Teaching Suggestions for Ski Instructors
Teaching Games: Be motivated and positive. Little children tire easily, so balance activity with slow times. Keep your games and activities goal oriented and simple. Stop games and
Activities when they reach a high level of excitement so they will want to do it again later.
Learning is very difficult for some because they focus on their failures and shortcomings.
Always point out the positive things they are learning. Children learn from doing and seeing. Keep them moving. Ski at their level and allow your imagination to keep them trying. Be fair, but allow everyone the opportunity to be successful. Ask for student input, but limit choices. Climb out of your adult mold and reach out to them.
Class Rules: To insure safety and fun use common sense. Follow and make sure your
students know the Snow Sports Responsibility Code. Stop below each other and to the side of the run or trail. Take turns being first. Yell “wipe out” when someone falls. The whistle means stop. Be respectful in line. Ski poles are for responsible people. Carry them correctly and keep them away from other people. You will have your own rules to suit your style of teaching.
The Undisciplined Child: Try giving them responsibility or a task, teacher helper, ski
patrol, ect.... If they don’t respond after numerous attempts, take them back to the program
supervisor and have them “benched” for one run. You are not a babysitter. Be honest with them and their parents. They know what they are doing.
Finish Class With High Spirits: Use the last few minutes of the class to generate
tremendous enthusiasm. Use a game, activity, challenge, contest, song, chant something in which your students are totally enjoying themselves. If they don’t want to leave the class you have done a very good job in motivating and showing interest in them.
Mini Mountain Teaching Motto
BE SAFE HAVE FUN LEARN ONE THING
Flatland Games
? Relays, Races
? Pizza Turn Around (paddle turns)
? One Ski Races & Relays
? Make A Stairway (side step up/down hill)
? Flat Run
? Guessing Games
? Pole Balancing On Hand
? Mother May I
? Monkey See, Monkey Do
? Movement Exploration (find a way to…..)
? What If bathroom, chairlift, lost, to fast
? Red Light, Green Light
? Guess What Kind Of Animal I Am
? Skating
? Turn With One Ski On
? Follow The Leader
Downhill Games
Maintain control by position of instructor
? Slam On Brakes
? Track The Animal stay in track
? Stork Traverse lift tail/tip
? Platter Relay must carry two items
? Ball Pass
? Me & My Shadow front/back side/side
? Count Number Of Turns
? Airplane Turns
? Kangaroo Turns
? Hold A Snow Ball
? Heavy Pole Plant Light Pole Plant
? Tractor Turns
? Hug Tag hug yourself until caught
? Three Turns And Stop
? Hands In Box
? Human Slalom
Individual Activities
? Animal Sounds & Charades
? Clap Hands Over Head For Rhythm
? Sing Your Attitude Down The Hill
? Student Becomes Instructor
? No Poles Poles Across Wrist
? Arms sideways, forward, hugging
? Ski Right Ski Wrong
? Verbalize Turn Intensity turn!, tuuurn
? Eyes Closed
? Leapers/Retractors Turns
? Sensory Focus what part of foot
? Tracker look for edges, belly marks
? Compare Z Turns To S Turns
? Giant And Midget ski high & low
? Centered Focus head, foot, stomach
? Compare Wide & Narrow Track Turns
Group Activities
? Synchronized Skiing
? Human Slalom
? Match The Track
? Syncopated Skiing
? Line Rotation
? Group Singing
? Lead Follow
? Weave The Needle long/short
? Imitate Others
