Tips for teaching highschool students?

[robcasey]

This fall we taught a weekly SUP class for a local highschool.  Our first time with this age group, we had hoped for a stellar group of paddlers at the end of the course but found many used the time to get out of school (reminds me why i took auto shop).  Any tips on motivating kids on the water? 

[TallDude]

Growing up in a beach town like San Clemente, in high school we had the option for 'beach activities' for a P.E. class. 1st period was at the beach. You had to either be in the water surfing, body boarding, or what ever. If you weren't in the water you had to either play volleyball, or run up and down the beach. If you walked, that didn't count. We had options, but we had to do one of them. There were two grades, an A or an F, and that was it. What drives my son is the thought of racing his friends on his paddle board. My teenage daughter likes to tandem with a friend, or two. I was teaching my friends 18 year old son this summer, and he spent half the day trying to do fast pivot turns. He got the stroke down in about 5 minutes, but was really wanting to do some tricks right away. Teenager's are a tough audience. Good luck Rob...

[SUP Viking]

From experience with our school. There is NO secret. Either they want to be in the water or they don't.

I try to motivate parents to encourage their children to put down the Xbox controller and venture outside.

Good luck!

[addapost]

I've been a high school teacher for 14 years and I am an L2 SUP instructor. Here is my advice: DO NOT TEACH THE ACA INTRO SUP CURRICULUM! They will not give two shits about forward strokes, torso rotation, blade entry/exit locations, beam draws etc. Most will not listen to that and wouldn't care about it if they did. Have them PLAY. Head stands, pivot turns, nose stands, tail stands, run back and forth along the board. Have them race each other. Have them pair up two on a board and race other pairs. Paddle the board "backwards" (fin first) and see who can keep the board going straight the longest. Team up and play keep away with a nerf ball. Make sure they fall in a lot. As they do this they will both 1) figure out a lot of the proper technique stuff on their own and/or B) become more receptive to hearing advice from a teacher. Again- have fun.

That's what I would do anyway.

[surf4food]

They seem like pretty dull boring kids to me.  Perhaps it would be better to target kids who are into outdoor/adventure/water sports rather than random high school kids.

[pdxmike]

From experience with our school. There is NO secret. Either they want to be in the water or they don't.

Very true.  I saw a high school cross country team at a meet this year wearing shirts that said "Our sport is your sport's punishment".  My best experiences in school came when I was in groups (usually with sports) where everyone wanted to be there.

But unless you can control who signs up, it seems like besides fun, progress is always a good motivator--people work harder if they can see tangible progress--being faster, falling less, etc.  Maybe you could also get some hotshot men and women racers there to show people what's possible with some hard work.  It seems like people will always listen to a guest.  

Or just motivate them by dropping them off in Deception Pass and telling them you'll be waiting for them at the beach with some burritos.

[surf4food]

Another thing you might try is to show videos of the more exciting aspects of SUP.  Surfing, whitewater, downwind etc.  That might entice and stroke the interest.

[XLR8]

I've worked with kids ages 13-18 for the last 15 years as a high school English teacher and now a high school guidance counselor.  Before all that I led wilderness trips, backpacking, rock climbing, canoeing...those were fun times.

The one thing I can say for success is to come to the table stoked.  Do not look to get your energy from them.  Come in as genuinely fired up -- but not too over the top -- and after a little while they will start to give some energy back.

Maybe a better way to say it is to always demonstrate unconditional positive regard.

[Old School 213]

My wife teaches 7th grade and from what I have seen is that if your lesson plan does not flow like MTV's crazed weasel pace forget about holding their attention.

[JC50]

Don't teach; let them experience, and try not to be overzealous about paddlesurfing, but have quiet passion. The more you talk, the less they listen. Use the time to practice your technique, form, and etiquette (e.g. "demo") and just let them follow, or not. Have a basic plan in mind (exploring the terrain, etc...) and be flexible. Make it challenging, yet easy (I know...that makes no sense but somehow it does). Try not to correct their poor paddling too much but if you do, Positive-Negative-Positive.
Have fun.

[SlatchJim]

It's very simple. 

You say "If you signed up for this class I expect you to follow instructions, learn and improve your paddling skills during this class.  I will be patient, understanding and as helpful as I can be. If you decide that you have made an error, you need to drop the class immediately.  If you are here to do something other than give your full effort for the time alloted, I will drop you and wish you well with the rest of your education.  There is no middle ground.  I am not your babysitter, I'm your instructor, and if this is not the activity you hoped it would be, I pray you find that in the next class you sign up for.  For those wishing to learn the sport, your instruction begins now." 

Hold them responsible, set the bar high and let them strive for it.  Anything else is a waste of your time and theirs.

[starman]

Well Rob considering the new law in Washington you can now light-up and not care if those little turds want to learn to paddle.

[Caribsurf]

First thing you do is turn off the television, pull them off the couch, take away the ipod, ipad and iPhone and point them toward the water...

[TDoc]

Some great advice here for sure...I think Addapost had plenty of good points, stay away from technique and form unless they want it or it just comes up as an option.

I think the "A or an F" also makes the most sense...if you come and participate you pass...if you don't come & dont' participate you fail.

The super stoked attitude will IMO work way better with HS kids than the stern talk advice Slatch Jim prefers...I've found the high bar, high expectations works in the job world...less so in the teaching world

I taught art to kids for a few years...I would bring in whacked out art world friends to paint with the class...the abstract paint throwers that looked like they were crazy always got the kids more fired up than the landscape artists or portrait painters so if you can bring in cool guests that you know, that can do tricks, paddle with their dog or whatever...that keeps it interesting for kids.

The weed and food angle will probably come into play on it's own...but a couple dozen donuts probably wont hurt if you can swing it. You'll probably end up with some students from the ones that get hooked anyway.

Sounds like fun!

Doc

[pdxmike]

It could be interesting to just read this whole thread to them.