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Ski School Jobs

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Ehh...
Posts: 1897 - Karma: 1,423
Anyone done it? What is it like? I've worked with kids before so that's nothing new, however, just curious as to what teaching ski lessons might be as I just got hired on as a ski instructor for the first time. Just wondering what to expect from someone who has done it.

And yes, if you pizza when you french fry.... we get it.
Nov 17 2012 2:13AM
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snakerton
Posts: 2434 - Karma: 1,977
Teaching is awesome.

Assuming you'll be instructing little kids that have never skied before, you start at the magic carpet. DON'T CATCH THEM! By that I mean when the out of control dont stop them with your body because then they get in the habit of trusting you. Of course if they are gonna hurt them self by crashing into something else then by all means catch them but if its safe dont catch them.

Do you have your PSIA certification? If not get it. It looks good on resumes, the ski school will give you better kids. There's a lot of perks. Get it

Good luck,
Jake
Nov 17 2012 11:35AM
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Ehh...
Posts: 1897 - Karma: 1,423
Thanks for the advice, but i believe they offer one class of PSIA for me to train to do. The rest is on my own to get. But thats probably a great point. Interested to hear that.

Thanks
Nov 17 2012 11:38AM
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J-C
Posts: 1138 - Karma: 3,683
its pretty chill you get a free season pass, half price on food and most of the other female instructor are hot
Nov 17 2012 11:40AM
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mnfreeskier
Posts: 939 - Karma: 69
Its amazing. Seriously the best job in the world. If you like working with kids, getting a free pass, discounts on food and gear, I'd highly recommend it
Nov 17 2012 11:47AM
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Rosbif
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 930
I fucking love it. I have taught for 12 seasons now, and it's seriously the best job. I can't wait to get back to work in 2 weeks, which most people with other jobs don't say much!

But as mentioned above, get your certs done as quickly as possible, life as a level 3 is much better than life as a level 1/uncertified instructor.
Nov 17 2012 11:53AM
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Jackson1987
Posts: 32 - Karma: 22

Yup agree with all, teaching is awesome and if you get qualified you can work all over the world..Bragging that im off to niseko in 2 weeks to teach out there- hopefully not too many kids though cos i want to shred the pow pow!

Nov 17 2012 12:52PM
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TChronic
Posts: 287 - Karma: 82
love teaching great job. the only downside is not much freeski time. Way better than a lifty job or food at the mountain
Nov 17 2012 12:55PM
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Rosbif
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 930
Sickness, it's going to be my 5th season in Hirafu. Which school are you going to work for!?
Nov 17 2012 1:02PM
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Jackson1987
Posts: 32 - Karma: 22

NISS, i think its base is Hanazono. Ive heard mixed things, overall good though. a friend of mine worked there last year and really enjoyed it.

How about you? 5 years you must be getting sponsored, where are you from and are you full cert?

Nov 18 2012 1:05PM
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SwitchMisty540
Posts: 1862 - Karma: 629
teaching is awesome.  the little ones can be a bit of a challenge sometimes but it just comes with the territory.  i usually work with kids between the age of 7 and 15 and i find this age group to be really fun. 
Nov 18 2012 1:12PM
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Rosbif
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 930
Ah cool, yeah Niss is mainly hanazono now, but I think they will still have some lessons out of Hirafu. One of the better schools to work for it seems.

Yeah I am sponsored and full cert (NZ), I'm from Portsmouth.
Nov 18 2012 1:16PM
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Jackson1987
Posts: 32 - Karma: 22

Thats good to know. I hope it goes well! Im from Weymouth just down the road! Im only an NZ 2 (going for 3 next season) Still consider myself relatively new to the industry as iv only done a few seasons and only instructing for 3 on snow.

Maybe see you out there, I saw they just got their first proper snow, I cant freekin wait!

