First a little rant: For two weeks in a row, my Sunday 10 AM group has been totally messed up. All the kids on my list are already in someone else's class. I end up with one kid! Telling the director does nothing, as she is totally disorganized. Today we started a new Snowplow 1 class at 11 AM. We had about 15 kids. I did the initial off-ice part, then I and two other coaches got the kids out to the lesson area in the back. By the time I arrived, wtih the slowest and most difficult child, another coach was dividing the kids into classes. I got three kids who could not stand up or get off the wall!!! I don't mind except that it looks bad that the other classes are all marching etc, while my class in spending all their time being coaxed off the wall and helped up off the ice. One poor little girl, of 6, but as big as a large 8 yr old, was literally scared stiff. I ended up giving her a private lesson by escorting her from the lesson area to the front of the rink after the group. She needed it, and her mom was very grateful, but OMG, it was super tiring! A class like that really needs a helper, but if the helpers are not trained, it does no good.



Stiff knees: I tell the kids (adults too) to push their knees over their toes. If the edges are surfaced properly, you can also have students face the boards and touch their knees to the wall.

Shuffling: Once I see that the student is able to pick up both feet, but isn't doing it for whatever reason, I race them with special rules. The rules are that the student has to keep hands on table, look at the finish line (usually the wall or a line of cones), and must pick up both feet. As long as the student does this, I cannot pass him/her. I skate just behind, stomping my feet and calling out things like "head up, or I'm going to pass you", "both feet, I'm right behind you". It's amazing how many kids do their best skating in this kind of silly race. At the end, of course, they are all winners, and I make a big deal out of it. I do this with both private lessons and groups whenever possible.

Keeping upper body still: I use the "glue your hands down" also, actually putting imaginary glue on each hand and placing hands where they should be. I also sometimes tell a student that their feet already know what to do, so don't think about anything except keeping hands on the table. Then we race, as above, and it works pretty well.

Generally getting them moving: It's hard to do this with more than one or two at a time, but I have a plush Jack-o-lantern that I play ball with. Just tossing him (Mr. Pumpkinhead) back and forth gets hands in front and a more relaxed movement on the ice. If the student is working on swizzles, I have them do a swizzle over the ball every time they, or I, miss a catch. This also works well for the ones who are afraid to let go, but you know they are capable. We start just handing the ball back and forth, and then gradually move away and toss the ball a short distance.

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I have an interesting progression happening in my weekend privates.


About three weeks ago, a 6-yr old girl started private lessons. She mentioned that she'd be going to a birthday party at the rink in a few weeks. She's a low-level beginner, but she tries really hard. The parents picked up a pair of the softskates for her for a song, but I'm not sure I like them. In any case, she's still learning how to glide and push. She did master stopping this week, but she can't glide for more than a foot. (Stumbles and falls.)

Over Christmas break, a friend of her also started lessons with me based on the first kid's parents' referral. She's also going to this skating party. This girl glides like anything and has terrific balance, even in the sock-like Modell Specials she's wearing! We're working on turning and stopping: she mastered a snowplow stop with a skid on her first lesson!

Last week, I met the birthday girl and the kid skates beautifully! She's working on spirals, but pushes with her toes. Very polite and friendly. I assumed she was already in lessons, but this week, her mother asked me about lessons for her two daughters!

Interesting: everyone's taking lessons because of this party and each new student has more skills than the earlier one. Can't wait to see what happens after next week's party!

BTW: a "dip" is just a knee-bend. We teach them standing still and moving. A two-foot shoot-the-duck is a glide with a much deeper knee bend.

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That's actually how a lot of kids get interested in skating lessons. That's how I got started with roller dance. It is an interesting coincidence that the kids have progressively better skills.

