volunteering as an assistant at LTS classes?

[peanutskates]

What level do you think I would have to be before I could ask my coach whether or not I could be an assistant at Learn to Skate classes (SkateUK)? If your rink has any teens assisting at LTS, how good are they at skating?

I'm only SkateUK Gold (about USFS FS3 or 4) but I think I know all the SkateUK lower levels well enough to help others. Also, I relate advice from my coach/this board to some of my skating friends and it always helps them. I have experience teaching 7 year olds German (it's this thing we have in school) and I used to teach 11-12 year olds swimming. Do you think I could be considered seriously now, or should I wait until I've reached a higher level?

thanks.

p.s. if I were to do this, i would start in autumn, by which time I aim to have my loop and flip as well... so I guess I'd be more like FS 4?

[SynchroSk8r114]

Honestly, I think it's up to your coach to decide if you're ready to help out with LTS classes. At the rink I teach at, there are several teens that help out, but they only are only allowed to help out with Tots, which is basically standing up, falling down, marching, etc. and nearly half of the tots just end up playing games anyway, so there's not a whole lot of "instructing" for these teens to do. These teens do not receive any compensation for their help and are considered Junior coaches (16 and under), so they wouldn't get their own group at that age there anyway.

Also, my rink has a very high standard for its coaches, so they don't just let anyone come in and teach. I like this because the old rink I used to coach at had a major problem of letting skaters who were in ISI FS 3/4 instruct a FS 1 and 2 class, which was a joke. These "coaches" could barely demonstrate what they were teaching and spent most of the time attempting to showboat (showing off during class practice time). Many parents began complaining, especially after these two individuals began soliciting students, which is ethically wrong (according to the PSA). I'd like to blame their behavior on age, but the one woman was in her 30s and the other girl in her late teens, so unfortunately, much of this uproar was caused by their lack of skating experience. They were okay for teaching the lower levels (Tots and Pre-Alpha), but our so-called skating director at the time was unable to see that these two were unqualified and way in over their heads. I left that rink 3 years ago and have since found out that their skating program folded. Go figure...:roll:

So, I'm not sure what to tell you here. I'd talk to your coach, have her talk to the skating director, and see what can be done from there. You may need to start out as an unpaid Junior coach and work under the supervision of others. In my case, that's how I got started although I was lucky enough to receive compensation b/c the rink was that short on instructors. I was 14 at the time, began as a helper in Alpha-level classes, and had passed up nearly all my MIF and was working on double jumps. That was 7 years ago and since then I've gone on to take on my own LTS groups (Tots-FS3 experience) and have coached privately (USFSA mainly) for 6 years helping my skaters pass MIF, dance, and freestyle tests. I was lucky enough to have some great mentors along the way that made sure I knew what I was doing and I received the appropriate levels to help out with. I don't see anything wrong with starting young or at the level you're at now as long as you're competent with basic skating skills (and it sounds like you are), can deal with various situations/personality types (you get all kinds with these classes), aren't in over your head level-wise, and enjoy teaching. Good luck!

[BatikatII]

I dont' know about volunteering for no pay (though you may run into problems with rink insurance issues) but in the UK I don't think you can start on coach training (level 1) til you are 16.

Then you need to do 100 hours of mentored assisting (or 50 if you already have level 8 field moves) and pay some huge amount of money £150 at least and do first aid training etc.

If you simply want to volunteer to help then you can ask the head coach at your rink if it's possible -but don't be surprised if they say no.

[jskater49]

I would volunteer to do whatever they need you to do. For sure you could help out with the little kids. The classes with young kids usually always need help. Even if it's just helping the kid off the ice to go to the bathroom! (Don't laugh- that's a real issue with my daughter who has 7 Basic 1 kids and no helper and feels bad when she has to send a kid off to the bathroom by themselves)

The thing is, just because you can do something, doesn't mean you can teach it. But if you are interested in beginning to teach, start with helping little kids and watch how the instructor teaches.

j

[SynchroSk8r114]

I dont' know about volunteering for no pay (though you may run into problems with rink insurance issues) but in the UK I don't think you can start on coach training (level 1) til you are 16.

