Since you are a ski instructor, you likely learned to ski many years ago. That feeling of uncertainty at the sight of the long slog down the beginner trail is a distant memory to you. For our students, it is foremost in their minds when they start sliding down the hill. One of the best ways to understand your students’ feelings, and therefore be able to help them be successful in the lesson, is to become a student yourself.
I’m not talking about taking a ski lesson; we all know we can be successful in that or you wouldn’t be reading this blog. I’m suggesting you try an entirely new sport, with new skills and situations that will help you empathize with your students once you return to the snow. Hey, you might even have fun while you do it.
This past summer I took whitewater kayaking lessons with Liquid Adventures Kayaking School. I had a couple of lessons last year and a couple of rolling sessions this year, on flat water. Wave-free, no current, and very non-threatening water conditions. I still managed to tip my boat over on a somewhat regular basis, but overall my comfort level was fairly secure on that flat water. Boy did that feeling change one Sunday morning.
After some stroke work in flat water, we moved onto maneuvers in the current. At first I was pretty ok with the idea, we did a lot of work ‘attaining’ various spots in the canal, which meant the boat was pointed upstream and we were paddling against the current. Kinda like climbing uphill in the duck walk. But then my instructor introduced the idea of ‘ferrying’ across the river, from one eddy (spot of calm water) to another. He spoke of maintaining the angle of the boat nearly in line with the current, and paddling in order to move the boat sideways. This is where my uneasiness began.
The water was moving fairly swiftly (in my eyes, which incidentally, were wide open with fear) and some rocks underwater were causing little waves and unevenness in the water surface. Watching my instructor (Tom) demonstrate the move, I was convinced the current was going to flip my boat over. I sat back while the rest of the class made it across the water (Yep, I’m a classic ‘watcher’). With great trepidation I ventured into the current. To my surprise, I made it across fairly easily. Small victory over my fear. Until we started working on ‘peel outs.’
In a peel out, you move your boat from an eddy (that’s calm water) out into the current, and let the current take your boat down stream. Looking at the maneuver, I thought of the top of a garland, where we let our skis drift into the new turn just by letting them fall into the fall line. Then I keyed into what Tom was saying: “Lean your body in the direction of the current.” For those of you following along, that’s leaning downstream. At that moment, I was thinking, “Are you nuts? I’m going to lean downstream? The current will flip me!” Then I burst out laughing. I realized that my students very likely have the same thoughts when I tell them to move their bodies into the new turn—down the hill. A tentative move into the current and an even more tentative lean downstream and my first peel out was complete. Wow, my heart was pounding but I had a great feeling of accomplishment. Small victories really make us happy when we are learning new skills.
When we moved onto eddy turns I was ready for another “Fear Factor” moment. Imagine my surprise when Tom described the move as something akin to a hockey stop on skis. “You know, that quick sideways move skiers make to stop quickly.” While riding in the current, point the boat at a 45 degree angle to the current, and lean into the eddy (which is basically leaning upstream). I had a great big smile on my face as I completed the first one. I think part of my confidence stemmed from knowing that I could already do this move on snow, how different can it be on the water? After all, water is just melted snow. The transfer of skills really worked, and immensely helped my comfort level in trying the new move.
PSIA refers to this method of teaching as transfer of learning. (Core Concepts, 2001) Tom utilized my past experience in another sport to help allay my fears about a new task in the lesson. Not only was he responding to my emotional needs (putting fear to rest), he made a physical connection as well so some of my confidence was due to muscle memory in making a new move.
In your lessons on snow, try to bring your students’ prior experience into your presentation of skills. They will likely appreciate it and it may even help their learning. And don’t forget to become a student yourself sometimes. Not only will you learn something new, it may help you become a better instructor. Hey, you might even earn a bigger tip since you have become a better instructor. :) Knowing what they may be feeling will help you recognize fears, or other blocks to their success. I will add, that you might just fall in love with a new way to spend the off-season as well. See you on the river! Until the snow falls anyway…
I’m not talking about taking a ski lesson; we all know we can be successful in that or you wouldn’t be reading this blog. I’m suggesting you try an entirely new sport, with new skills and situations that will help you empathize with your students once you return to the snow. Hey, you might even have fun while you do it.
