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#1
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How old were you when you first started helping your coach with the Learn to Skate?
Say,I hope it's ok to ask this on a board. I hope I'm not getting personal. But how old were you when you first started helping your coach with the Learn to Skate Basic Skills Program? BTW. I have a question. How do you get to help with a Learn to Skate Program as a skater? I mean....do you need to be a curtain level? Do you need to pass a test? Do you need to be able to do curtain moves? What constatutes (sorry,I know that's wrong) as becoming a Learn to Skate helper? Thanks.
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FSWer |
#2
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I was 25 when I started helping and had been skating for around 1 year. I had passed Basic 8 by that time.
I started helping with snowplow sam- mostly because I was a preschool teacher at the time and really liked working with little kids. They needed an extra hand to pick people up! I also started working with adults, usually on my own, if the adult was able to stand on their own (if they needed support I didn't do it yet) our adult classes often only have 1 skater though. The skate director watched my first class and then told me I was good to go. I think I had the advantage of learning as an adult because I remembered HOW the very first few things were taught- often the really good teenagers have no idea HOW they learned those first few steps and take awhile to learn how to teach them.
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-Jessi What I need is a montage... Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009) |
#3
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I think I was right around 14 when I started. The director needed someone to help out with the Snowplow Sam classes and to assist with some of the other levels as well (at that point I was doing private lessons and probably had passes pre-pre at that time...I don't quite remember). Once I got some more experience, I was given classes on my own, anywhere from Snowplow Sam to low Freestyle. I did that through high school as a way to pay for ice time (I got punch cards, one free session for every LTS session I taught, then at some point I started getting paid on top of the free ice).
The club I skate for now requires the Juvenile freeskating test to teach LTS, which is what coach and I are working towards now. Coach is pushing for the end of the summer (she keeps saying, "you need to be a coach next year!"... they are losing a coach at the end of this summer and will need someone), but that all depends on if I can get a consistent axel by then...although, there is a loophole because I am eligible for the adult tests (even though I am opting to continue on the standard track), and they allow people who have their Adult Silver test teach...
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Skating Dreams "All your life you are told the things you cannot do. All your life they will say you're not good enough or strong enough or talented enough; they will say you're the wrong height or the wrong weight or the wrong type to play this or be this or achieve this. THEY WILL TELL YOU NO, a thousand times no, until all the no's become meaningless. All your life they will tell you no, quite firmly and very quickly. AND YOU WILL TELL THEM YES." --Nike |
#4
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FSWer |
#5
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I currently need to test both my Pre-Juvenile and my Juvenile. I plan to test my Pre-Juv at the end of April. If I can keep my wits about me, Pre-Juv shouldn't be any problem. The problem with the Juv test is that my axel is not consistent.
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Skating Dreams "All your life you are told the things you cannot do. All your life they will say you're not good enough or strong enough or talented enough; they will say you're the wrong height or the wrong weight or the wrong type to play this or be this or achieve this. THEY WILL TELL YOU NO, a thousand times no, until all the no's become meaningless. All your life they will tell you no, quite firmly and very quickly. AND YOU WILL TELL THEM YES." --Nike |
#6
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I was about 39 when I started teaching LTS. Good thing they didn't require me to pass Juvenile!
DD started teaching when she was about 13. She's 17 now and a junior coach and teaches privates now Only teenager I know making $24 an hour. Of course she only teaches an hour and a half a week ;-) j |
#7
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So to teach a Learn to Skate level you basicly have to have tested for it,right? BTW. does anyone know if there's such a thing as JUST being able to skate well enough and not take a test in some cases? Or do you always do?
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FSWer |
#8
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In terms of testing. Some people are okay with just skating and knowing that they can perform the skills. For people who are trying to compete, tests are generally necessary to advance levels. For others, completing a test is an accomplishment, a goal to work towards...that's the way it is for me since I have no desire to compete...having a test looming ahead of me gives me something to work towards...it gives me small goals on the way to the larger goal (which for now is passing my senior moves and if I can, getting as far with my freestyle tests as possible).
