Will Higher Level Instructor Certification Help Me Teach Beginners Better?

[MattFromCanada]

I've been told by others that I apparently count as a higher certified instructor, and I am more than content to be able to teach never-evers and get them linking turns and skiing in a confident within an hour or less. Anyone who thinks that a higher qualification is a pathway to teaching only advanced lessons is sadly mistaken unless you can get yourself into a high-end season long program. My ultimate goal is to finish the level 4 and be the greatest ski instructor of 5-year-olds Whistler has ever seen.

The truth is that this industry relies on beginners, and having a deeper understanding of the technical aspects of skiing is like a cheat code when it comes to teaching those beginners. The more tools you have in your kit, the less frustrating it will be. When I was a level 1 instructor with no experience, it was difficult if I tried the one thing I knew on my students. 12 seasons later, I've got a lot more tricks, and I know that there is more than one way to peel an orange.

Perhaps the greatest benefit to higher certification is the confidence to stick to your own guns. I've met far too many higher level instructors who are adamant that there is only one true way to teach a wedge. Once you have that validation that you know what you're talking about, it becomes a lot easier to stick to your guns.

As bendzeekneez said, the average beginner skier doesn't need to be technically proficient, and if approaching it from an unconventional approach results in a technically wrong approach to a desired outcome, the guest is happy, they can glide, what's the problem?

 

[latitudes]

I chose to teach skiing because I wanted to improve my skiing technique. But what brings me the greatest satisfaction is teaching, especially to beginners. Being able to see students discover their capabilities or rediscover themselves is an extremely exciting, almost addictive experience for me. I still get enjoyment by teaching intermediates or advanced students, but the improvements aren’t as immediate.

Those improvements can be immediate if you work on your analysis & improvement skills. When working with an advanced student who's really "into it", their reaction and satisfaction when a new technical idea finally clicks can be just as rewarding as when they make a snowplow stop for the first time.

Pursuing the higher levels is going to come with some clear trade-offs. The courses aren’t cheap, and the difference in work pay isn’t that significant. I will to have to spend more time training and taking courses, which requires a high level of dedication.

We have scholarships available; a huge amount of money is given out each year to support young instructors pursuing the next level. Details here: https://www.snowpro.com/en/initiatives/scholarship-program

Lastly, the higher level courses focus on advance skiing and teaching techniques, which doesn’t 100% align with my mindset, especially for teaching.

Advanced skiing technique isn't that much different from beginner skiing technique. A better understanding of the skills your students will need as they get better will help you plan your beginner lessons the right way.

I’m not going to ski as fast or as difficult of terrain that I normally would, and I can’t really enjoy the skiing that much because my focus is on delivering a good lesson.

Beginner-style turns at an advanced level are just as technically challenging as carved turns. Just got back from course conductor training with an L4 who teaches primarily beginner lessons - he taught that even in snowplow turns on the bunny hill, you can be perfecting your own skiing technique. The core skills and technical elements the CSIA teaches are applicable at every stage of skier development, from snowplow to stem turns and beyond.

 

[Magikarp]

My ultimate goal is to finish the level 4 and be the greatest ski instructor of 5-year-olds Whistler has ever seen.

I agree with what you have said and especially this part.

...

Thank you for your insight. I don't think I'm eligible for the scholarship because I don't have a financial need. Besides, it's the total time commitment between the courses and training that is my main hesitation. I do want to improve my skiing and be able to teach beginners better, so I think I'll keep working towards higher levels based on that.

 

[Disinterested]

You can be a great instructor of most beginners by just engagingly conveying pretty rote memorised progressions to people, or with pretty limited technical understanding.

However, there's often a fire to put out or a problem to solve in a lesson, and the more you know about how to solve it, the better. If pursuing certification provides a pathway to gather the knowledge you need to personalise the lesson experience as it evolves, on the fly, then it will pay off with beginners.

 

[James]

if approaching it from an unconventional approach results in a technically wrong approach to a desired outcome, the guest is happy, they can glide, what's the problem?

Maybe they have the wrong idea for a long time that someone else fixes?
It’s amazing how people take a few things and for years think you’re supposed to do that. There’s quite a lot of people who think they’re supposed to always face downhill.

The problem is, they don’t like the actual answer since it’s more involved.