to help you advance your teaching skills.

It sounds like you're off to a great start!

Answer 3

It looks like you are taking it nice and slow with them- that's great! You never want to push students beyond what they feel comfortable with, and, in general, you don't want to go faster than the slowest learner in your class.

Make sure you explain ski terms to them as they come up, ie: explain the parts of a ski before they put them on (tip/tail, brake, binding, edge).  That way you can easily reference back to those things when you need them to "keep their tips from crossing", or "get on their downhill ski", etc.

Also, try to find out about the student's hobbies- esp. any sports they are involved in.  Many skills in different areas can be transfered to skiing, such as in rollerblading- which will help the student relate to what you are teaching. If they are not generally interested in active sports, try to find some other way to connect something familiar in their life to skiing movements.

Also- always try several different ways of explaining things. No one learns in exactly the same way.  This is important in group and private lessons. Read as much as you can from PSIA and other guides about learning styles and how to cater to them.  

Games are great, not only for younger children, but for adults as well. Feel out the situation... some adults prefer straight-forward instruction, some would love to break loose a little and have fun on the hill. Games can get students of all levels and ages to rid themselves of fear and uncertainty.

PSIA is a GREAT resource, as well as your ski school director like the guy before me said. Do not overlook, however, those who teach alongside you at the resort. Ask those who have been there teaching a few years, and I am sure you will get some creative answers that will bring your teaching to the next level.

Sounds like you are on a roll...Good luck! =)

Answer 4

I've been doing the same things for several years,  I use a couple of different sequences that seem to work well.

1. Tighten the boots

2. How to balance in the boots and hop from one foot to another

3. I explain what a ski is and how it works

4. how to get in and out of one ski and then pushing and gliding on one ski, turn one ski, and then change feet and do it again.

5 . both skiis on and a wedge position to turn both ways then how to stop on command. At this point about 45 minutes are gone and we are using the magic carpet for repetitive runs.

6. if the class seems confident and is showing a reasonable skill blend, we will move to the beginners chair, safety about riding, unloading and loading is gone over. One chair ride is then encouraged and about 20 minutes is used to ski  across the beginners slope while edging and releasing edges to come down the hill. I pick areas to turn where a wedge turn is easy to do.

I emphasize the basic BREP skills and encourage them to ski any run on their own that we skied in class. My class load is 40 to 100 students per week, our school has 600+ instructors and we teach 7 days and5 nights a week.

  Hope this helps.