I have a situation that's making me a bit uneasy with two students that have been having lessons together. This is their third season with me. They don't skate after the outdoor rink closes. When they started, H was clearly better than D. D was stiff and scared, while H was flexible and not at all scared. About mid-way through the second season, H started complaining about her skates to the point that I suggested to her mom buying the Jackson Softec, which H had received already as a hand-me-down. Once D got the new skates, she started progressing very rapidly. At that point, it also became apparant that D was very interested in learning everything, and always paid close attention to my demos and what I was saying, while H was always looking at whatever was going on in the rink and generally spacing out a lot. You guessed it, H has surpassed D in spite of having less natural ability. H is really starting to look like a skater, playing around, figuring things out for herself, and spinning very nicely. The uncomfortable part for me is that if this continues, it's going to be very hard to teach the two of them together and do justice for both. They will be 9 this year and are in school together. The moms are friends and occasionally have a lesson with me also. Since this is just a seasonal passtime for them all, I don't think anyone is going to complain that I'm not giving enough attention to one or the other, but the kids are bound to notice when I have to give them different things to do. It also will not be so much fun for them then.

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Maybe you could use this situation to motivate D to work harder so she can continue to share this lesson without holding her friend back.

I would love to be able to do that, but I'm stumped as to how to encourage D without hurting her feelings. I don't think comparing their progress would be a positive thing for either of them. Any ideas on encouraging while avoiding comparisons? For that matter, maybe I just need something new to grab D's attention.

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I just addressed this with one of my semi privates. One girl can barely glide, the other's whipping around the ice like a speed demon. I just wanted the parents to be aware that I would manage the situation by giving them different, but similar, skills to work on. So, one does two-foot glides and the other starts working on onesies. The Moms were fine with the situation: they just wanted the girls to have fun together.

You have to talk to the parents. Maybe they've noticed the skill gap. You know you can manage the two together, you just want to explain why you'll be giving them different tasks. See how the Moms feel about the shared lesson. It's better if you bring it to their attention and defuse the situation before the kids figure it out.

BTW, if you don't mind my asking, I usually charge the same for one student as for two in a lesson. (More than two's a different situation, IMO) My logic is that two kids are more likely to stick with the lessons and (hopefully) turn into two separate, higher-level lessons down the road. Anybody else have a different rate or viewpoint?

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The rates at two rinks where I work are set by the director, and are based on the per lesson price of the group lessons so as not to undercut group enrollment. At both rinks, we charge more for a semi-private lesson than for a private one. I've PM'ed you with the specifics.

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I got a call this afternoon from a woman who was referred to me by an adult student of mine. She wanted a few lessons for her daughter, who, she said, it totally uncoordinated. Her goal is just for her daughter to be able to enjoy skating. We were actually able to schedule the lesson for later in the day.

The girl is 9 years old and did not seem at all interested in skating, much less in having a lesson. She didn't pay much attention as I showed her how to put her hands on "the table", and how to march. When we got onto the ice, she started windmilling both her arms and legs, really tearing up the ice, but still managing to stay upright. I got her to slow down, and we made our way to the lesson area at the back of the rink. I had brought my plush ball in case she needed encouragement in letting go of the wall. What I found in this child, was perfect balance (I'm turning green), coupled with very little control of her upper body. She was constantly distracted, almost never looking at me unless I specifically asked her to, and then only for a moment. I tried every trick in my book to get her to show some interest in skating and/or improving.

The two things that finally worked, were playing ball and racing me, but what she really wanted to do with the ball was play soccer . Although she could not do "heels together, toes together", when I asked her to skate over the ball when it dropped, she just naturally swizzled. The racing got her going, and she really tried to control her upper body in order to stay ahead of me. By the end of the lesson, she wanted to race me around the rink, so I told her she would have to be able to stop to do that, and she tried stopping enough that I agreed to the race. When we were done, her mother was ecstatic. It seems that this child is so hard on herself that when something is difficult, she quits rather than not be good at it right away! That's why the racing worked with her. She was so enthusiastic about skating that she stayed another 40 minutes after the lesson, going around by herself (mom was on skates too). She's signed up again for next week I only wish mom had given me the inside story before the lesson.

