CSIA Level 1 course - how hard is it?

Anton98Hi Folks!

I'm from germany, just finished school and going to Canada, Vancouver for the winter.
I got a job at a (very small) ski resort (Mt Seymour) and will be working there as a ski instructor - under the condition that I pass the 3-days CSIA Level 1 course in mid December.
I'm kinda worried about not passing the course even though I heard it is supposed to be quite easy. My english is fluently-ish so that shouldn't be a problem. I don't know much about the instructing part, but since I've worked at a local ski school a few weekends last winter I'm quite positve about that as well.
I'm a pretty good skier but I'm still worried about the ski skills examination part... mostly because I recently purchased(very cheap from a friend) and mounted touring bindings on my skis (marker f12 bindings, and I got rossignol sin 7 powder skis) because I defo want to explore the backcountry when I'm there, also because the ski resort is as said very small. Since I have only once skied with touring bindings I'm now a bit worried it will limit my skills on the pist...
So my actual question to you guys is, if you know how hard exactly it is to pass the csia level 1 (especially the skiing part) and if I need to worry as much as I do right now haha!

Cheers
Anton

**This thread was edited on Sep 13th 2017 at 2:33:53pm

SendyMcSendyfaceI did it last winter, it's not very hard. Just pay attention, and ride as hard as you can. A big part of the course is the terminology and methods that the CSIA uses, so it's not a bad idea to review the books they give you every night. Good luck out west man!

Anton98Is it loads to study or do you get it by simply reading through it? How big are those books anyways?

SendyMcSendyfaceIt's not a lot to study, mostly just acronyms. The books are small, the one you'll use most in your course will fit in a pocket.

Anton98right, sounds good. I saw on another forum (pretty old thread) that you have to review a video and tell what the person that is skiing in the video is doing wrong and how to improve it... is that still valid? if so is it actually hard?

SendyMcSendyfaceYup, we still do that. It's not really that hard, they prepare you for what to look for. Don't stress about it, if you can make it down the hill alive, you can pass the level 1.

-arc-Honestly, the CSIA instructor wants you to pass. If you focus, take their criticism, build on it and improve you'll pass no worries. finished mine last December when I was 15 if that's any reference. There was a kid same age as me on the course who shredded park but lacked the technique. He just didn't try. If you even put marginal effort in, you'll pass! Good luck!

Anton98Im just a bit nervous because I basically come to canada from germany for working as a ski instructor! I mean I'll find another job if I fail the course but thats probably not going to be a job on snow haha!

SendyMcSendyfaceDon't stress about it man, its not very hard. Good luck!

Anton98thanks for the replies so far guys
I just hope I get the chance to go for some riding before the course for getting used to skiin again (and fun obviously), dunno if that will work out though because it's literally 2 days after I arrive in Canada

**This post was edited on Sep 14th 2017 at 2:34:54am

**This post was edited on Sep 14th 2017 at 2:35:26am

SendyMcSendyfaceYup, we still do that. It's not really that hard, they prepare you for what to look for. Don't stress about it, if you can make it down the hill alive, you can pass the level 1.

R-EDHey Anton,

Are you doing a course beforehand or just going straight to the exam? Have you ever had an coaching or lessons before?

CSIA are not necessarily looking for amazing skiers for the Level 1. It qualifies you to teach from beginner to intermediate level. I.e. linked parallel turns on blue runs. If you can perform consistent demos of these turns on moderate intermediate terrain at intermediate speeds with intermediate technique, you will pass the skiing portion.

The more important focus at the Level 1 stage is the teaching/ group management. You must be able to communicate clearly and knowledgeably to a small group usually leading them through a beginner progression (Fast track to Parallel.). I recommend getting a copy of the CSIA Manual and reading it very thoroughly. Its only a basic introductory look at the teaching process and some of its contents are not relevant for the Level 1 but if you can understand the core skills, drills and pathways etc, you will do fine.

Main pointers:

-Don't ever stop under a chairlift with your group during your teach! Guaranteed instant fail.
-Lift up your goggles when speaking to the group/ maintain eye contact. Bonus points!
-Smile!
-Pace your lesson, not too fast, not to slow. Don't feel like you have to show the examiner everything you know by regurgitating every piece of information about skiing that comes to mind. This will get you bad marks. Better to work on one core skill.

Hope this helps!

As others have already said, the examiner want you to pass, we look for enthusiasm above all. They will tell you everything you need to know and help you the whole time. Never be afraid to ask questions, even if you think this makes you look unprepared. it doesn't, it makes you look invested in getting better. You'll do fine! Good Luck!!

**This post was edited on Sep 17th 2017 at 2:26:07pm

R-EDThe course involves a 'Training' Day as well as an 'Exam' day. You will get a chance to ski during your exam where you are not being judged. They will give you feedback and tell you exactly what you need to do to pass your skiing portion!

Anton98Thanks for that info too. Though my employer at Mt Seymour emailed me this (quote):
"The evaluation is done continuously over three days, so the candidates aren’t subjected to a high pressure “exam” type environment where they have to ski well or fail on any particular run."