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Skating Dreams "All your life you are told the things you cannot do. All your life they will say you're not good enough or strong enough or talented enough; they will say you're the wrong height or the wrong weight or the wrong type to play this or be this or achieve this. THEY WILL TELL YOU NO, a thousand times no, until all the no's become meaningless. All your life they will tell you no, quite firmly and very quickly. AND YOU WILL TELL THEM YES." --Nike |
#9
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BTW. does that mean you have to have passed that level just as a skater and be THAT level skater? Or does it mean you have to pass a seperate Learn to Skate test of that level?
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FSWer |
#10
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Different rinks have different requirements for their Learn to Skate instructors. There is no official test to become a Learn to Skate instructor. Some rinks require that you be a certain age, and/or have reached a certain test level, but it won't necessarily be the same at all rinks. At our rink, you have to be 18 to be an instructor, but helpers can be younger. The Learn to Skate director hires the oldest, most advanced skaters he can, and if they're also PSA members, that's a big plus. At the moment we don't have any instructors under 18, and the 18 year olds are all Novice level or higher.
It only makes sense that an instructor be quite a bit further advanced than the students they are trying to teach. It also helps if they have other teaching experience - good classroom management skills can be very important. For the Snowplow classes, experience with young children can help, too - perhaps having children of your own, or having a lot of babysitting experience. |
#11
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I began teaching as a helper at the age of 14. I begn assisting with an Alpha level class before becoming a full instructor at the age of 15. I had consistent axels and some doubles at that time and was working on passing my Senior MIF at that time, so there was no question that I was qualified.
At 16, I began teaching privately and have been coaching for the last 7 years. My coach made me wait until I reached that age before she sponsored me through the PSA. Shortly after, I got my gold in Senior MIF, so I felt like I got two good things at once, LOL! |
#12
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My rink HAD no requirements other than being higher level than what you were teaching. They were supposed to sign us up for PSA (yeah, I should have followed up on that) but they did not. So at 45, I started teaching, and my highest tested level was at ISI FS2 (would be higher but for that stupid backspin).
Now that we are under new management, I'm not sure what will happen when it re-opens in the fall. I'm told that I will be asked back, but I am not sure. What they say and what they do sometimes don't match up. I know the teaching standards have increased-no more passing kids through if they "sort of" get something, just to please the parents. Our new manager is tough and rightly so. (ok, rant over)... There are no requirements to "coach" as there is a 14-year-old that is able to on public ice (what are they thinking???). I know she has tested but I don't recall her level (not very high), but she is not insured (on her own) and is not a member of PSA or anything)...
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Skate@Delaware Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter! |
#13
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I was 37 and started teaching my own classes mostly snowplow level.
Kay |
#14
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For adults it's a bit different. At my current rink, if our director finds out one of our adult skaters has experience working with kids, she's recruiting them for learn-to-skate immediately. They start as helpers but if our director is happy with what she's observing from them they're promoted to associate coaches (can have their own LTS classes below a certain level, can't take on private students) pretty quickly. It's the experience with children that's really valuable to the rink; otherwise an adult would go through the same process as the kids and be expected to be a helper much longer. (When I applied to work at this rink, a friend who was working there told me to make sure I put all the child development and psychology classes I took in college on my resume). The kids are allowed to start helping at 13 (they're technically supposed to have their pre-pre moves, but as long as they're working on them they're allowed to help) but they can't become associate coaches until they're 16, and I don't think they can advance beyond associate until they're 18.
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Shae-Lynn and Victor: We knew you were champions, and on 3/28/03 the whole WORLD found out! Thank you for twelve wonderful years! |
#15
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FSWer |
#16
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There are no set rules nation wide- it completely depends on the rink. If there are lots of experienced coaches available, an adult who is not a higher level skater probably won't get a position, but if the LTS director needs teachers- they are likely to hire an adult who has finished the Basic 8 and just has experience working with children. They might not even have been a teacher- maybe they just have their own kids.
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-Jessi What I need is a montage... Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009) |
#17
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But how old were you when you first started helping your coach with the Learn to Skate Basic Skills Program? I was 29, and working on my pre-bronze feeskate test.