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The coaches here charge the same per lesson whether they have one student or a small family. Classes are different - you pay the rink for those, and they pay the coaches - but in private lessons you pay the same for the coach's time no matter how many of you there are. Husband and I each pay the same for our solo lessons as we do for our couples lessons.

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

My problem of the two friends having a lesson together and progressing at different rates/having different focus has resolved itself! It turned out that skater H was apprehensive, as it was her first time on the ice this season! I wish someone had told me that. Their next lesson was wonderful and fun for all of us. D had learned to do a one foot forward glide with free foot up to her knee and arms extended overhead in "ballerina" position. Of course H wanted to do it too, and with just a little coaching about getting feet together on two foot glide first, she succeeded! They were soooo cute! Also, although the rates had gone up last year, I didn't raise theirs. This time, the mom who brought them asked me about that, and proposed that we meet midway between the old rate and the new, and I accepted, of course .

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This is my first post in coaches corner!!
I assisted in my first set of group lessons on friday, counting towards my N.I.S.A Level 1 coaching hours!!
It was so much fun I loved being there and helping the skaters!
My first group were 5 and 6 year olds, most know how to stay up right and balanced and there were only a few who had never been on skates or roller blades before. It felt so good by the end of the hour there was one wee girl who at first didnt want to let go of my hand and by the end of the session she was skating forwards herself and even turning on the spot.
The next session was 7 and 8 year olds. Some were complete beginners and then some of the boys were just insane!! They just kept skating as fast as they could and hardly listened to anything I or my mentor coach said!!
To be honest I think the younger group were better at actually listening to what they were being told to do and following it through, where as the older kids just thought they knew best!!
The lessons are arranged through their school so there were several who just didnt want to be there, I wish when I was at school though we had the chance to go skating!!
I cant wait to coach again, just cant believe I wont see these kids for two weeks as Iv got an exam this friday morning!

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Keep Smiling!

A two footed shoot the duck is when you have both of yyour feet on the ice and then you bend your knees untill your butt touches your ankles its kinda hard at first because you might fall back wards but just lean forwards.




I am a junior coach and this little girl came up to me and said " The skate sharpining guy forgot to sharpen off my toe pick so im going to be falling alot today. My mom said she will get him to shave it off tomorrow"

After the lession i wen over to the girls mom and had to explain to her
that you dont shave off the toe pick. since im a junior coach the mom didnt belive me. she ended up being mad at me. i was just trying to help haha

Here's a great line that I read in yesterday's paper:

"As a special education teacher, I have a request for parents of special education students. When you enroll your child at a new school, please inform the school that your child is a special education student. ... If you and your child are adamant that he or she not be givent he extra services, inform the school that you don't want these services." (I've paraphrased slightly.)

I was thinking about this in terms of skating. I had an adorable new student start lessons on Saturday. After having her ignore my every direction and remark, the mother finally told me that the girl doesn't speak English! The student is 3-1/2 years old and she was more interested in chasing after her cousins and running. Back-breaking work, keeping her from falling down and hurting herself. (No helmet, of course, and those slippery nylon mittens.) However, she did have fun and learned how to fall and get back up safely. When she started to make ice angels, I called it a day.

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Ah yes ice angels, one of the groups I had on friday- 7-8 year olds, could speak english but just wouldnt listen and one actually lay down and started making ice angels while I was talking to her! I was not happy! But I guess I have more of that and worse to come!!

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Keep Smiling!

Welcome to the Coaches' Corner, BelleOnIce! Sounds like you had fun teaching them, so I'm sure the kids had fun learning.