Then you need to do 100 hours of mentored assisting (or 50 if you already have level 8 field moves) and pay some huge amount of money £150 at least and do first aid training etc.

If you simply want to volunteer to help then you can ask the head coach at your rink if it's possible -but don't be surprised if they say no.

Hmm, that's interesting that the UK has all these different stipulations and requirements. Do you feel that having them produces a better/more qualified instructor? I mean, the PSA requires that Intern coaches (16 or 17 yrs. old) be "mentored by a Senior-rated coach or higher, carry liability insurance, and attend at least 1 PSA Seminar or Workshop" during this time, which I'm sure helps, but I think it'd be great if US beginning coaches had to also complete the first aid training. As a coach, I've seen far too many accidents where coaches, especially younger and inexperienced ones, do not know the correct procedures to follow or what to do in the event of bleeding, cuts, bad falls, and so on. I'm sure the rink can be held responsible for making coaches aware of rink safety guidelines, but in general, I think it'd be very beneficial.

[dbny]

Go ahead and ask, it can't hurt.

(though you may run into problems with rink insurance issues) .

If it's a USFS Learn To Skate program, teen helpers (and others) can be registered as coaches with the program for under $10 and be insured while they are working with groups in the program.

The classes with young kids usually always need help. Even if it's just helping the kid off the ice to go to the bathroom! (Don't laugh- that's a real issue with my daughter who has 7 Basic 1 kids and no helper and feels bad when she has to send a kid off to the bathroom by themselves)

I won't let a young child in any of my classes go to the bathroom by her/himself. Too much liability. Teen helpers are essential for this kind of thing. At one school where I worked, the coaches were instructed by the director to always have a parent or caregiver accompany a child to the bathroom.


The thing is, just because you can do something, doesn't mean you can teach it.

Very true. This is why I do not like so called "high standards" for coaching, when what is meant is a high level of skating. I would be out of work, and I'm a great LTS coach (if I do say so myself :oops:) who has not yet passed Prelim MIF. I can teach beyond what I can do, but I know my limits and I know that certain elements require demos. I've seen more than one high level skater completely mess up teaching fairly simple elements like power pulls. Teaching is a different skill from skating.

[emkayy]

My coach lets me help her with the Snowplow Sam and Basic 1 kids and I'm only USFSA FS 2/3. Does your coach teach any lower level classes that you could help her with? I don't really do much, just show and help them with like snowplow stops and 2 foot turns. Oh, and I'm 16 so that probably has something to do with it- I've never really seen anyone younger than that help out.

[BatikatII]

Hmm, that's interesting that the UK has all these different stipulations and requirements. Do you feel that having them produces a better/more qualified instructor? I mean, the PSA requires that Intern coaches (16 or 17 yrs. old) be "mentored by a Senior-rated coach or higher, carry liability insurance, and attend at least 1 PSA Seminar or Workshop" during this time, which I'm sure helps, but I think it'd be great if US beginning coaches had to also complete the first aid training. As a coach, I've seen far too many accidents where coaches, especially younger and inexperienced ones, do not know the correct procedures to follow or what to do in the event of bleeding, cuts, bad falls, and so on. I'm sure the rink can be held responsible for making coaches aware of rink safety guidelines, but in general, I think it'd be very beneficial.

I'm not quite sure but I think in the UK you used to have to be a higher level to do coach training than you do now, although I don't know anyone who has got beyond level 1 coaching (an assistant coach qualification - not allowed to teach on their own) who has not held at least about NISA level 4 freeskating (the national test structure not LTS level 4!). I do know an adult skater who had only about level 1 free skate who has level 1 coach qualifications but I dont' think he has done level 2 coaching.

I can't imagine a rink in the UK employing anyone who does not have at least level 2 coaching certificates (these also involve a considerable investment in various coaching seminars nowadays - which is a sore point amongst many of the UK's established coaches!) since there would seem to be plenty of people about with at least this qualification so there is no need. I think maybe Sceptique's rink does but I understand they are a small rink which at present teaches mostly LTS courses.

