USFCA: practical exam questions

[parryDoh]

What kind of safety gear should I wear when giving a one/one lesson for a USFCA foil practical? Normaly for a lesson I wear mask, sleeveless coaching vest, knickers, glove and underarm protector. This leaves some of my arm showing. Should I wear my fencing jacket? Since I only do foil, i really dont want to use coaches sleeves.

[MdA]

What kind of safety gear should I wear when giving a one/one lesson for a USFCA foil practical? Normaly for a lesson I wear mask, sleeveless coaching vest, knickers, glove and underarm protector. This leaves some of my arm showing. Should I wear my fencing jacket? Since I only do foil, i really dont want to use coaches sleeves.

Wear your fencing jacket under your sleeveless vest. Arms and legs should be completely covered for coach and fencer. Knickers are good...or long warm up pants.

[RITFencing]

Kind of off topic, but as I was looking at the moniteur practical exam on the USFCA's site, and I've got to say that I think it's a step in the right direction for coaching education in general that it's possible to do the practical with a group class.

Over the past year or two I've become increasingly convinced that group instruction can be useful for fencers of any level, and it's really good to one of the two coaching bodies in the US pay a bit more attention to it. I really think that more could be done in Coaches College, especially since you already have groups of various sizes for each class.

[AaronK]

ParryDoh,
I don't always wear all the coaching gear for a lesson either (you know someone who doesn't wear a mask while giving lessons?!?)- however for the exam you really should be wearing your complete kit if your coaching jacket doesn't have any sleeves. There are reasons to do so from an insurance standpoint alone, not to mention teaching reasons. I would also put to you that on some level the examiners are judging professionalism on appearance especially if they don't know you- not that it's going to make or break you, but if they are giving any constructive feedback it probably would be more worth your time to get feedback about your coaching ability rather than your safety equipment preferences.

RIT
I agree that group lessons are the way to go for a number of reasons (some coaches underestimate the financial benefit of teaching in a small group of like-skilled fencers vs. giving each of them private lessons. Though the coach may be more comfortable doing so but it isn't cost effective.)

I have tackled this idea at the USFCA conference (I was presenting "footwork" but I really was demonstrating teaching in a group) and the Epee clinic in San Antonio this past weekend.

From my memory the coaches college did focus on groups as well as individuals, however it is difficult in a large class format (such as the Level 1 classes) to give a lot of practical experience- only 1 can teach at a time. When practicing individual lessons half the class is coaching (and it's possible to trade off frequently). It's unfortunate because the Level 1 coaches are most likely to need group teaching skills the most.

We were fortunate at the USFCA clinic in San Antonio to have students from Alamo Fencing Academy (basically a whole class- there where at least 12 kids, and a variety of ages/skills).

[oiuyt]

From my memory the coaches college did focus on groups as well as individuals, however it is difficult in a large class format (such as the Level 1 classes) to give a lot of practical experience- only 1 can teach at a time. When practicing individual lessons half the class is coaching (and it's possible to trade off frequently). It's unfortunate because the Level 1 coaches are most likely to need group teaching skills the most.

C'mon Aaron, you can do better.

Split the group into trios. Have coaches rotate teaching a "class" of two.

Build in methods for other numbers. Get into groups of four or five and get practice with river/queue drills.

Etc.

I KNOW you're creative enough to come up with formats that allow metateaching group work to large groups.

And RIT is right, it should probably be expanded (or added) in the CC curricula.

-B

[oiuyt]

(you know someone who doesn't wear a mask while giving lessons?!?)

Sure.

A couple named Jack, and another pair named Charles and Caesar.

-B

[AaronK]

B-
I had thought the same thing, though again I felt that it would have worked better at say...Level 3 or 4 where there might be only 5 people in the class. In this case everyone could teach segments of the Level 1 or 2 programs.

It's not that you can't do the same teaching practice in smaller groups such as you suggested, although any case I would make against it would also apply to observing coaches in individual lessons en masse as well.

I've said in the past that it's a shame that someone can't organize a fencing camp at the OTC simultaneously with the Coaches College with the idea that a certain portion of the day the students would get lessons from the attending coaches (because we would be more likely to get "real world" problems when giving lessons to non-coaches). I realize that space is an issue.