Why join PSIA?

I'm a long time skier but somewhat new (part time)
instructor. I've been thinking about joining PSIA
to learn a bit more about the art of instructing.

In looking at associated PSIA costs I'm having
a rough time balancing the costs and benefits.

Seems the costs of membership, clinics,
certification programs, etc. would out strip
most teaching income.

What am I missing?


Later...

Ron Capik
--

On Apr 11, 1:12 pm, Ron Capik wrote:
I'm a long time skier but somewhat new (part time)
instructor. I've been thinking about joining PSIA
to learn a bit more about the art of instructing.

In looking at associated PSIA costs I'm having
a rough time balancing the costs and benefits.

Seems the costs of membership, clinics,
certification programs, etc. would out strip
most teaching income.

What am I missing?

Later...

Ron Capik
--

The PSIA garb. It gets ya laid. (That's what I'm assuming most SI's
pay all that money for)

Ron Capik wrote:
I'm a long time skier but somewhat new (part time)
instructor. I've been thinking about joining PSIA
to learn a bit more about the art of instructing.

In looking at associated PSIA costs I'm having
a rough time balancing the costs and benefits.

Seems the costs of membership, clinics,
certification programs, etc. would out strip
most teaching income.

What am I missing?

Nothing that I'm aware of.

On Apr 11, 12:12 pm, Ron Capik wrote:
I'm a long time skier but somewhat new (part time)
instructor. I've been thinking about joining PSIA
to learn a bit more about the art of instructing.

You may learn some mechanics of instructing, but the art of
instructing? That'll be stretching it.


In looking at associated PSIA costs I'm having
a rough time balancing the costs and benefits.

Aside from learning a maybe stylish but rather static skiing style,
there are really not many other benefits.


Seems the costs of membership, clinics,
certification programs, etc. would out strip
most teaching income.

There's no money in teaching skiing; remember, you rank at the bottom
when you start, no matter how experience you are as a skier.


What am I missing?

Good all mountain free skiing.

Good lucks,
IS


Later...

Ron Capik
--

In article ,
Ron Capik writes:
I'm a long time skier but somewhat new (part time)
instructor. I've been thinking about joining PSIA
to learn a bit more about the art of instructing.

Don't most ski schools require a PSIA certification before allowing you
to teach? Can you get certification without being a member?

Bruno.

Miko the pooch wrote:
In article ,
Ron Capik writes:
I'm a long time skier but somewhat new (part time)
instructor. I've been thinking about joining PSIA
to learn a bit more about the art of instructing.

Don't most ski schools require a PSIA certification before allowing you
to teach? Can you get certification without being a member?

Bruno.

As I understand it,
no and no.

You can earn $7 gasp per hour at most ski areas in
the east to teach never-evers after only a few hours
clinic-ing with the better teachers in the ski school.

PSIA won't certify you unless you are member AFAIK.

"VtSkier" wrote in message
...
Miko the pooch wrote:
In article ,
Ron Capik writes:
I'm a long time skier but somewhat new (part time)
instructor. I've been thinking about joining PSIA
to learn a bit more about the art of instructing.

Don't most ski schools require a PSIA certification before allowing you
to teach? Can you get certification without being a member?

Bruno.

As I understand it,
no and no.

You can earn $7 gasp per hour at most ski areas in
the east to teach never-evers after only a few hours
clinic-ing with the better teachers in the ski school.

PSIA won't certify you unless you are member AFAIK.

Level I certification requires having taught + taking a written test and
demonstrating skiing or riding skills. When you pass the tests, they take
your $25 or so for membership.

You'd have to teach a lot to pay the expenses of skiing. PSIA membership is
not that much of it. Clinics can add up, although ski school sponsered ones
can help. Exam fees get pretty expensive for level II and III. Hanging with
ski insrtructors - priceless, if you want to really learn to ski. The things
I've learned in school clinics and PSIE or AASI clinics have significantly
increased my abilities to handle a wide range of terrein with a certain
amount of elegance.

Bob

Bob F wrote:

...snip...

Level I certification requires having taught + taking a written test and
demonstrating skiing or riding skills. When you pass the tests, they take
your $25 or so for membership.

You'd have to teach a lot to pay the expenses of skiing. PSIA membership is
not that much of it. Clinics can add up, although ski school sponsered ones
can help. Exam fees get pretty expensive for level II and III. Hanging with
ski insrtructors - priceless, if you want to really learn to ski. The things
I've learned in school clinics and PSIE or AASI clinics have significantly
increased my abilities to handle a wide range of terrein with a certain
amount of elegance.

Bob

I believe it costs a bit more than that. The FAQ on the PSIA web page
has dues at $95 plus a required clinic every other year.

With 40+ years of skiing, racing, and freestyle competitions, I don't
know that "hanging with instructors" would be all that priceless for me.
[ YMMV ]


Later...

Ron Capik
--

"Ron Capik" wrote in message
...
Bob F wrote:

...snip...

Level I certification requires having taught + taking a written test and
demonstrating skiing or riding skills. When you pass the tests, they take
your $25 or so for membership.

You'd have to teach a lot to pay the expenses of skiing. PSIA membership
is
not that much of it. Clinics can add up, although ski school sponsered
ones
can help. Exam fees get pretty expensive for level II and III. Hanging
with
ski insrtructors - priceless, if you want to really learn to ski. The
things
I've learned in school clinics and PSIE or AASI clinics have
significantly
increased my abilities to handle a wide range of terrein with a certain
amount of elegance.

Bob

I believe it costs a bit more than that. The FAQ on the PSIA web page
has dues at $95 plus a required clinic every other year.

I just checked - I pay $70 / year. I can usually get the required credits
by taking a clinic commissioned by the ski school each year, and
paying $10 to get credit. (PSIA-NW) I payed a lot more this year due to
exam fees for certification.


With 40+ years of skiing, racing, and freestyle competitions, I don't
know that "hanging with instructors" would be all that priceless for me.
[ YMMV ]

You may be right in this case. I was not so fortunate.

Certification to level II or III increases the pay you would receive,
and the job opportunities, if either are of significance to you.

Bob

Ron Capik wrote:
I'm a long time skier but somewhat new (part time)
instructor. I've been thinking about joining PSIA
to learn a bit more about the art of instructing.

In looking at associated PSIA costs I'm having
a rough time balancing the costs and benefits.

Seems the costs of membership, clinics,
certification programs, etc. would out strip
most teaching income.

What am I missing?

You're thinking about it the wrong way. The real cost of being a ski
instructor is "opportunity cost". That is, you spend the better part of
the season on the bunny hill or coaxing newbies down the green runs
instead of (real) skiing. Missed skiing time is the object of value
that you give up, not the piddling $70 (or whatever) membership fee.

I suppose one can rationalize the missed opportunity cost if you're
doing the full-time ski instructor thing, but for those of us who have
real jobs (9-5 M-F or similar) the opportunities to ski are few enough
as it is without having a commitment to demonstrate the wedge ad nauseum.

Ok, so you've decided to do the instructor thing - great. Might as well
get certified. You'll probably learn a bit from the other instructors
(but this may be happening already without membership) and you'll get a
piece of paper. You're already paying the expensive part of the program
(missed opportunity) so pay the couple of extra bucks to complete the
project.

My $.02.

//Walt