We're celebrating National Skating Month (January) so the rink had a special session for the skating school students to bring friends. The DJ was fun - some of these kids are tremendous, doing "Cotton Eye Joe" and the "Electric Slide" on ice. One little munchkin came up to me and said: "You're here to teach me? I want to go fast!" (Yes, she was a bit rude.) But, all she wanted was for someone to drag her along while she stood still. I turned the tables and made her PUSH me (I skated backwards) so she kept her balance and still went fast. The main goal is to get new students into the school, so hopefully some of the kids will sign up soon.

I have such a great group of students this year. I just added Saturday skating to my schedule, so now I'm working seven days a week. Unfortunately, only three are for skating . Well, I can dream of the future.

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Yeah although there were some horrors in the group there are always ones who make it worth while! One little girl at the beginning didnt want to move herself so I took her across the ice while the others skated in front. When I suggested she try a bit herself she almost started crying, but it was the type you know it was genuine she had a fear not that she just didnt want to do it. So I let her carry on just skating with me while we taught the others, she helped me decide who should go what order in line etc and then gradually she wanted to try some of the things herself. I guess she just needed that extra bit of support and probably felt ashamed a bit since others in her group were younger and had no fear. But what made me really happy was at the end, once all the kids were talking their skates off and I was still standing on ice at the barrier she came up to me and thanked me for her lesson and for helping her.
Really made me excited about what I was doing and how much I was helping!

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Keep Smiling!

It is indeed frustrating when a parent doesn't tell you that their child has special needs. We've had that happen at our rink.

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- Ashley

Had a five year old boy in a group lesson that when I told them to keep their hands on the table said "We already did that. Let's do something new."

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Many go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. - Henry David Thoreau

Cute, but also . Yesterday, I had one in a private lesson who wanted to play football and did amazingly well with the "ball" tucked under one arm. She is a real challenge, as she is now having fun and is going to have to work hard to improve. Where is her incentive to do that? Ideas, please.

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Make the kid chase after the ball and come back with the ball, maybe???

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Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

One thing I have her doing is a rocking horse over the ball before picking it up. Maybe I'll just get tougher with that, ask for a higher standard on it, or maybe several in a row.

She's a speed demon and loves to do that kind of thing. The problem is that she is almost totally out of control. What I need to get her to do is slow down and apply some discipline to what she is doing. For example, she will tear down the ice at a crazy pace, pushing straight back with toe picks and not falling only because she keeps going. As soon as she stops the "windmilling", she falls, but is so loosey goosey that she just slides down onto the ice most times and thinks it's great fun. Maybe I'll find something she can balance on her hands when they are still. It can't be too hard though, because she is easily discouraged.

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I had my beginners building snowmen last week. The parents thought I was teaching them to mime. LOL I had them skate to the imaginary snow pile, bend down, scoop up a huge snow ball, skate while carrying it in front of them, then place it on the snowman. Then we went "shopping" with carts for a carrot, buttons, hat and scarf. The scarf was fun: we all held hands and skated along with it like a team. Then we wrapped it around the snowman.

If they're bored with the table analogy, try scooter handlebars, shopping carts, or strollers. I'll bet his arms were flapping like mad, Gary. I've also told them they were waiters/waitresses with trays to carry. Then, I put a pretend glass on the tray! (I also use this when I teach swimming and have them hold up kickboards so they have to use their legs to kick on backstroke.)

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dbny, if you can draw some lines on the ice, make a short football field across one end of the ice. Tell her she's got to "run" the ball to the first line and put her toes together to stop, then to the next line and dip, then repeat all the way across for a touchdown.

You might also try passing practice. Have her skate to a line, stop, then throw a pass to you.

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Many go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. - Henry David Thoreau

We played ball in the first lesson, and it's great for getting the arms in front and for turning. She's great at running with the ball tucked under one arm, but is wildly out of control when doing it. What she needs to do now is get control. I've decided to have her do two foot glides with hands on table, and I think the football field idea is great for that, as the lines can measure her progress. Only thing is, that I have very little idea what a football field looks like! Guess it's a case for Google.

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FOOTBALL FIELD LAYOUT

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Many go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. - Henry David Thoreau