A Typical Day

No two days are ever quite alike, but this outline is intended to summarize the various checkin times so as to eliminate some of the confusion that first year instructors (and others!) experience.

This is a trial version of this document, from the perspective of one second year instructor. It needs to be reviewed by some other eyes and brains, with information added about teaching private lessons, and who knows what else that I either don't know about or didn't think to include.

The split

There can be a four-way split, a two-way split, or no split at all. The most important thing is whether you are in group A or B. The other important thing is whether you will be teaching junior or adult. The Junior/Adult split tells you where to be. The A/B split tells you when to be there. If there is no split, it means that we are really busy, or short-handed, or both! This is a pain because you have to check in every hour, but the bottom line in all of this is that instructors need to be available ready to go, whenever there is a lesson to go out.

The schedule

Check in at 8:15. Be sure to sign in so you will be included in the split (and so you will actually be counted as present). It is really best to try to arrive at 8:00 so you have a few minutes to unlock your locker, trip over other people, and to have some insurance against not arriving after the deadline. If you do arrive late, realize that a meeting will be in progress and don't barge through the door talking in a loud voice with your buddy. Pay attention, so that if nothing else, you will know what split you are in and what kind of clinic (if any) is being run.
Clinic at 9:00. This is almost always the case, so plan on being in your skis and boots and almost always your uniform at whatever spot (typically the lift line for the Quad or number 8 lift) is announced. The details vary day by day, so you will need to listen during the meeting (what a concept!). The clinics are a great opportunity to learn, improve your skiing or teaching, and now also to get some higher level teaching hours if you aim for PSIA certification.
9:45 Group A check in.
10:45 Group B check in.
11:45 Group A check in.
12:45 Group B check in.

Some guidelines

Checkin means being in uniform, ready to take a group out for a lesson.

Lessons go out on the hour (subject to the arrival of the students) at 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, and 1:00. We don't send out lessons at 2:00 for the last slot in the day. Typical lessons go for 2 hours, so if we are busy and you have two lessons back to back, you will need to wrap things up and be back a bit before the hour for your next lesson.

The hard facts of this are that you will stand around for maybe 20 minutes if you don't have a lesson. Them's the breaks! Instructors need to be on hand till they are turned loose. This is usually at least 5 minutes after the hour to cover late arriving students. Keep your ears peeled, it is easy to miss the announcement that instructors are free to go; and if you hear it, pass it along.