Anton98Hey, thanks for the elaborate reply!
I'm not doing any other course before the exam. I'm just attending the 3-day Level 1 course (planned for 8.-10th dec) at Mt Seymour.
I've been skiing for basically my hole life, every year a few weeks, minimum 2. Until I was like 12 yo I did lessons for 4 days every year which really developed my skiing, and about at that time my skiing was probably the best, if you take the technical aspect only.
I would still describe myself as a good skier, though a few years ago I sadly got use to the bad habit of skiing with a damn narrow stance - because I thought it was cool or something, I don't know. Last year I started to work on that a bit but I have to say it's quite hard to get rid of thathabit.

Also last year I worked at a ski school for very few weekends (that's also why I got the idea of going to Canada for ski instructing) but I was literally only teaching absolute beginners.

If you mean the pdf you can find online on following link (or could, somehow I get an error 404 if I try to open the link now - https://www.snowpro.com/en/resources/csia-manual-education-resources) "Canadian Ski instructing" and "Teaching children" I've already worked throught those.

Also, thanks for all the other tips!

**This post was edited on Sep 17th 2017 at 4:03:44pm

**This post was edited on Sep 17th 2017 at 4:04:14pm

R-EDUmmm. No we don't do that.... Thats more of an APSI thing. You will not be judged on your video feedback at Level 1.

**This post was edited on Sep 17th 2017 at 2:22:57pm

R-EDSounds like you have a solid base for your skiing, I wouldn't worry. Bad habits are hard to break for sure! Just listen to what the conductor tells you and as long as he sees you really trying to take on his feedback, you will pass!

I wouldn't worry if you are not attending a course beforehand but it can help to spend a bit of time with someone who has done it before to help you feel a bit more confident. (Ask if they can let you join in on some training at Seymour before your exam?) Or head up to Whistler and book a Lesson, ask for a Level 4, tell them you want to prepare for your level 1. Whistler has some of the best in the business, Ken Paynter is the absolute best trainer. Alternatively, check out CSIA's Youtube for heaps of resources and references. Skiing and Teaching. Enjoy the music! None of these are necessary just ideas to help!

For the Manual I mean the physical Manual, I don't know if its available online because CSIA just updated their website but you will be given a copy at your exam and will go through parts of it with the group, then you can read it more in the evenings if you want to.

Your welcome! Viel Glück!

**This post was edited on Sep 17th 2017 at 4:27:49pm

R-EDFor the Manual I mean the physical Manual, I don't know if its available online because CSIA just updated their website but you will be given a copy at your exam and will go through parts of it with the group, then you can read it more in the evenings if you want to.
**This post was edited on Sep 17th 2017 at 4:27:49pm

Anton98Just one more question, how big is that manual? Will I have enough time to read it thoroughly even if I don't obtain it before the course? Because if it's not available online I don't think I will be able to get it before the course starts.
Also on snowprobc.com/level-one/ on the left side there is a "level-one online workshop" but again if I try to open it I get an error page not found. Do you know when it will be unlocked?
cheers

icedI didn't need the manual... Everything I got evaluated of was review verbally. It's not a lot of info

Anton98alright, thanks

Was it hard for you to kinda adjust your speed to the needs of instructing (what I mean is purposly maintain a pretty slow speed and ski in wide arcs, etc)?

Anton98alright, thanks

Was it hard for you to kinda adjust your speed to the needs of instructing (what I mean is purposly maintain a pretty slow speed and ski in wide arcs, etc)?

jmckay7CSIA Level 1 Course

Day:1 Bring yourself & Skis
Day 2: Ski parallel on blues and read a 10 page book
Day 3: Teach how to pizza and french fry

Pass

Honestly it's a piece of piss mate, kind of makes a mockery of the system if I'm honest.

When I did my level 1, there was a Chinese girl in our group who could barely speak a word of English. She LEGIT skied off in the wrong direction because she couldn't understand our evaluator who told us to stop at the bottom of the slope lmao. She got lost for the rest of the day because she'd come to the mountain just for the course, somehow she still passed. Crazy

icednah it took me approx. an hour to get a grip on it and then I was back to the sidehits. keep in mind you will need to be able to ski with poles

SendyMcSendyfaceShit...I swear they had us do video analysis for my L1 last winter. I know we had to evaluate people's skiing while watching them from the lift, and we did watch some vids, and analyse them, maybe they just didn't mark us.

Anton98Just one more question, how big is that manual? Will I have enough time to read it thoroughly even if I don't obtain it before the course? Because if it's not available online I don't think I will be able to get it before the course starts.
Also on snowprobc.com/level-one/ on the left side there is a "level-one online workshop" but again if I try to open it I get an error page not found. Do you know when it will be unlocked?
cheers

R-EDDo you have an email address? I can photograph some go the key pages and send it to you if you really want a head start. You will most likely have time to read it over but it is the kind of thing that after you gain experience teaching you will go back over it and interpret it in an entirely different way. I try to flick through it at least once a year.