group’s progression, but I couldn’t justify moving her down to the next group where the disparity of ages and stages would be even more pronounced. Keep in mind this is a racing program. In addition to my lesson plans as an instructor, my boss has big goals for the program, there are self-imposed goals to represent the team, and each parent brings their own goals for their child plus a “return on investment” expectation. Finally, there is the individual children to consider and my hopeful intentions for the dynamic development of the group as a whole. If you’re lucky enough to work with
such a program, you know how it goes. And if you don’t do multi-week, race-related programs, you can still likely relate to the difficulties involved in meeting individual student needs in a group setting.
CONFRONTING FEARS AND FOSTERING ACCOMPLISHMENT To keep Callie with the group, I knew she needed to piece together a few skills, which she possessed singularly. It was only our second day together when I made the choice to be unconventional and help her start skiing terrain that was way, way, way out of her comfort zone. I spent over an hour coaching her down a short black run while the rest of the kids went with another coach.
What are you teaching... turns or helping your student’s lives take a turn for the better?
To help children be all-in for whatever adventures lay ahead, foster accomplishment.
As expected, there were some tears and negotiation attempts, but what followed was a glimmer of patience and newfound belief in herself.
Callie was locked in on her fear of
falling. She was so focused on it that she would lean into the hill and sit down, in essence creating a self-imposed fall before it happened. We took it slow, progressively redirecting the focus from falling to making one turn at a time, one after another, standing tall through the transitions, and linking those puzzle pieces into successive turns. By the bottom of the run she was emotionally and physically exhausted. But as she gazed back up the hill through watery eyes, she was mesmerized by her accomplishment and exuded overwhelming stoke. On the chair ride up, we agreed she was done with the tears.
Sometimes the best reward for a lesson well-taught is a simple note from an appreciative student.
CONFIDENT CALLIE GIVES THE BEST GIFT EVER Later, working as a full group again, we progressed to double blacks and gates. Ice
was the next big nemesis. Each individual had his or her own obstacles to tackle throughout the progression of the season. For Callie, her courage grew as did her self-confidence and pronounced skiing skills. She began a process of self-discovery, trusting her voice and developing as a natural leader.
As always, the season ended way too
quickly, and it was bittersweet to say goodbye to these kids. Having had the opportunity to reflect on the season and ski with the parents on our last day together it put into perspective just how far everyone grew in one season. It was then that Callie gave me the best
“tip” ever. Her thank-you note read, "You helped me accomplish things that used to be my greatest fears.” Tese simple words really drove home how truly awesome our jobs as ski instructors are. It was the best gift ever, knowing that I played a small part in helping a beautiful young lady find her courage. It’s up to her as to what she decides to do with it, but I can’t help think of all the
THESNOWPROS.ORG | 107
NANCY DENGLER
NANCY DENGLER
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124