Nov 18 2012 1:57PM
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Ehh...
Posts: 1897 - Karma: 1,423
Thanks for everyone who replied to this thread. It put a little worry to rest in to having to wonder if this job is going to suck or not. I have a lot excitement after reading it, it seems as though the overall majority says this job is awesome. I'm really hoping that there are some cuties up teaching as well. Its definitely has its perks.
Nov 18 2012 2:03PM
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roddy116
Posts: 10636 - Karma: 7,521
keep reminding me that i gotta get my psia qual done.
Nov 18 2012 2:04PM
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Rosbif
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 930
Haha, nice, I used to sail a lot in Weymouth. Yeah I think my 4th season was in Japan as well, did you work in NZ? What day do you fly out there?
Nov 18 2012 2:34PM
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brokaw
Posts: 81 - Karma: 159
the 11- 16 age group is pretty sweet almost all the time. they are easy to teach and fun to talk with. 3-6 is un but can be a challenge if you get the wrong kids. Teach the way you want and what is best for the kids. more time on the bunny hill practicing=way better skiers down the road. motivate the young kids with candy. sounds creepy writing it, but it gets them stoked and they will be happy
Nov 18 2012 3:02PM
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ThaLorax
Posts: 21093 - Karma: 8,490
I don't like teaching pizza since I learned to teach skiing in Aspen and they don't teach it there. I think it works better to teach straight to parallel since people naturally revert to a pizza when defensive anyways.
Nov 19 2012 12:41AM
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snakerton
Posts: 2434 - Karma: 1,977
the PSIA progression, straight run, wedge, wedge change up, wedge turn right, wedge turn left, consecutive wedge turn, wedge christy, parallel, has been working for many years and most good skiers learned this way
Nov 19 2012 12:57AM
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ThaLorax
Posts: 21093 - Karma: 8,490
uh, i know that. just because it's tradition, doesn't mean it's the best way to do it. how do you think new sex positions were invented?
Nov 19 2012 3:28AM
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TOUCHE
Posts: 1183 - Karma: 162
Granted if you have very athletic and confident students, but if you have some middle aged fat guy who hasn't walked since '82 or a kid who shits himself just from looking at the hill then they are really going to need that safety mechanism.

and if you're teaching the younger kids you can throw that right out the window, they barely even know how to use their legs yet.
Nov 19 2012 5:03AM
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Skiingsnow
Posts: 1567 - Karma: 797
Asians, so many Asians...
Nov 19 2012 5:45AM
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Jibberino
Posts: 2089 - Karma: 1,346
Thread jack coming up.

I'm interested in teaching in Japan. So do you guys only teach Japanese or how does it work, epecially language wise? And what's the pay like?

Thanks!
Nov 19 2012 7:43AM
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joshua
Posts: 5046 - Karma: 1,280
My buddy tbayjibber does it, sounds alright.
Nov 19 2012 7:51AM
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TOUCHE
Posts: 1183 - Karma: 162
Ohh man, I know. Do you get ExtraGreens at Thredbo?
Trying to teach a group of 30 that dont even speak your language to ski in an hour then letting them loose on the mountain is Buller's biggest mistake!
Nov 19 2012 8:25AM
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drumbumocdp
Posts: 3229 - Karma: 1,098
Im moving to Keystone tomorrow to teach 3-6 year olds!
Nov 19 2012 8:25AM
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tbayjibber
Posts: 326 - Karma: 62
Haha. Yeah I coach ski racing which is similar and for me it's pretty awesome. First off where we ski it's a pretty small hill and we don't get that much snow so coaching is a good way to get me out to the hill every morning. Also most of my friends teach so once 2 oclock hits we can shred together. Also I get a free membership. Plus it's awesome being a coach because when it dumps we just say screw it go free skiing
Nov 19 2012 9:28AM
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DAPSKI
Posts: 414 - Karma: 141
i really enjoyed it but not enough ski time, rather be a bum working night jobs, pay for my pass, and wate for ski gear to go on sale, when you become an instructor your a ski instructor not a skier. teaching kids is fun though just the hours were not for me
Nov 19 2012 9:48AM
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snakerton
Posts: 2434 - Karma: 1,977
uh yes it is
Nov 19 2012 10:32AM
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Byron_tha_gr8
Posts: 4573 - Karma: 14,299
lol indians are worse
Nov 19 2012 10:39AM
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Rosbif
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 930
We already jacked it a bit earlier anyway!

