Getting Stoked on Skiing – Review Level 1
During Level One you will have covered concepts like Safety, Enjoyment, Achievement, and How People Learn.
Here’s a brief recap of some of the major ideas that you learnt at Level 1 and will need to use at Level 2.
“Safety first!”
Students must feel physically and emotionally safe in the mountain environment with both you, the instructor, and the other participants in the lesson. These feelings of safety are the most important thing in skiing. The mountain environment will be new to many students, and as the instructor it is important that you model, highlight and promote safe behaviours.
Pay special attention to Temperature, Sun, Hydration.
“If your students stay safe, they can ski again the next day!”
Students predominantly come to you to seek greater enjoyment of skiing. Whether they are looking for increased skill and challenge, better competitive results, or a greater appreciation of the mountain environment, enjoyment is key. If the lesson environment is not fun, they are less likely to progress and less likely to return.
What makes skiing fun will be different for different people. For some people just being active is fun, for some being challenged is fun, for others it is the learning and understanding that will be fun. Some students will simply find the social interaction of skiing with other people fun.
“If your students enjoy the lesson, they will probably take another one!”
Achievement as an outcome is the act of attaining new skills and abilities. Learning is the process or experience of gaining knowledge or skill. Learning can be likened to the journey towards a destination, with the student questioning, reflecting on and adapting what they are doing as they continue their journey.
Achievement refers more to the successful completion of something (especially by means of exertion, skill, practice or perseverance). It can be likened to arrival at a destination. 
CELEBRATE THE SMALL GOALS THAT ARE ACHIEVED
“If your student achieves their goal during their lesson with you, they will be more motivated to take another lesson… WITH YOU!”
Creating a Learning Enviroment
Creating a positive learning environment is essential because it will have a significant impact on a student’s success and enjoyment of the lesson.
A positive learning environment will encourage students to engage and try new things in a safe and enjoyable way.
For a learning environment to be successful several factors need to be in place. Students need to be physically and emotionally comfortable, students need to be clear about what and why they are doing something, students need to know they can try things, reflect and alter what they are doing.
Continue to revisit some of these concepts in more depth…
Maslow's Hierachy of Needs
Students need to be physically and emotionally comfortable.
Progression Building
DECISION MAKING & BUILDING PROGRESSIONS
After the lesson setup there will come a time in each lesson when there will be an initial activity, which is analysed before there is an adaptation to the next step. Once this cycle has been repeated multiple times the series of activities can be referred to as a progression.
Building Relationships
It takes time to craft interpersonal skills. Enjoy talking with guests and exploring new avenues through which a connection can be made. This offers opportunities to enhance the experience and build lasting relationships that can extend far beyond just one ski lesson.
“Quite simply, if you aren’t going to listen to the response then why ask a question?”
Talk Show Feel
Every individual likes to give and receive information in different ways. When communicating new information to students, we can simplify the process by focusing on three main communication modes: talking, showing and feeling.
Put simply, first we talk about what we’re doing, then we show what it should look like, then we offer opportunities for students to try it whilst indicating some feelings they may experience.
