Qualify as a Skate Instructor

ICP Level 1 Skate Instructor Certification

This level is the first certification for new instructors and teaches you the basics of teaching using the beginner skills syllabus.

The course consists of two components; a skating skills workshop held several weeks prior to the weekend course, and the weekend course itself. This lasts 2.5 days (Friday evening to Sunday evening).

The next weekend course in London will be on 10-12 October 2008.
The skills session is on Saturday 20th September 2008, 10am - 12pm.

Theory session: Friday 10th October 2008, 6.30 - 9.30pm.
Location: The Victoria Pub, Strathearn Place, Paddington (See Venues section of map).
Bring: Payment of £185 (cash or cheque to 'ICP'), pen, paper, money for dinner and drinks, no skates needed.

Weekend Session: 11th and 12th October 2008
The Saturday session will cover skating skills and teaching practice. This is a long intensive session so make sure you come prepared for staying outside for the entire day. The written theory exam will follow in the evening at the Victoria Pub. Approx 8.30am - 8.30pm

During the Sunday session, your skating skills will be assessed and you will also undergo your teaching exam. Afterwards, it's back to the pub for results and feedback.

Cost: £205 (£20 payable on 20th September at the skating skills session. £185 for the course payable by 10th October 2008).

It is possible to pay the full fee before 10th October. When you pay the full fee, you will receive the written theory booklet for you to look at before attending the course. Sterling payments in cash or cheque to: ICP. Please email Asha if you wish to send the payment cheque and receive the manual. Asha will then notify you of the address to send it to, and a manual will be sent to you.

Your course fee includes your membership fee to ICP-Europe for the year in which you qualified (ending December). After that year, you will be responsible for renewing your membership with ICP, £30 per annum.

Skating skills

Teachable skills (these are the beginner level skills which you will be taught how to teach, and must be able to skate perfectly, on both sides where applicable). The teachable skills are: Stage 1, Heel Brake Stop, A frame turn, Swizzle, Stage 2, Spin Stop, Grass Stop and Parallel Turn.

Additional skills (these skills are harder and are only for showing an instructor adequate skating ability. They must be performed on both legs, or in both directions, where applicable). In the future, these additional skills would become the teachable skills for a Level 2 certification course. These additional skills are: Backward movement, Backward swizzle, Stride 3, Slalom, T-Stop, Forward Crossovers, Forwards/backwards, backwards/forwards transitions, and backward powerslide.

Equipment

You must wear recreational inline skates with a heel brake attached, and full protective gear (knee, wrist, elbow pads and helmet).

ICP UK National Administrator - Mark 07753 489669 mark@skateinstructor.com
Please do not hesitate to contact Mark if you have any further questions about this or other ICP related business.

The ICP Course - reasons to do it, by Kingsley Guise, Edinburgh.

Firstly, the course is an instructor's course and leads to a recognised instructor's qualification, and it is therefore primarily about teaching; but of course a prerequisite to teach skating is to be able to skate!

There are 8 teaching skills that you need to be able skate perfectly or, so I'm told, you'll fail the course, although when I did the course all 6 of the "students" passed. There are some more advanced skills that you need to be able to demonstrate, though not to a teaching standard. How do you know if you're good enough to pass? Well, I'd suggest that if you're interested in the course and you aren't sure about you're abilities, get in touch with Asha. Also, there's a preliminary skills session that takes place several weeks before the course proper, which will tell you which skills you need to work on before the course starts. This is particularly useful. For example, although I had been skating for many years, I'd never done a spin stop in my life, and I discovered at the prelim session that I needed to work on my spin stops.

So, assuming your skating skills are up to the task, what about the teaching? The ICP method of teaching is structured. Not only does it break down the skating skills that you will have to teach, it also breaks down the teaching side of things, and you will learn how to manage groups of students, from first time gumbies, including children, right up to people who are ready to progress onto more advanced skills than those covered by ICP level 1.

There's a written examination at the end, but it's mostly multiple choice and one word answers, and I doubt anyone would fail it.

If you are daunted by any of this, don't be. Asha is a very experienced instructor, and that includes teaching the teachers!

I thoroughly enjoyed the course, and I have no hesitation in recommending it.

Happy skating,
Kingsley

Find out more about the history of the ICP.