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JOAN HEATON AND ROGER KANE HONORED WITH PSIA-AASI EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE AWARD
L
ongtime instructors Joan Heaton and Roger Kane were honored as recipients of the PSIA-AASI Award for Educational Excellence during National Academy 2016
at Breckenridge, Colorado.
Joan Heaton is a teacher trainer and education consultant for New York’s Windham Mountain resort Snow Sport School, as well as a Level II-certified instructor in the school’s adult program. She is also certified at Level I in telemark. In a snowsports career spanning nearly four decades, she’s helped instill and promote an emphasis on the teaching skills at the heart of PSIA-AASI’s student- centered lessons. An academic who taught in the physical education department at Te City College of New York, Heaton created ski courses for physical education credit at the college, then joined PSIA in the late 1970s and began integrating her academic acumen at Mount Snow, Vermont. Her efforts in the 1980s to bring teaching skills, learning styles, feedback, and class management to a level of importance on par with “skiing skills” helped revolutionize snowsports instruction in the United States. Profiled in a Winter 2016 article in 32 Degrees, she said PSIA’s shift in the 1980s from a command style of teaching to more of a student-centered approach “humanized our snowsports lessons. Our lessons have become an ‘experience’ for both the student and the instructor.” In addition, she said, “Te inclusion of everyone in the lesson process has made for not only a better quality of learning and experience, but for longer-lasting
learning because of the experiential, sharing character of the lessons.” She is the author of A National Survey on
Teacher Behavior in Ski Teaching (1983) and, with Jim Vigani, A Little Book about Skiing Better (2010). Within PSIA-AASI’s Eastern Division, Heaton has served as chair of the Education Committee and now coordinates the Area Representative Program.
the National Education Certification Committee in the 1980s and ‘90s. In that role, Kane helped define the structure and content of PSIA’s American Teaching System. In 2000, Kane wrote “Pathways to Parallel,” a document that offered strategies for teaching beginners whose needs fell in the gap between traditional wedge and direct-to- parallel approaches. It became the basis for Central Division’s Level I Study Guide. Outside of PSIA-AASI, Kane was a member of the National Ski Patrol (1968-76) was a competitive ski racer, and served as a USSA Level 1 coach and NASTAR regional pacesetter. According to a recommendation letter submitted as part of Kane’s nomination for the Educational Excellence Award, “Although [Kane] has accomplished quite a lot personally, he is most at home sharing his unique cache of knowledge, experience, teaching acumen, technical insights, and love of skiing with his fellow professionals.” With only 22 other recipients in PSIA-
Joan Heaton Roger Kane
Roger Kane is a long-time member of the education staff in PSIA-AASI’s Central Division, serving for many years as chief examiner. A 40-year member of the association, he is certified at Level III in alpine and Level II in snowboard. He has served on the division’s board of directors in various capacities for 12 years, currently as financial vice president, and also served as a Central Division representative on
WOMEN’S SUMMIT OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES FOR SNOW PROS TO RIP, LEARN, AND NETWORK
opportunity to share best practices, network with like-minded leaders, and learn new skills.
T
“It was an incredible, accomplished group of people who attended this year’s event,”
16 | 32 DEGREES • FALL 2016
said Heidi Ettlinger, the Women’s Summit program coordinator and also a member
he Women’s Summit took place at Squaw Valley, California, March 6-9, giving top instructors, coaches, and ski patrollers from the United States and Canada an
of the PSIA Alpine Team. “Whether it was discussions about equipment, biomechanics, or leadership abilities and management opportunities, there was a massive amount of networking, and lots of good information was shared.” Ettlinger said the event attracted about
50 participants, including several current and former Alpine Team members, USSA coaches,
AASI’s 50-year history, the Educational Excellence Award is one of the most prestigious honors the association bestows. As outlined in PSIA-AASI’s Policies and Procedures, “this award recognizes those exceptional few members who have authors PSIA-AASI educational materials over the years. Tey have added significantly to, and possibly even changes, the educational direction of PSIA-AASI and have exhibited dedication, devotion, and self-sacrifice contributing to the PSIA-AASI educational system, with 10 years or more sustained outstanding service.”
GRANT NAKAMURA
GRANT NAKAMURA
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