CSIA | How We Do It! Canadian Teaching Concepts

By Angela Pope

The Canadian Teaching Concepts clinic, led by Tracey Fraser and Guy Dale, introduced the Canadian Collaborative Teaching Approach, an updated perspective on the way they teach. This approach consists of three key components: Create an Experience, Assess the Experience, and Explore Possibilities plus a centre element; Know Your Learner.

Create the Experience puts an emphasis on designing tasks tailored to the individual learner, considering psychological, physical, and aspirational factors. It is vital to provide a safe and comfortable learning environment that reduces challenges to make learning easier and faster. Clear and measurable objectives that support the learning process and incremental skills such as rotational control, edging control, and pressure control are vital to achieving desired outcomes.

Assess the Experience involves observing learners as they attempt a task, evaluating the effectiveness of teaching approach and the results of the students' efforts. Encouraging learners to reflect on their experiences can help facilitate long-term learning. Comparing objectives and outcomes, reflections, and observations is an essential part of the assessment process.

 Explore the Possibilities balances skill development with practical application, allowing learners to autonomously explore the snow environment. Repetition of successful tasks and varying one aspect of a task at a time can deepen understanding of concepts and help instructors adjust their approach. Collaborative and active/reflective learning concepts are key, and a less structured approach may be used by more experienced instructors.

At the centre of the Canadian approach is a circle called "Know Your Learner." This circle emphasizes understanding the unique needs of the student, including their psychological, physical, and aspirational factors. Recognizing that every student is unique and has their own goals and motivations, this circle serves as a reminder of the importance of putting the student at the centre of the teaching approach.

The Canadian approach allows for movement back and forth between the three components as needed, rather than a linear progression. This flexibility is essential in ski instruction, where weather, terrain, and other variables can impact the learning experience. This aligns with the cyclical movements of the APSI’s 9 Lesson Essentials framework which allows the instructor to move freely between different points in the lesson.

 Personalized instruction is key to providing a great guest experience, and this approach reinforces that fundamental principle.  The clinic encouraged exploration and experimentation with the Canadian approach in teaching practice. Valuable insights and feedback were provided, challenging instructors to think critically about how they could incorporate these concepts into their own teaching.

In conclusion, the Canadian Collaborative Teaching Approach emphasizes the importance of creating measurable outcomes and tailoring the approach to the individual learner. This approach provides a fresh perspective on ski instruction and reinforces the fundamental principle of personalized instruction for a great guest experience. Thanks to Tracey Fraser and Guy Dale for leading such a valuable and engaging clinic!