Thank you for your interest in teaching children and developing your teaching skills. Teaching children in the mountain environment provides a unique challenge. Working with kids requires both strong foundations in the fundamentals of snow sports as well as a solid knowledge of the way kids feel, behave, think and move. To this end, PSIA initially created the Junior Education Team (JET’s) to help facilitate a program of how to teach children well. The ACE (Advanced Children’s Educator) was the outcome of a developed curriculum showing mastery of clinic content and theory. Over the past decade this curriculum has evolved into the Children’s Specialist Credential. The Children’s Specialist credential is a certificate based program that follows the concepts and curriculum of the National Children’s Specialist Standards.

WHAT we teach – comes from PSIA and AASI in the form of the learning connection model and efficient movement patterns in skiing and riding. The skills required to progress through each level of skiing and riding are the same for adults and children. However, an understanding of Children’s Movement Patterns will assist in applying these models more realistically when teaching children. Identification and differentiation of real movement patterns versus ideal movement patterns is critical.

HOW we teach – utilization of the teaching model helps organize the way in which information is delivered to the student.

WHO we teach – understanding the student, creating the student profile is the most effective process in determining guest needs: the child’s Cognitive, Affective and Physical (CAP model) profiles. Incorporating theories related to developmental growth including those of Piaget, Maslow, Kohlberg and Gardner assist in profile development.

The premise of the Children’s Specialist Standard is based upon the concepts of “levels of understanding” levels that define stages of learning within degrees of understanding. Just as certification is a measure of understanding, levels of certification represent stages of understanding. As a credential, Children’s Specialist participants will be expected to meet levels of competency as defined by CS 1 and CS 2 standards.  Participants will be held to the knowledge and performance standards of the level at which they are participating as well as the criteria for all preceding levels.  Levels of participant expectation are based on Bloom’s Taxonomy, referenced further in the CS Standard.

For years, the first year or new instructor has been given the task of teaching children, and usually at the beginning level. Children challenge our teaching skills in particular ways and require a trained and competent teacher to understand and meet their unique goals. Creating a love of the mountain experience in a young person will carry that joy of sliding and gliding into adulthood. Resort area management and snow sports school directors recognize the importance of providing children with a high quality lesson. The Children’s Specialist Program offers a path to explore snow sports pedagogy and to empower children’s instructors by validating the technical, physical and theoretical based content unique to children’s educational requirements and in such as the program consists of the two programs; Children’s Specialist 1 (CS 1) and the Children’s Specialist 2 (CS 2).

Children’s Specialist 1 (CS1)

Interested in teaching children? Maybe you are new to teaching children and want some more resources? Perhaps you are curiously wondering what the certificate program is all about and how it can be helpful when teaching kids? With those questions, and more we didn’t think of, this certificate program is for you.

Through this course you will learn more about how children think, feel, and move. You will gain knowledge on how to keep them engaged, and explore the different ways of teaching the small learner. During this program, you will be assessed on your teaching, technical, and sliding demonstrations, specific to the age, and state, of the client. Please be familiar with the Children’s Specialist Standards, Performance Guide, Assessment Form.

Prerequisites

• Level I certification in any discipline
• Children’s eLearning course – you can find it here

• Blank copy of the CS Movement Analysis Worksheet (you will fill it out during the event)

Children’s Specialist 2 (CS2)

Ready For The Next Level? CS1 got you thinking? Got you excited for learning more about children, their development and how to help them grow their love of snowsports? Then CS2 is the next step!

Candidates will be provided teaching opportunities to demonstrate their ability to use, adapt and integrate their children’s skillset. It is essential that candidates perform their teaching segments at or above a level 2. The CS2 is an educational and certificate program; candidates must showcase the skillsets of their disciplines level 2 National Standards. 

Through this course you will learn more about how children think, feel, and move. You will gain knowledge on how to keep them engaged, and explore the different ways of teaching the small learner. You will be assessed on your teaching, technical, and people skills, specific to the age, and state, of the client. Please be familiar with the Children’s Specialist Standards, Performance Guide, Assessment Form.

Prerequisites

• Level II certification in any discipline
• Complete the online Children’s Specialist 2 workbook and quiz here.

• Blank copy of the CS Movement Analysis Worksheet (you will fill it out during the event)