I work for an Aussie owned and run ski school, all the school stuff is done in English, the clients are from Aus and Hong Kong mainly, with Singaporeans and random expats as well. The pay is really pretty good, my hourly is between US$30 p/h and a bit over $50, that is towards the top of the pay scale, a L1 with little experience obviously gets less.
Nov 19 2012 11:27AM
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Rosbif
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 930
Partially true, and obviously each to their own, but you can make it work for sure. I probably work more and ski less than ideal, but I like going on holiday for 4-5 months a year rather than hustling some other shitty job in between seasons. I used to avoid work a lot more, and ski more, but eventually everyone wants more cash. Also Niseko has night skiing, so I still ski a ton.
Nov 19 2012 11:32AM
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Jibberino
Posts: 2089 - Karma: 1,346
I'm well tempted by going to Japan. How hard is it to land a job, i'm an EU citizen if that helps any?
Nov 19 2012 3:44PM
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ThaLorax
Posts: 21093 - Karma: 8,490
I've taught all types of people and ages. For 90% of people taking lessons (unless they're under 6 or over 80), then it's really not that difficult. You turn one way until you stop. You turn the other way until you stop. Then you start linking them together. Bam, you don't need to start off with pizza and you progress much faster because you learn good form instead of bad form. You can always learn the wedge turns later once you start linking your turns together better since you'll naturally be doing a wedge turn anyways when you're starting out.
Nov 19 2012 3:58PM
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Jackson1987
Posts: 32 - Karma: 22

Sweet... Yea I worked up at Turoa for about 4 weeks. Great mountain up there when its not raining or blowing all the snow away! I hope to be down south or in Oz next time!

I fly to Sapporo on the 29th of this month and start work on the 3rd of December. Fancy showing me round the mountain? Any secret pow stashes? and of course lots of night skiing!

Also, my pow skis are currently amplid rockwells, rockered and 96 underfoot, i have loved these skis everywhere and in the deepest snow i could find in alberta they performed great. do you think I should invest in something fatter for the Jpow? I probably can and really dont want to get caught swimming out of a nice pillow line!

Cheers.

Nov 19 2012 3:58PM
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ThaLorax
Posts: 21093 - Karma: 8,490
Seriously, every beginner I've taught that way, has thanked me and said that it works much better than however/whoever was teaching them before.
Nov 19 2012 3:59PM
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KLovelace
Posts: 2118 - Karma: 289
it is pretty damn chill and sometimes if you sweet talk the parents you can get some good tips.

Also.. when the kids get served lunch you can always grab a couple of chicken nuggets or whatever off their plates. We used to watch ski movies every lunch and I always laid in a sleigh full of stuffed animals while the kids ate, that was fantastic.

The only major downside is trying to teach on really snowy days... you just want to shred pow and the kids just want to whine or drink cocoa generally. and since you are technically only teaching about 4-5 hours of the day you can't make a whole lot of dough unless you manage to get requested for private lessons. whatever. it's a nice job.. I miss it.
Nov 19 2012 4:23PM
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Rosbif
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 930
Depends on whether you can get a working holiday visa, if you can, and you have some instructing experience, it's not that tough. If no visa, much tougher.
Nov 19 2012 6:29PM
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Rosbif
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 930
Ah cool, a bunch of my friends work up Turoa, I used to be in Queenstown.

I get up there on the 4th. Yeah man, we can go for a ski for sure. Really the best stuff, the slack country, won't be open for a while, but there's still some sick stuff inbounds.

Re. skis, yes wider might be better, depends on how much you weigh etc. My quiver in Japan is 185 Volkl Walls, 175 Fischer WC RCs and 195 Armada AK JJs, I used to have Volkl Chopsticks as the pow ski, but I wanted something a little thinner with more sidecut to be more versatile. 96 is really pretty good as an all rounder, but on the deep days, you'll probably want bigger.
Nov 19 2012 6:39PM
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d00d
Posts: 2687 - Karma: 7,086
When I first started skiing my friend told me that skiing was better than candy, it's not as creepy when he said it cuz we were only 5 haha
Nov 19 2012 6:47PM
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TripleBlack
Posts: 87 - Karma: 73
With the CSIA, we have what's called the "fast track to parallel", so we do incorporate the wedge/pizza as a controlled way to teach using the outside edge to turn.

we don't "teach pizza" as a different technique to use instead of parallel - it's more of a progression - wedge involves using 1 edge to turn, parallel uses both. The "fast track to parallel" involves getting skiers to gradually make more and more use of the inside edge until the skis are parallel throughout the turn. We try to do this as quickly as possible - another instructor at my hill who teaches mainly adults has most of his students making parallel turns by the end of their first lesson (with kids it might take longer)

I don't think of pizza as a separate technique - it's the same thing as parallel but uses only one edge (the outside edge) instead of both.
Nov 19 2012 7:03PM
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