 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello,
I wondered if people can give me some advice.
We are going skiing in half term in Italy. We are there on a Friday to Friday.
We just can’t decide what to do regarding ski lessons.
Saturday & Sunday we were thinking of ski lessons for 2 hours per day in a group ( hoping that there is a minimum of 4 people for our group).
Then the tricky bit
Monday - Wednesday ski school : 12-2pm upto 10 people per group.
Or
Monday private 2 hour lesson for each of us. 12-2pm. Then we just ski as family for rest of week.
Question is will we learn more in that one 2 hour private lesson than we will in 6 hours spread over 3 days in large group??
I don’t like the idea of skiing 12-2 pm as morning will be spent looking at watch to ensure back for ski school and not huge amount of time in afternoon to ski as family.
Any advice greatly received!!
Ps resort is Pila.
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If you want to learn a private is always a positive investment. I’m an ex-instructor.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Don’t suppose you are in Pila are you !!!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Ha ha no sorry I only ski for fun these days
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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What sort of ski level are you, @Hils68?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I am under the broad intermediate level !! I had lessons last year ( in group of 3) and found it really helpful as had to ski faster than my normal comfort level to keep up with instructor!
Husband is 2nd weeker skier changed from boarding. He was quite good, bit stiff but still got down slopes that we skied in afternoon.
Son 12 years - pretty good intermediate. This will be his 5 th time.
Son 9 - okay, still ploughs mostly and doesn’t like group lessons as he “never learns anything “. Not sure he listens or understands!!
Does this comprehensive list help !!!
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Hmm. Probably not ideal to have a "family lesson" as you have such different standards but I sympathise with the 12 - 2 problem. If you had a private lesson with a good instructor she should be able to identify something key for you all to focus on - I think that's the way I'd go. I'm sure one of SHs instructors will be along with advice before long.
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The other key question is what you want to get out of the lesson(s)? How well a shared (private or public group) lesson works is not just (or even, necessarily) a reflection of how similar your standards are, but how compatible your goals for the lesson are.
If your youngest 'never learns anything', perhaps the problem is he is not being taught something he wants to learn, and thus might not be fully engaged?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Private every timeimo
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@Hils68, we are also considering to book Pila for half term. May I ask which ski school you are booking with? We are thinking booking Sun to Sun based in current flight prices
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hi,
We skied with Evolution last year. We went in January so A whole different story to half term. We liked them. We did Sunday to Sunday last year .. just doing Friday to Friday this time because of cheaper flights. May see you there !!!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@Hils68, just checked Fri to Fri no longer cheaper flights... Have you stayed in Pila last year? Any recommendations in terms of accommodation location and transfers? Not sure if to hire a car or book transfer from airport. Likely to fly to Milan based on prices. We are family of 4 ( kids are 8 and 5).
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Groups are nice when you're starting out as it gives the security of someone to follow who will judge slope difficulty well and a bit of company and camaraderie with the rest of the group. As people advance, their idiosyncrasies tend to diverge so the individual focus of a private lesson starts to bear greater benefits.
That said, I've had feedback about some of the people we use at the EoSB suggesting a group lesson was like being in 6 privates at the same time - but I don't think you can really rely on that standard when just hiring 'off-the-rank' at a ski school.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Bella2015,
Thanks for advice from others -think we will do 2 days private lessons for couple of hours then as and when if needed. Wish we had more money !!!!
Bella - we did go last year. This year we are flying to Milan and hiring car to drive. We stayed in Pila in apartment. Self catering. We liked it and this year will be our third trip. It’s not without faults though - lifts are bit slow, bottle neck on a slope coming back and lots of ski school trips. Oh and lots of Italian ski kids racing past you and high speed with soooooo bendy legs !!!! However we still like it !!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@Hils68, we ended up booking Pila HT term Sunday to Monday and managed to get a self catering apartment, so very excited!
