What do you yourself here teach as a Learn to Skate coach?

[FSWer]

LOL,I hope I have thes Levels right. I think I might have left some out or been wrong on some. But I was wondering who here is a Learn to Skate coach and what Level of LTS. you teach? Please mark all that apply to you. Please include if you teach a class or 1 on 1.

[phoenix]

I teach both classes & privates. At both rinks where I teach classes, we're assigned our class, and they change with every session. So I never know what I'll be teaching next.....and I teach through FS 4, so there's a huge variety. I would expect most other teachers have a similar situation.

[ibreakhearts66]

Well my rink uses ISI instead of Learn to Skate. I've taught everything from tots and pre-alpha to Artistry in Stroking, Moves in the Field and Freestyle 3-4. Today I had to fill in for the Intro to Ice Dancing class :giveup:

[FSWer]

Well my rink uses ISI instead of Learn to Skate. I've taught everything from tots and pre-alpha to Artistry in Stroking, Moves in the Field and Freestyle 3-4. Today I had to fill in for the Intro to Ice Dancing class :giveup:

Instead of Learn to Skate? I thought the ISI. was one ORG. that just HAD a Learn to Skate Program.

[flo]

I teach a variety of levels,from snowplow to freestyle.

[TreSk8sAZ]

Instead of Learn to Skate? I thought the ISI. was one ORG. that just HAD a Learn to Skate Program.

ISI includes a learn-to-skate type program, but they use different level names and different order of the skills. However, ISI is not just a learn-to-skate organization. They have many competitions as well, but it is not considered as "competitive" as USFSA since ISI-only skaters cannot compete for the Olympics or World teams - though the competitions can be just as competitive as USFSA ones.

[dbny]

Instead of Learn to Skate? I thought the ISI. was one ORG. that just HAD a Learn to Skate Program.

ISI is an organization for skaters, coaches, ice arena owners, managers & operators, and suppliers of skating equipment. ISI competitions are non-qualifying, which means that winning even the top ISI competition does not qualify (allow) a skater to represent the US in international competitions such as the Grand Prix of Figure Skating, Worlds, and the Olympics. The official organization representing competitive skaters in the US is the USFS.

Both the ISI and the USFS have programs that teach beginners to skate. Those programs have different names and the skills are taught in a slightly different order and are grouped a bit differently.

[CoachPA]

I teach group (ISI) and privates (USFS).

Over the course of my 8+ years teaching group, I've taught everything from Tots to Freestyle 4.

I also help with our stoking class and head an ice dance class at one of my rinks.

Recently, I took on an assitant coaching position for our group Learn to Synchronized Skate class working with skaters at the beginner level.

[sk8ryellow]

I help to teach as an assistant on the Tot and Beginer levels. I am only at Novice level so I suppose when I get to senior I'll get my own class. I have only one complaint helping and thata just that its hard to find things for the tots to do without it being boring. We play the same games all of the time and it seems boring to them.

[ibreakhearts66]

Instead of Learn to Skate? I thought the ISI. was one ORG. that just HAD a Learn to Skate Program.

Sorry, I thought the USFS program was actually called "Learn-to-Skate." That's why I differentiated between that and ISI.

[FSWer]

ISI includes a learn-to-skate type program, but they use different level names and different order of the skills. However, ISI is not just a learn-to-skate organization. They have many competitions as well, but it is not considered as "competitive" as USFSA since ISI-only skaters cannot compete for the Olympics or World teams - though the competitions can be just as competitive as USFSA ones.


Can some please explain what this means?

[Clarice]

Okay, I'll try...

There are two different organizations in the United States that teach skating, US Figure Skating (USFS) and the Ice Skating Institute (ISI). Both offer learn-to-skate programs and testing, but their levels have different names and the elements are taught in a slightly different order. US Figure Skating starts with Snowplow Sam Levels 1,2, and 3, progresses through Basic levels 1 - 8, then Free Skating levels 1 - 6 in its Basic Skills program, and also offers the competitive levels Pre-Preliminary - Senior. I'm not as familiar with ISI levels, but as I recall they begin with Tots levels, then do Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, then Free Skate levels 1 - 10. ISI Freeskate 10 has some pretty difficult elements on it, and is at least as hard as USFS Senior.

US Figure Skating is the "official" organization in the United States that qualifies skaters for the World Championships and the Olympics. ISI skaters have competitions of their own, but they are not qualifying competitions. Some skaters belong to both organizations and compete in both, but only USFS competitions "count" when it comes to making Nationals or Worlds.

The philosophies of the two organizations are somewhat different. USFS is geared more toward competitive skating, with the goal of naming our national champions, although there are plenty of "fun" events within US Figure Skating, too. ISI is more recreational, in that its skaters are competing "just for fun" - they may be very good skaters indeed, but these competitions don't result in a national title. If an ISI skater wanted to try for a National Championship, they'd have to join US Figure Skating, compete at Regionals, and continue to qualify from there. Skaters who belong to US Figure Skating never have to join ISI unless they want to try some of the interesting "fun" events ISI offers that US Figure Skating doesn't. I think the distinctions between the two organizations are becoming more and more blurred as US Figure Skating offers more recreational-type events in addition to its annual qualifying events.

[Isk8NYC]

I teach both ISI and USFSA groups and privates.

Group Learn-to-Skate lessons are organized by the skating school director and instructors are "assigned" to levels based on how many people are in the class.

I've been teaching a lot of beginner classes this season because I handle them well and the parents are satisfied. My back's not real happy though, lol. I really miss teaching the Freeskate classes - I was thrilled to get a short-term sub spot teaching FS2 this past month.

The problem with always teaching the same level is that you start to forget all the techniques you use for the other levels unless you have a lot of new/continuing private students. (I'm just starting to get new students now.)

For example, I have a standard routine for teaching the two-foot 3 turns in Basic. It's a five-step process that always works. I did it out of order last month because it's been so long since I taught those levels. Totally skipped the important first step.

In the past, I've taught in programs where the teacher "moves up" with the class as the skaters are promoted to the next level. I've decided that's the best solution because it:

Gives the skaters consistency in teaching techniques.
Decreases the learning curve since the coach knows the skaters' strengths & weaknesses.
Keeps the coaches challenged and current in their teaching methods.
Keeps the coach from being pigeonholed into the same eight elements.