We had our second class at ski instructor school last Sunday and there is still not a trace of snow on the mountain. We learned more jargon and abbreviations like COM (Center of Mass) and BOS (Base of support). We finished the first lesson typically given to new skiers, commonly referred to as “the never whatevers.” We began learning how to adjust the lesson to students of different ages. I’m impressed with the thought and consideration that has been given to developing a class aimed at reaching children. We even got a “cheat sheet” coaching us how to pitch the lesson based on the child’s cognitive level of development.
During the class we had to “teach something” to a group of us. Actually, the information we learned turned out to be useful. One student taught us how to tie a bow line. Another taught us how to make “cake balls.” A teenage girl taught us how to play “slides,” a patty-cake type game popular among girls in middle school. I can’t wait to try out the game with one of my female patients. I taught the class a ski balance exercise. Overall, I thought my lesson went well and it followed the basics they wanted us to include. While superficially the task appeared intended to give us a teaching experience, I think it was also their way to evaluate us as well.
They had a group of returning instructor rookies talk to us and tell us about what their first season was like – “organized chaos” as one person put it. The group said the material we’re learning is highly relevant. One instructor, who had taught at other ski areas, sang the Boston Mills/Brandywine Ski School’s praises. “It’s second to none,” he boasted. In fact Boston Mills/Brandywine takes a great deal of pride in their program and they consider themselves pioneers of children’s ski instruction. They even have their own in-house certification program qualifying ski instructors to teach children in particular. After all, they might have up to 1500 tweens and teens on a given Friday night, the vast majority of which need ski lessons.
Even though I’m one of the older students in the class I will not be by any means the oldest instructor. Some instructors have been teaching for decades. Our teachers told us about one instructor who is 83 and still teaching. According to them this experienced veteran can teach anybody. I look forward to meeting this instructor.
Again the volume of information is like “drinking water from a fire hose” as one person put it. However, the instructors repeat the core material and clearly tell us what they want us to know. Our assignment for next session is to be prepared to teach the first basic lesson.
Ski Bums 