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Poster: A snowHead
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As admin says, I tend to think that it depends on ability. Group lessons are ideal for getting to an 'intermidiot' level, prior to that I don't think one will gain a lot from private sessions unless they're very much struggling with a particular skill. For intermediates the private is of more value, although I tend to be quite happy to ski with group lessons on snowhead bashes and generally improve all areas of my skiing rather than anything specific.
| admin wrote: |
| That said, I've had feedback about some of the people we use at the EoSB suggesting a group lesson was like being in 6 privates at the same time - but I don't think you can really rely on that standard when just hiring 'off-the-rank' at a ski school. |
In Avoriaz last week my mate booked in with ESF.I know, I know. He'd told us he'd done a season (albeit about 15 years ago) but was keen to come with. I assumed he would be a charging snow plough type with coat flapping in the breeze, but decided to take him to Hemel to find out...I was wrong, very wrong. He instantly crashed into someone and fell about 5 times in one 'run'. He gradually improved durng the session but the rest of us agreed that he needed lessons, if only to make sure he wouldn't hold us up. In the short time between Hemel and the trip, plus it being new year, ESF was about the only option. Turned out that it was only him and one other person for the first day, so it was virtually a 2 hour private. Another person joined later in the week but nonetheless it was a long way from the giant group that we were expecting. Paid off as well, his skiing dramatically improved through the week (despite him skiing for little more than the length of the lesson each day) and he was actually very sensible and stuck to stuff that he was confident on.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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IMO.
- There are people who like Group Lessons and people who hate them.
- For Group lessons to be successful, there needs to be a max size of about 8; an instructor that speaks decent English and people of a similar standard.....It's no fun being the one that holds everyone up.
- Private Lessons work well...especially if you do homework about the different ski schools and who are the native English speakers instructors working there. Asking on here for recommendations, is a good start. This way you can control who teaches you and the lesson will be tailored to your talent/progression rate.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Hils68 wrote: |
I am under the broad intermediate level !! I had lessons last year ( in group of 3) and found it really helpful as had to ski faster than my normal comfort level to keep up with instructor!
Husband is 2nd weeker skier changed from boarding. He was quite good, bit stiff but still got down slopes that we skied in afternoon.
Son 12 years - pretty good intermediate. This will be his 5 th time.
Son 9 - okay, still ploughs mostly and doesn’t like group lessons as he “never learns anything “. Not sure he listens or understands!!
Does this comprehensive list help !!!
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You and 12 year old in one private, husband and 9 year old in another. Bets as to who will do best.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Tricky one but we’ve had a family lesson and I don’t think it works, as you have different ages, personalities and levels.
Similarly, a large group I think is pointless as you spend so much time waiting around at the top, bottom and lifts.
Depends also on personalities. I personally hate the whole skiing down in front of a group watching me.
So I’d do Saturday and Sunday small group then individual private lessons.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| bambionskiis wrote: |
| Depends also on personalities. I personally hate the whole skiing down in front of a group watching me. |
I don't find that a problem, in fact I like watching others ski because I find it easy to pick faults in their style, which then makes me question whether I do the same thing. As you say though, large groups become a tedious chore, around 6 people is about the most I'd want to ski with in a lesson.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Agree with, @bambionskiis, depends on personalities and your family dynamic. In family lessons the children can goof off and look to the parents for guidance / discipline or lack thereof, rather than listen to the instructor. While in group lessons they have to knuckle down and suck it up a bit. As a parent in a family lesson, I'd spend my whole time watching/worrying about my children rather than focusing on what I need to do, so a waste of time/money. As to me in a group, I'd be more like @SnoodlesMcFlude, and it would spur me to improve and be braver. So I'd say you know you and your family best. As to timings, I think 12-2 in half term would be a good shout. The big group lessons have finished, lots of people are eating lunch and the queues don't often build up until after 2pm - or is that just France? So you could go out, ski, coffee/hot chocolate and snacks at 11ish, then ski school and a late lunch or picnic afterwards?
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