Many coaches and parents struggle with teaching kids to skate. It is a tough skill to teach since when they first learn they are scared to fall. They hang onto the boards, step instead of glide across the ice, and often stand in one place hoping for the nightmare to end. Though these students are confident and easy going in other situations, wearing poorly fitted skates in a cold arena turns them into whiny and miserable kids. Hopes of someday being Olympic figure skaters or NHL drafts picks quickly fade.

The answer to this situation seems cruel and off the wall but it does work. Having seen it with class after class of elementary students, I know it works. Children quickly become fearless, confident and skilled skaters in a short amount of time. They step away from the boards, build up speed and are no longer scared of falling. What’s the secret? Teach them how to fall.

When you teach children to fall, two things start to happen. The first is that they begin to realize that falling is not the end of the world. Being praised for a “good fall” gives them a sense of pride, especially since it is something they can do. Asking them to score a goal in hockey may not be doable, but a fall is easy. The embarrassment and stigma that goes with a clumsy skater is suddenly gone.

The second thing that happens is they lose their fear of falling. A big reason many adults are scared of snakes is because they don’t know much about them. Children who are exposed to snakes in a controlled environment, like a zoo, are not likely to develop a fear of snakes. The same is true for skating. Being on a slippery surface that is both very cold and very hard can be very unsettling. When you show them what it is like to fall safely, you take away the fear of the unknown.

Once the fear is gone, you get skaters who have fun on the ice. They are ready to feel the speed of the blades, to take part in games or keep up with their friends. Soon they can learn specific skills like stopping, gliding or changing directions and have success with them. They will become easy to coach and eager learn. In short, they will skaters.

So how do you teach them to fall? You be patient. You tell them to bend their knees use their hands to soften the fall. Give them practice falling frontward, backward and to the side. Show them what it feels like to fall or begin to fall. Have them practice falling from standing still, while they are skating and when they try to stop. Though it seems like a lot. You’ll be surprised how easy it is and how little time it takes. Soon they’ll be gliding across the ice with a smile on their face.

Darren Michalczuk is the founder of the Brick School. He has desined many programs and materials for elementary students. He offers practices and strageties proven effective in the classroom with a wide variety of ages and abilities. He believes every student can succeed if given the right skills.

Please visit his website. http://brickschool.ca

Source: www.articlecity.com