Do you want to know what makes kids tick? Would you like to learn the secret to teaching kids and having fun? Zembo's Guide for Teaching Kids to Ski and Snowboard is just that: It's a step-by-step guide to teaching kids.
Zembo's Guide for Teaching Kids to Ski and Snowboard will take you on a journey into the imagination and minds of children. You will see the world through their eyes. This guide touches on the basics of developmental psychology and physiology. Still, those are just college words that have little meaning unless you can connect with your students, and this is where Zembo's Guide for Teaching Kids to Ski and Snowboard really shines. This guide will give you a front-row seat to what it's like to work with kids for over 50 years. You will read stories and insights from seasoned instructors. You'll read about real mountain lessons with some of the strangest and funniest outcomes.
In chapter one of Zembo's Guide for Teaching Kids to Ski and Snowboard, you will learn the key to teaching kids -the art of play. This is how kids learn. This is how we learn and adapt to our world. In chapter two, you will learn how to put a lesson plan together using the Play, Drill, Adventure method. It's simple, fun, and easy to follow. In chapter three, dozens of instructors share their methods and tricks for teaching kids to ski and snowboard. Follow the lessons of Captain Zembo and his band of Galactic Rangers (fellow instructors) as they teach beginner, intermediate, and advanced students. Helping them to improve their skills through the art of play and PDA.
In Zembo's Guide for Teaching Kids to Ski and Snowboard, you will learn to connect with your students, provide them with the guidance they need, and have fun along the way.
John Alderson (a.k.a. Captain Zembo) has over fifty years of experience teaching kids to ski and snowboard. He is a former Professional Ski Instructor of America National Team member and was on the original team (JETS) that laid the foundation for PSIA's Children's Educational Programs. These methods are still in use throughout the country today. This is his third and latest book.
His career started in Lake Tahoe at age 18, where he taught his first lessons. Inspired by a (Kiwi) roommate, he sent off a letter and captured a job teaching skiing in New Zealand. It would be their winter, his summer. Upon returning to the States, he secured a position with the Taos Ski School in Taos, NM. During this period, he became fully certified as an instructor with both PSIA (Professional Ski Instructors of America) and NZSI (New Zealand Ski Instructors Alliance). He also earned his Level One coaches' license through USSA.
Colorado Ski Country gave Captain Zembo the Instructor of the Year Award in 1992 for his work promoting and increasing children's participation in skiing and snowboarding. He received the Russel Wilder Award from USSA in recognition of his outstanding efforts to focus the interests of America's youth on the sport of skiing.
Captain Zembo has been actively teaching skiing and snowboarding to kids for the Vail and Beaver Creek Ski Schools for the past 42 years. He is currently splitting his time between the Vail and Aspen Ski Schools, where he continues to teach and tell his stories. Life is good.
"Zembo is the Dr. Seuss of teaching kids winter sports." — Christi Mueller-Northrop, SKIwee Coordinator, SKI Magazine affiliate PSIA Level 3, Telluride Ski School
"A master class on everything you need to be a success in teaching kids. In addition to the tips and tricks necessary to deliver a successful day for your kids, this book explains the why, and it is in understanding the 'why' that thisbook takes teaching to the next level." — Alexander Kendricks, Aspen Ski and Snowboard School Manager, Trainer, PSIA Level 3, CS2
"The magic of Zembo is timeless. He describes and provokes that which is always fundamental: PLAY, AMPLIFIED ENGAGEMENT, and USEFUL SIMPLICITY.Captain Zembo is the teacher we should aspire to be, one who invites us into a story we are co-authoring with each child, one who encourages us to learn more than our students in a lesson, and one who ignites the fire of curiosity, adventure, and experimentation. That teacher might be a poor skier, but an expert in helping a student discover their best self. That teacher is empathetic, caring, and virtuosic, creating a learning environment where students feel psychologically, socially, and creatively safe. I am not intimidated by the teacher's physical skills, but inspired by their ability to show me a world of possibilities." — Horst Abraham, Father of the American Teaching Technique. US Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame member
"This is awesome! Way to go. For new instructors, it's the perfect recipe for creating solid lesson plans. For me and all of us seasoned and haggard kids' pros, it's reignited my creativity and keeps me motivated to go out into theworld's greatest playground. Awesome, exciting times ahead!" — David Holdcraft, PSIA National Team Member. Level 3, CS2. Breckenridge Ski School (40 + years)
"John's playful attitude and creativity are a shining example of how teachers can help shape learning for a lifetime! Rich in personal, relatable stories and loaded with wisdom that is a priceless and precious resource for the next generation." — Jane Tarlow, PSIA Level 3, CS2. Breckenridge Ski School (54 years teaching). Harvard School of Ed.
"Fun, Insightful, Timeless. With nearly three decades of teaching experience, I've always admired Captain Zembo's talent for blending play, safety, and skill development. This guide captures the heart of great children's instruction." — Monica Schwanitz, PSIA-AASI Certified Instructor. Children's Specialist. Inventor of SkiRing.
"Years ago, Captain Zembo's Teaching Guide was a lifesaver for me when I was training a group of new-hire instructors. They had minimal experience working with kids, and I needed something they could wrap their heads around without exploding. Captain Zembo's Guide was the perfect solution.Zembo has always had a gift for reminding ALL of us that teaching snow sports is a FUN and meaningful experience. And I'm grateful he's creating a space once again to keep that spirit alive." — Michelle Abellera, PSIA Level, CS2. Blizzard Ski Club, Mt. Holly, Pine Knob, and Mt. Bachelor Ski Schools.
"Zembo has a knack, a sixth sense, or an intuitive skill for understanding how to get inside a kid's head to spark their curiosity and interest. Years ago, I found this ability invaluable while working with a 14-year-old special-needs student. Zembo's methods helped me connect with my student and transform him from a frightened participant into a lifelong skier and highly decorated Special Olympian. It was, and still is, a fantastic relationship that we continue with today.I even use many of these methods during my time on the court with the kids' tennis... It's a real plus to have these skills in my back pocket." — Steve Chinn, PSIA Level 3. Beaver Creek, Onikoube, Conquistador, Ski Sunlight SkiSchools