Most of the coaches who do level 2 coaching have reached a good standard in free and or dance.

I do understand that you don't necessarily have to be able to do a triple jump say, to teach one but I dont' see how you can teach any jump if you have never done even a single jump since it is hard to understand what's required otherwise. Also teaching is in itself a skill and just because you can do something doesn't mean you can teach it and that's why the trainee coaches do so many mentored hours where they are observing and helping a qualified coach before they even get level 1 coach certificate.

For learn to skate while I think it's useful to have someone who perhaps still remembers what it was like to learn stuff, I do think they need to be competent to demonstrate the basic stuff to a good standard. LTS people benefit from being shown what to do, rather than just told and if you can't do something properly yourself (a 3 turn or a 3 jump say), it is much harder to see what someone else might be doing wrong and if you can't demonstrate one correctly then they have no pattern to follow.

I can see where having coaching assistants could be helpful though in a group situation but I believe most UK rinks don't have the necessary insurance to allow it. And under 16's are not likely to get their own public liability insurance. I think the £150 paid to do level 1 coaching also covers insurance while doing the mentored hours.

We do have at least 3 teen skaters doing their level 1 coaching and helping with LTS courses but they are all at least 16 and have NISA silver level 4 fre and elements (axel etc) and level 6 field moves or above. They've also all invested the £150 for the coaching packs.

Maybe it's easier in the US and perhaps there is more opportunity since there are more rinks. I am surprised the US requirements are not more stringent though, given the dangers inherent in the sport and the apparent fondness for lawsuits in America:lol:

[dbny]

It is getting tougher in the US. PSA accreditation and ratings are a big help, and for someone like me, are essential. I don't jump on ice, but was a roller dancer and also did a little freestyle, so I did the jumps as a kid and understanding technique is second nature to me. When something is different on ice, I get it right away.

[BatikatII]

It is getting tougher in the US. PSA accreditation and ratings are a big help, and for someone like me, are essential. I don't jump on ice, but was a roller dancer and also did a little freestyle, so I did the jumps as a kid and understanding technique is second nature to me. When something is different on ice, I get it right away.


I think as long as you have done the jumps in the past, it doesn't matter if you can't do them now as the understanding is still there but it would be different for a youngster who has yet to learn it for the first time. I know for me it would have been impossible for me to learn any of the jumps without my coach being able to demonstrate them properly. As a visual learner, verbal explanations don't mean an awful lot to me - I have to see it done. Sometimes they just demonstrate correct take-off positions or landing positions rather than an actual jump but because I know they can do it or have done it, correctly, I know they can teach me correctly. It's even more important for me to see the turns demonstrated correctly.

What I have observed is that for the low level learners they need to see the simple things demonstrated to a high standard while with the higher level skaters the coaches can do more talking and less demonstrating since the skaters themselves understand by then what the coaches are talking about and the coaching is more about refining technique.

Some of the coaches will occasionally call over one of their higher level skaters to give a demo to a lower level student but other than that all the coach training and assisting at our rink is done through the NISA scheme.

[slusher]

In Canada to be Program Assistant for the CanSkate program (learn to skate), PA's should have passed their preliminary freeskate test and be of 12 years of age or older. ( Preliminary freeskate is loop, flip, backspin and sitspin as the hard elements. ) In practice, clubs will take kids as young as ten to help out with tots. Older teens will be put in charge of the higher levels and will supervise and assist kids the beginnings of freeskate (badges 6 & 7 and the PA's begin to learn how to teach by watching the coach give the lesson. Because it's all under Skate Canada, insurance is covered by the club.

Clubs would love to have teenagers with only salchows who are mature and relate well to little kids more than they would have teenagers with doubles and who find little kids annoying. The first are hard to find and are treasured, the second are far too common. Good coaches treat their PA's well and mentor them to be coaches. CanSkate couldn't run without program assistants, people exactly like you, peanutskates.

[peanutskates]

lol, slusher, you sound like an ad. (people like you! *pointed finger*) i wish I was at your rink...

at our rink, there are like 15 yr olds who help (so no 16 yr probs), but they are about NISA 4 or 5. I don't know if they paid £150, though.

