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(My intention is to develop this section for those who would like to have some scholarly information. With web access you can easily research on your own the incredibly huge body of information that would be encompassed in this heading. At the moment, what I have here is very simple and very limited. More than likely the next time I will be available to devote any energy to this subject will be summer of 2008. Feel free to email me with specific questions or comments.)
Probably the most prevalent modern theory of education is that put forth by Howard Gardner of Harvard ’Äì The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. This theory suggests that difference types of intelligences exist in humans. There is much further reading and study aids available for those of you that may be interested in pursuing more understanding. For purposes of this site, however, I choose to keep it simple.
LEARNING STYLES: As sport instructors we are overwhelmingly concerned with the doing-ness of the activity. This logic is very limiting. AND, all of us display elements of every style. Personally I am very visual. My primary method of accepting stimuli is visually. So, as I learned to ski the primary need for me was to see good demos and then copy. See first then do. Combination of a visual and active learner.
The four learning styles we deal with in skiing are:
VISUAL - You are a watcher. You have a demonstration that gives you the proper look of how to do it.
KINESTHETIC - You are a feeler. The instructor will manipulate your legs so that you feel the pressure on the boot with your shin, for example, if (s)he were teaching you an edging technique.
ANALYTICAL - You are a thinker. Scientists are guilty of this. You take apart all the examples cognitively.
ACTIVE - You are a doer. The instructor says ’Äúfollow me’Äù and you do, in all aspects ’Äì the body architecture, the pace the direction, etc. This is very close to our feeler, but more dynamic.
Another term you may hear is VAK Visual, Audio, Kinesthetic. See, Hear and Analyze then feel and do. V & A is Cognitive, K is physical. All people learn efficiently with varying levels of each of these stimuli. NO ONE WILL BE ABLE TO LEARN FROM ONE SET OF CRITERIA.
TEACHING STYLES: In skiing, we are primarily interested in getting the students to slide ’Äì simply and comfortably at first then with added dynamics, speed and extrinsic challenges.
The five teaching styles that a gifted ski instructor will employ are:
1 - Command - teacher makes all decisions
2 - Practice - Students carry out teacher-prescribed tasks
3 - Reciprocal - Students work in pairs: one performs, the other provides feedback
4 - Self-check - Students assess their own performance against criteria
5 - Guided Discovery - Students solve teacher set movement problems with assistance
There are others that a scholarly educator may argue need be considered. PSIA (Professional Ski Instructors of America) educates us in these.
It is probably obvious to what level student these are directed. In the beginning I am overly concerned with ones comfort. As much as I can dealing with adults, I will always keep control of the conditions. Usually, though, there are some wonderful games which the beginning students can be involved in that give them some freedom of movement, thereby growing their experience rather quickly. Even guided discovery games can be played the first day, even before skis are mounted.
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