How do you get to help with a Learn to Skate Program as a skater? I was asked by our skating director to help the adults who were new to work their way away from the boards and not be afraid of the ice. I mean....do you need to be a curtain level? No, but a certain level of competency was expected. I was only at that point a helper to the coach who instructed the class, teaching the basics of LTS. Do you need to pass a test? No, but I was given more responsibility in instructing as I did pass tests. Do you need to be able to do curtain moves? At first, it was a matter of patience and being encouraging. Once I was able to do things like properly stroke, crossovers, edges, turns, spins and a few of the beginning jumps, I started helping individual skaters learn this as we did break out sessions within the group. What constitutes becoming a Learn to Skate helper? Varies from rink to rink, club to club. I can be a LTS instructor, but I cannot coach at my rink for various reasons, but mostly because they have a novice or better standard for their coaching staff.
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Champagne in 2005, 2008, 2009 - who's next out of the pre-bronze club...? Wang chung! |
#18
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I started helping out when I was 8yrs old.
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2014 and 2018 Olympics here I come! Skating, skating all day long, skating, skating all night long! May seem tiring to some people but not me, it's my life!! Goals: Triple Loop, Novice Competitive, Sr.Silver Dances, Gold Artistic, and top 3 at Sectionals |
#19
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WOW!!!!! 8yrs old!!!! I'm impressed!!! I think we have someone who was the worlds youngest Lrarn to Skate assistant teacher here. Talk about not size,but know how!!!! But, LOL,ok. Could someone please explain how it would have been possible for Muskoka to be compatible (if you'ld use it in that contex) with being able to help that young? Thanks.
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FSWer |
#20
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By tested, do you mean the learn-to-skate levels or the USFS tests? I can't imagine any rink would be willing to use an adult who wasn't at least on Adult 4 or so, but I can see an adult who hadn't taken any moves or freestyle tests yet being allowed to at least help.
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Shae-Lynn and Victor: We knew you were champions, and on 3/28/03 the whole WORLD found out! Thank you for twelve wonderful years! |
#21
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Shae-Lynn and Victor: We knew you were champions, and on 3/28/03 the whole WORLD found out! Thank you for twelve wonderful years! |
#22
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At my club there really isn't a rule as long as you're out of canskate they don't care. All the people that help out with the learn to skate, just got out of canskate. I'm probably the best helper they've ever had. At all these other clubs you have to like a Juevinile skater or something and at my club there is no rule. My club is just stupid. I'm on the Senior session at my club. I'm doing double axels on the session, then there are these kids that can't even do a lutz on the same session. It makes no sense. I'm trying to go as far as possible in my skating, but it's so hard to do when my club as skaters that are getting in my way. I'm not one of those skaters that yell at people to move, but I'd really like them to at least get out of my way while I'm doing my solo.
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2014 and 2018 Olympics here I come! Skating, skating all day long, skating, skating all night long! May seem tiring to some people but not me, it's my life!! Goals: Triple Loop, Novice Competitive, Sr.Silver Dances, Gold Artistic, and top 3 at Sectionals |
#23
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Now, if you start making yourself known all the time, that is an issue, but if your music is on or you are in a lesson, I see no problem with that...but then again, that is a culture thing with your club/rink...
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Skating Dreams "All your life you are told the things you cannot do. All your life they will say you're not good enough or strong enough or talented enough; they will say you're the wrong height or the wrong weight or the wrong type to play this or be this or achieve this. THEY WILL TELL YOU NO, a thousand times no, until all the no's become meaningless. All your life they will tell you no, quite firmly and very quickly. AND YOU WILL TELL THEM YES." --Nike |
#24
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2014 and 2018 Olympics here I come! Skating, skating all day long, skating, skating all night long! May seem tiring to some people but not me, it's my life!! Goals: Triple Loop, Novice Competitive, Sr.Silver Dances, Gold Artistic, and top 3 at Sectionals |
#25
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That seems to be a common problem at many rinks...you might need to talk with those younger skaters and explain that you don't want to hurt them, but when music is on, they should be looking out for the person skating...otherwise talk with your coach and have them either talk to the other coaches or the board at your rink....
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Skating Dreams "All your life you are told the things you cannot do. All your life they will say you're not good enough or strong enough or talented enough; they will say you're the wrong height or the wrong weight or the wrong type to play this or be this or achieve this. THEY WILL TELL YOU NO, a thousand times no, until all the no's become meaningless. All your life they will tell you no, quite firmly and very quickly. AND YOU WILL TELL THEM YES." --Nike |
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