I'm not expecting any pay if I were to do it; and I wouldn't mind helping teach even the most basic class. from what I've seen so far, the teen helpers here switch classes depending on which coach is more desperate for help that day. so one week they're teaching level 2, and the next they can be doing level 8.

I don't know what level this is in NISA, but one of my coach's current students is learning her axel and change foot sit spin (FS 5/6?) and she is really involved in helping her teach lower levels, she took over 3 of us back when I was SkateUK and we were more advanced than the class we were in, and she taught us level 8 by herself... and as I say, at that time, I think she was just beginning attempting the axel. which I hope to be doing by january 08. so maybe I can begin asking then?

thanks for all the advice so far, please keep it coming!

[dbny]

Peanutskates - I just checked out your website, and noticed that you list "forward Mohawks" as a skill you can do. Well, I'm quite sure that you've been doing backward Mohawks too, although you may not realize it. Any time that you step from B to F without a change of edge, that's a B Mohawk. For some reason, ice skaters usually just say "step forward" instead of do a BO or BI Mohawk. One coach actually tried to tell me that it wasn't a Mohawk, just a "step forward" :).

[dippytrout27]

For sure you could help out with the little kids. The classes with young kids usually always need help. Even if it's just helping the kid off the ice to go to the bathroom! j

I would be very wary of even helping kids go to the loo in this day and age! It is essential for anyone working with children to have a CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check, even if you don't get paid for it. Parents pay a lot of money for their children's skating lessons and need to know that they're being coached by someone qualified and looked after by someone they can trust.

I know of someone who has been asked to help out at Skate UK who hasn't even been through the programme herself, has only been skating 3 months (although she is pretty good), has no experience with young children at all and knows nothing about first aid. After she had observed one morning's classes she then told a friend she was 'doing coaching' and agreed to teach her to skate in return for the friend paying her into a public session. I wouldn't be very pleased if I was paying £60 or however much for this person to teach my child to skate!

My advice, peanutskates, is to wait until you are 16 then do it properly. Get yourself a CRB check done, they cost about £40, pay your £150 and work towards a Level 1 Assistant Coach. There's more information on the NISA website - http://www.iceskating.org.uk/node/51

[peanutskates]

Peanutskates - I just checked out your website, and noticed that you list "forward Mohawks" as a skill you can do. Well, I'm quite sure that you've been doing backward Mohawks too, although you may not realize it. Any time that you step from B to F without a change of edge, that's a B Mohawk. For some reason, ice skaters usually just say "step forward" instead of do a BO or BI Mohawk. One coach actually tried to tell me that it wasn't a Mohawk, just a "step forward"

ooh, cool! :P
well, I was taught the back -> forward thing in level 4... I didn't think that they would teach back mohawks before forward ones, and so early, too.

[dbny]

ooh, cool! :P
well, I was taught the back -> forward thing in level 4... I didn't think that they would teach back mohawks before forward ones, and so early, too.

Back Mohawks are a LOT easier than F! Same with Choctaws.

[vesperholly]

I think you will be fine volunteering. You're just helping, not the actual coach. It won't be so much demonstrating as helping pick kids up and reinforcing what the coach is saying. Usually, I have the helpers in my classes stay with the one or two kids who are worse than the rest of the class. It helps to be a little older, too, because if you're older than the students they tend to listen to you better.

Good luck and have fun! Teaching LTS is trying but brings me a lot of joy.

[ScarlettRose]

At my rink you have to be at least 13 and have passed Preliminary moves to be a junior coach with the learn to skate program.

I started around 14-15 teaching. But I'm Juvenile going into intermediate right now i'm 17. I instruct the classes snowplow on up by myself, my coach treats me like a coach in the learn to skate classes.

[RinkRat321]

I started helping with LTS when i was in FS1. our rink requires you to be at least 13 and passed at least FS1 or if you're younger than 13 you have to have passed at least FS5. Maybe your rink has similar requirements? I would ask if you can help-it cant hurt right?

also skaters that help with LTS at our rink get passes to skate a free session. so its deffinetly worth it!