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Teaching Children explores how lessons will change when teaching children, as one of the major groups of people we teach in snowboarding. We may have different ideas on how to interact with children, because at one time we were all kids ourselves. This chapter presents specific tools, tactics and considerations for teaching and interacting with children.
Rider Analysis for Kids
Instructors are constantly analysing their students’ riding and looking for ways to improve any inefficiencies they may have. Movements that children are able to make often differ from movements that adults make. This is because children may not have fully developed muscular strength, skeletal growth, coordination or balance.
The instructor’s main objective here is to create efficiency in their riding in a realistic way, helping them to progress their skills and achieve their goals. We are also trying to create comfort within their snowboarding and the environment, which will help them to conserve energy so they can ride for longer. This, in turn, will create confidence from within and fuel their STOKE for snowboarding.
When introducing new and more efficient movements to children, instructors should be continually assessing the student’s physical ability to make these new movements and deciding whether the movements are realistic or not.
There are three steps you can use to do this…
Board Off
See if the student can physically make the required movements with their board off. This should be done on flat terrain. Do they have the strength, coordination and range of movement required? For example, can the student flex through their front ankle and knee whilst in their boots?
Board On
Now try the same movements with their board on. Again, do this on the flat. Can they create the relevant board performance? Which movements are working for them when they do achieve the necessary performance?
In Motion
Now have them try to make the same movements whilst in motion. Have the student use these skills through some simple exercises on the relevant terrain, like steered traverses.
This process will highlight any limitations the student may have when making these movements and creating board performances. For example, if they are unable to twist their board using their ankles, it may be necessary to use another body part.
Real vs Ideal
It is important to understand that not all students will ride with a perfect stance, or be able to use the same range of movement as the instructor, or perform the movements in the necessary order. However, if they are able to achieve the task by compensating with another body part and are having FUN, then the instructor should continue regardless, and adjust the lesson or expectations accordingly.
Hot Tip
Remember that if you attempt to take away a movement, you must replace it with an alternative one first. For example, if the child is initiating turns with their upper body (which works but is slow and takes a lot of effort), you should introduce an alternative means of initiating the turn. Various options include: twisting the board by focusing on pushing buttons under the lead foot, rotating the knee by imagining it is a joystick, or using the lead hand to reach towards the nose of the board. These options should be trialled before eliminating the initial problem as you may take away the student’s only means of turning.
The following table contains a few common issues that often occur as children progress in their riding. It also includes some example games and analogies that you can use to help create more efficient movements and outcomes.
