Gary73 10 #1 Posted January 22, 2021 So here's a question for every skydiver, regardless of your experience level: Without giving names, what characteristics do you most value in a Coach, Instructor, or Examiner? I'm especially interested in anything that made the difference between staying in the sport vs. quitting. Thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGUN 1,233 #2 January 22, 2021 1 hour ago, Gary73 said: I'm especially interested in anything that made the difference between staying in the sport vs. quitting. Encouragement. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
David Wang 53 #3 January 22, 2021 (edited) Ha! I was lucky to have a great instructor with me in AFF and I did all the jumps with her. I learned a ton and had a great time jumping. Kindness, patience, encouragement, safety awareness and constantly emphasizing safety, teacher-student engagement, and overall making all the jump experiences fun and memorable. To be honest I think I have failed to be a testament to their teaching because I was unsafe and got broken this early. But all the memories + passion of flying keep me in the sport. Edited January 22, 2021 by David Wang Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BMAC615 209 #4 February 1, 2021 There are three different questions in there and I’ll list them as one would encounter them during their career: Instructor: Enthusiastic, competent, perceptive and reassuring. Coach: Must display the same characteristics as Instructor, but, must also make sure the jumps have a high likelihood of success. I have used Kinesthesia, The Art of Body Flight to great success with many, many students. It is essential new jumpers experience the success of layering skills on top of skills to gain confidence. Then, they have the skills to have successful jumps together. Examiner: Competent, neutral & honest. You need to feel your examiner will evaluate you fairly and give feedback to help you understand your level of competence. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Faicon9493 139 #5 February 1, 2021 My first jump was back in 1980. The instructor was former Golden Knight, Bill Wilson. Needless to say, he was extremely knowledgeable but what impressed me the most was that he made everyone feel comfortable to ask questions about anything they didn't understand. I'm a retired educator and know how important this is. In any instructional setting, there will likely be someone who is relieved that someone asked the question they were afraid to ask. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,351 #6 February 1, 2021 59 minutes ago, Faicon9493 said: In any instructional setting, there will likely be someone who is relieved that someone asked the question they were afraid to ask. Getting that first question asked is really important. It's even worth seeding the audience, or bringng up a question the instructor had when they were a student, or getting everyone to think about a question they have about skydiving before the class starts. Because once the first question is asked, it gets easier. Other characteristics include remembering this is much more about the student -- no one cares how badass a swooper or whatever the instructor is. Also, reminding the student that it's OK not to remember everything (no one does), and that each just isn't a single step, it's simply a group of instructional goals, and that not completing all of the goals on a singe jump is normal -- it's not like failing a grade. Farther on, getting the student to think ahead of time about what they're going to focus on/be most aware of helps. If too many new things happen, then the whole jump is lost to sensory overload. Wendy P. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cutaway68 4 #7 February 9, 2021 Many years ago before I started skydiving, a fellow SCUBA instructor taught me a very valuable lesson. He taught me that the best teachers are also the best (and eternal) students. This means that no matter how much you may know about any subject, there is always something to be learned. Always look for new ways or ideas to expand upon your current knowledge base. Also, be willing to listen to students (and others) ideas. Don’t be too quick to dismiss them or say “tried it, won’t work”. If they come to you and say “I have (X) idea” and you had tried it and it didn’t work, relate that to them with your personal experience/results and encourage them to look at it from a fresh perspective. They may discover a crucial detail you missed and make it work. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
This Site Is For Sale
