In part 1, we explored the five categories that differentiate your riders: fitness level, skill level, experience, physical attributes, and goals. Understanding these factors is essential for recognizing the diverse needs within your class. In this chapter, we will build on that foundation by providing seven actionable tips to help you become a more effective and confident instructor. These strategies will enable you to cater to a variety of abilities, ensuring that every rider in your class feels supported and challenged.
- Call to all, yet teach to each
Use probing questions to elicit a group response while making each rider feel personally addressed. These questions don’t seek direct answers but rather provoke introspection and individual responses based on each rider’s experience, goals, and challenges. Examples include:
Teaching to a Variety of Different Abilities in One Class, Part 1: Five Categories of Riders
Teaching to a Variety of Different Abilities in One Class, Part 2: Seven Tips to Teaching to a Mixed Class
Cory you nailed it with this article. Allowing flexibility within each riders ability and still pushing them to achieve their own expectations. As an instructor I have participated in classes where transitions between efforts are jerky and inconsistent instead of smooth. Recognizing the various levels in our classes, getting to know your riders is key to establishing trust and confidence.