? Formation Skiing
Edging
? Walking With Skis On
? Side Stepping
? Straight Run step out to stop-fan if necessary
? Hop Into Wedge
? Wedge Change Up--straight run to wedge
? One Sided Wedge Garlands
? 1000 Steps
? Side Slipping from traverse
? Wide Track Garlands release edges
? Falling Leaf
? Crab Walk-passive
? Crab Walk-stepping (integrated pole plant)
? Outside Knee To Inside Boot
? Tug Of War
? Linked Turns right leg only then left
? Long Leg Short Leg
? Skating skating into turns
? Turns outside ski only-inside only
? Double Pole Plant Turns
? Long Turns with multiple edge sets
? Short Swing With Countered Finish
? Change Both Edges use feet, ankles, knees
Controlling Force Build Up
? Rocking Fore And Aft find center
? Straight Run
? Hopping On Both Skis
? Rising And Sinking straight run & turns
? Pedal Turn
? Hockey Stop
? Side Slipping gradual slowing/accelerating
? Toaster Turns hop to initiate
? Harsh Sinking down unweighting to initiate
? Turn With No Vertical Change
? 1000 Steps
? Hopping Through Turns
? Excessive Sinking At End Of Turn
? Float Like A Butterfly Sting Like A Bee
? Fast Side Slip To Fast Stop
? Work With Angulations
? Short Turns very harsh, very smooth
? Check Garlands
? Straight Run Through Bumps
? Straight Run Over Transition pre jump
? Early Edge Change before fall line
? Airplane Turns In Bumps
? Easy Jumping explode for more air
Turning Exercises
Beginners
? Scooter Turns
? Turns No Skis
? Fan System
? Stepping Turns
? Straight Run hop to wedge to parallel
? Garland Turns
? Wedge Hockey Stop
? Mental Practice
? Side Slipping
? Pedal Turns
? Run Slalom
? Follow The Leader
? Skating
? Human Slalom
? Follow Leaders Tracks
? Tractor Turns
Intermediate
? Garlands
? More, More, Most
? Step Turns
? 1000 Steps
? Falling Leaf
? Gravity Turns
? Skating
? Counting
? Terrain Unweighting
? Crab Walk
? J Turns Z Turns S Turns
? 360 Spins
? Check Turns
? Turn Three Steps Uphill
Advanced
? Short Turns
? Slalom/Giant Slalom
? Rebound
? Early Crossover
? Short Leg Long Leg
? Initiate With Early Edge
? Initiate With Inside/Outside Ski
? Crossover/projection
Anticipation
? Eyes Down The Hill
? Double Pole Plant
? Pre Turn
? Edge Set
? Shadow Turns
? Short Turns with countering finish
Cross Over
? 1000 Steps
? Skate Through Turns
? Step Turns
? Diving Through New Turn
? Pass Through Window
? Start Turn With Inside Foot
? Ski On One Ski
? Ride Uphill Edge
? Long Leg Short Leg
Rebound
? Check Hop Garlands
? Edge Set
? Long Turns To Short Turns
? Linked Hockey Stops
? Bumps
? Traverse Moguls
? Float Like A Butterfly Sting Like a Bee
? More, More, Most
Angulation
? Pick Up The Dollar
? Paddle Our Outside
? Tea Kettle Turns
? Look At Bottom Of Skis
? Long Leg Short Leg
Carving
? More, More, Most
? Long Leg Short Leg
? Traversing
? Edge Lock / Release Traverse
? Multiple Check Turn
? Leave Tracks In The Snow
? Skating
Pole Plant
? Touch And Go
? Touch Up Turn
? Stab Bumps
? Open Hand Let Pole Swing Forward
? Short Turns With Third Pole Across Wrists
? Ski Bumps With No Poles
? Poles Behind Back Held With Arms
SKIING LESSON PLAN
Week 1 Stopping
1. Red Light, Green Light 2. Paddle Turn 3. Hockey Stop
Week 2 Turning
1. Air Plane Turn 2. Follow The Leader 3. 1000 Steps
Week 3 Weight Transfer
1. Lean Downhill, Lean Uphill 2. Tap Ski Tip, Ski Tail, Whole Ski 3. Step To Start Turn
Week 4 Edging and Balancing
1. Stair Steps 2. Side Slipping 3. Skating
1. Stand On One Foot 2. Lean Forward, Lean Back, Find Center 3. Hands In Front