VERBIER 10 WEEK SKI INSTRUCTOR COURSE 2015: WALK LIKE AND INSTRUCTOR, TALK LIKE AN INSTRUCTOR (WEEK 2)

Posted: December 15, 2015

Week 2 of the Verbier 10 week ski instructor course put teaching skiing into the mix as the group prepare for BASI Level 1. Here’s group leader Charlie with the update…

Time to start teaching practice

Now with good grasp of skiing technique needed for beginners (including the best way to walk with skis! got to look professional at all times!) the second week of the Verbier 10 week ski instructor course brings ski teaching practice.

Each of the trainees was given a lesson similar to those that will come up in Week 3’s BASI Level 1 exam.

Emma from Element Ski School providing the feedback that would allow them to improve their coaching and delivery for the following week.

Mastering the art of the beginner’s lesson with Emma from Element

Some of the crew had prior experience with coaching and training, but for most teaching was a brand new experience.

Speaking in front of people can take as much practice as perfecting the skills they are demonstrating.

Despite the sometimes steep learning curve, by the end of the week everyone had successfully completed their practice lesson and was ready for whatever BASI Level 1 would throw at them.

The crew ready for BASI Level 1 in Week 3 after some intensive teaching practice

Around their ski training sessions with Element in the mornings the group ski hard in the afternoons working on their skills.

Fitness building is important too, and their twice weekly sessions with Jake are beginning to pay off: bodyweight exercises on Tuesday before channeling their inner “Rocky” with the Thursday afternoon boxing sessions.

Future instructors with jobs lined up at Les Elfes International

Over the weekend, the team met with Adam of Les Elfes International, who was able to provide them with an introduction to what they could expect as future instructors.

The team will be shadowing sessions with Les Elfes and learning what it takes by seeing the excellent Les Elfes instructors at work.

Jobs are there after BASI Level 2 at the end of the course for the ones who impress the most!

Still smiling and hoping to be lucky enough to land a job at Les Elfes post-course

BASI Level 1 begins

On Sunday evening the team met with Tom, their BASI Level 1 examiner, for a run down of the upcoming assessment week which promises to be hard work but rewarding.

Books not pistes… BASI Level 1 theory!?!? What about the skiing!?!

Each day the team will spend five hours on snow, demonstrating their skills and lesson delivery, before spending their afternoons in video feedback sessions and lectures on mountain safety.

Pressure is on but fun factor is high!

Good luck to all!!!