For the Good of a Group

By Eliza Kuntz, Red Lodge Mountain

As snowsports instructors, we teach or coach within two variables:  a private or a group situation.  The groups tend to be first timers to the sport, but can also be a group of team kids or a lady's day.  It has been my experience that instructors who are teaching a "group" are actually teaching to a "private."  That is, while a group may be comprised of up to ten or more individuals, the instructor usually appears to treat them as one.  Ten individuals will all have different needs, ability levels, and personalities, learning styles, and so on.  So, do you actually teach ALL of the participants in your GROUP, or do you teach to one or two of them and sincerely hope that the other eight will be able to follow suit?  Yes, we are all guilty of the latter scenario.

Below is a list of the different roles individuals play while in a group.  While looking over this list, think about some groups you've taught in the past and I bet you can make the matches to your student's roles. When you meet your first group this season, I challenge you to keep these in the back of your mind throughout your time with the group. I assure you that these roles will be played out by everybody involved.  Do you recognize your own role within a group? Have fun with this!!

Group Participation Roles*

1. Organizer - this person will help you keep things in line.  With a good organizer in your group, you will never lose another member of the group, the organizer won't let you.  This person will most likely want to come down last so as to keep an eye on everybody.
2. Encourager - this person shows enthusiasm for other people's actions or ideas.  Every group needs a cheerleader!
3. Idea Person - this is the person who lets you know that you can most likely skip the wedge turn and go directly to the hockey stop! (and they will give a scary demo, too)
4. Good Humor Person - someone has to find this business of learning to slide on snow amusing!
5. Cooperator - the organizerR17;s best buddy, this person is willing to give most ideas a try
6. Listener - the instructorR17;s best buddy, thank the snow gods for a good listener in your group.  There will always be at least one, although you may feel at times that nobody is taking in what you are verbalizing.
7. Stick-To-Itative Person - when the going gets tough, this person gets skiing or boarding, when the others aren't catching on or it is -20 with the wind chill.
8. Problem-Finder - there needs to be someone to keep us all honest.  This person will let others in the group know when they are going to get themselves in a predicament.
9. Detail Detective - this person will actually remember when you say, "you should stick to the beginner slope this afternoon and stay away from the advanced slopes"
10. Clarifier - If you are having a fuzzy morning, this person will re-explain your poor directions to the group so that they can actually understand what they should be doing.

*Adapted from: Making History, Educators for Social Responsibility