This past summer I took whitewater kayaking lessons with Liquid Adventures Kayaking School. I had a couple of lessons last year and a couple of rolling sessions this year, on flat water. Wave-free, no current, and very non-threatening water conditions. I still managed to tip my boat over on a somewhat regular basis, but overall my comfort level was fairly secure on that flat water. Boy did that feeling change one Sunday morning.
After some stroke work in flat water, we moved onto maneuvers in the current. At first I was pretty ok with the idea, we did a lot of work ‘attaining’ various spots in the canal, which meant the boat was pointed upstream and we were paddling against the current. Kinda like climbing uphill in the duck walk. But then my instructor introduced the idea of ‘ferrying’ across the river, from one eddy (spot of calm water) to another. He spoke of maintaining the angle of the boat nearly in line with the current, and paddling in order to move the boat sideways. This is where my uneasiness began.
The water was moving fairly swiftly (in my eyes, which incidentally, were wide open with fear) and some rocks underwater were causing little waves and unevenness in the water surface. Watching my instructor (Tom) demonstrate the move, I was convinced the current was going to flip my boat over. I sat back while the rest of the class made it across the water (Yep, I’m a classic ‘watcher’). With great trepidation I ventured into the current. To my surprise, I made it across fairly easily. Small victory over my fear. Until we started working on ‘peel outs.’
In a peel out, you move your boat from an eddy (that’s calm water) out into the current, and let the current take your boat down stream. Looking at the maneuver, I thought of the top of a garland, where we let our skis drift into the new turn just by letting them fall into the fall line. Then I keyed into what Tom was saying: “Lean your body in the direction of the current.” For those of you following along, that’s leaning downstream. At that moment, I was thinking, “Are you nuts? I’m going to lean downstream? The current will flip me!” Then I burst out laughing. I realized that my students very likely have the same thoughts when I tell them to move their bodies into the new turn—down the hill. A tentative move into the current and an even more tentative lean downstream and my first peel out was complete. Wow, my heart was pounding but I had a great feeling of accomplishment. Small victories really make us happy when we are learning new skills.
When we moved onto eddy turns I was ready for another “Fear Factor” moment. Imagine my surprise when Tom described the move as something akin to a hockey stop on skis. “You know, that quick sideways move skiers make to stop quickly.” While riding in the current, point the boat at a 45 degree angle to the current, and lean into the eddy (which is basically leaning upstream). I had a great big smile on my face as I completed the first one. I think part of my confidence stemmed from knowing that I could already do this move on snow, how different can it be on the water? After all, water is just melted snow. The transfer of skills really worked, and immensely helped my comfort level in trying the new move.
PSIA refers to this method of teaching as transfer of learning. (Core Concepts, 2001) Tom utilized my past experience in another sport to help allay my fears about a new task in the lesson. Not only was he responding to my emotional needs (putting fear to rest), he made a physical connection as well so some of my confidence was due to muscle memory in making a new move.
In your lessons on snow, try to bring your students’ prior experience into your presentation of skills. They will likely appreciate it and it may even help their learning. And don’t forget to become a student yourself sometimes. Not only will you learn something new, it may help you become a better instructor. Hey, you might even earn a bigger tip since you have become a better instructor. :) Knowing what they may be feeling will help you recognize fears, or other blocks to their success. I will add, that you might just fall in love with a new way to spend the off-season as well. See you on the river! Until the snow falls anyway…
Nicely done Kerry! but... I think the visual learners on this blog need some pictures of you in a wetsuit with a spray skirt on....
ReplyDeleteDo you know how unflattering a spray skirt is?? I'm thinking the visual learners are going to have to think of something else ;)
ReplyDeleteKerry
ReplyDeleteExcellent post. As you know, most instructors at Liberty sympathize with my students. The whole "fear factor" - come out of your comfort zone is a feeling that I sometimes forget. I am not prepared to attempt kayaking or anything where I might drown or wear a skirt, however. Thanks!!
(If you want an opportunity to come out of your comfort zone, I will drop off the Curren boys with you for 4 hours.)