Taking notes for lessons

[jjane45]

Do you take notes for skating lessons? I don't take many privates, and if something new comes up in lesson, I'd get bombarded by more information than I am able to grasp right away. I bring a binder around and take notes whenever possible, but due to time restraints it may not thorough enough.

My next step is to use phone as voice recorder for the duration of the lesson, and since I film the whole lesson, guess it's possible to put them together for a complete lesson archive from a more objective view! That is, if I actually have the time and patience... 

How do you go about getting the most out of lessons? I also like to put helpful pointers in practice threads right after skating =)

[sarahonice]

Always! It was something my coach suggested I do from lesson #1, so I got into the habit right away. At first I thought I'd remember the important things and only need to write down the main points, or that I could wait till I got home to write (or blog) it. But I quickly found that my memory is terrible and unreliable. I'd flip through my notes the next skating day and wonder what I meant and have forgotten all of Coach's details.

So now I keep a small notebook in my skating bag and after every lesson I take a 5-minute break to write down everything, with details (diagrams, arm positions, anything Coach pointed out). It's also nice for remembering things to work on that don't always make it into the basic practice routine. And I also like to flip back to see my progress.

The voice/film recorder thing sounds awesome. Too much work for me to do regularly, but a great tool.

[taka]

I do the something similar using 5x3 inch plain record cards straight after every lesson (occasionally even during my lesson for complicated things!). I don't always write everything down though - mainly corrections, new steps, helpful info or stick person drawings of arm movements etc. These are sometimes written on the bus to work so aren't always very legible!

These often get rewritten onto fresh cards for specific moves/elements (which get further tips added if I get other corrections at a later date.) They are small enough to have in a pocket on ice during practice sessions (without being too bulky or needing to be left at the barrier.)

I have a poor short term memory so writting the corrections our several times helps me to get them into more firmly into my head. They get rewritten every so often too. Real problem moves (Foxtrot mohawk and back 3 turns at the mo) also have a card written out for my handbag so I can mentally go through the moves / steps while getting the bus to work. Dance tips/corrections get written on an A6 copy of the pattern instead of a card, especially when I am learning a new dance.

[sarahspins]

How do you go about getting the most out of lessons? I also like to put helpful pointers in practice threads right after skating =)

I think practice after a lesson is really the best way to get the most.  I see several adult skaters at my rink who literally get on the ice for their lesson (and don't even seem to warm up!) and get off when it's over and I couldn't learn that way at all... maybe they do it because of time constraints, but I have to run through everything again after my lesson to feel good about it.  My coach and I may sometimes work on a lot IN the lesson as we work through the half hour, but usually at the end she gives very clear direction on what she wants me to focus on based on what we've done... sometimes it's something specific with spins, sometimes it's moves, and today it was jump landings, we worked on a drill to help me hold the landing edge on a larger curve.

I think also not relying on your coach 100% for direction helps get more out of lessons too - I'm happier when I tell my coach what I want to work on (for example if I'm really not in the mood to jump, I'll let her know, and we'll work on spins and moves), and if she's been seeing something that really needs work sometimes she'll suggest we work on something, but last year at least I was relying on our group class (our "group" was at most 4 students) for some more mundane things and letting my private lesson time be more "fun" stuff but this year I'm not sure my class is returning to the schedule so I'm not sure how that will change what we work on in my lesson time.  I will be working towards testing again in a little over 2 months so I am certain a large portion of my lesson time will be spent on silver moves for the foreseeable future.

[fsk8r]

I'm one of those adults who gets on the ice just before a lesson and gets off straight after one. I only get an hour to skate before work and the coaches run on the half hour schedule, so I either get on straight into lesson or I get off straight out of it. I've got used to it. My ideal would be a warm up and practice before the lesson to make sure everything is still working and then practice after the lesson to consolidate the main points, but time doesn't allow that. I've not decided whether it's better to have the practice before or after the lesson, but when it's not straight after the lesson, I'm driving to work running through the lesson and pointers in my head. It seems to work, but I wish I had more time available as progress can be frustrating at times.

[PinkLaces]

I do the something similar using 5x3 inch plain record cards straight after every lesson (occasionally even during my lesson for complicated things!). I don't always write everything down though - mainly corrections, new steps, helpful info or stick person drawings of arm movements etc. These are sometimes written on the bus to work so aren't always very legible!

These often get rewritten onto fresh cards for specific moves/elements (which get further tips added if I get other corrections at a later date.) They are small enough to have in a pocket on ice during practice sessions (without being too bulky or needing to be left at the barrier.)

Love this and I am so going to steal this idea!


Right now I have a note book that I write corrections in.  I usually only get an hour to practice and my lesson is at the end of the hour (either half hour or 20 mins).  I spend 5 mins or so right when I get off the ice thinking about my lesson and writing down the corrections in my notebook.  It is divided up by element with a running list of corrections.

I just love the idea of putting them on index cards so that I can review each element correction at the boards (next to my water bottle).

[jjane45]

I used to type up my notes into a master Excel file, sorted by elements... Not sure why I gave up...

Right now I carry a binder of moves / dance patterns, and would put specific lesson notes on the pattern or the page next to it. Hopefully they'll get organized at some point, lol.

The voice/film recorder thing sounds awesome. Too much work for me to do regularly, but a great tool.

For moves lessons I spend some time at the boards and have more time to take notes while listening.

But for ice dance partnering lessons my limited short term memory fails a lot while watching for a 1000 other things. I decided to get a clip on mini voice recorder instead of carrying a bulky smart phone around, hoping it all works out!

The smart phone is OK if I am skating solo, but quite in the way for dance hold. No I am not considering the AgnesNitt (TM) method.

[Kitten23]

Great ideas!!  I will "borrow" some of these....

[VAsk8r]

Since I started working on an artistic program, I've been using my iphone to film my coach as she shows me new things. I don't feel like I have the words to really describe some things, especially the arm movements.

Normally, I just jot down a few notes after my lessons. I prefer to have my lesson in the middle of a session so I can warm up beforehand and try new things afterwards, but I haven't been able to do that recently.

[jjane45]

The voice recorder helps me to get WAY more out of the lesson. Absolutely love it!!!

[jjane45]

The voice recorder helps me to get WAY more out of the lesson. Absolutely love it!!!

The recording saved me notes taking time and was much more effective than just depending on my short term memory. I went thru the 30 minutes recording and now have an one page analysis on fixing my cross strokes from definition, problems, solutions, and drills. lol

Now I have to decide where to store my notes. Google Drive for now by topic / element, any other ideas? (I used to use Excel but it was not very mobile friendly) Some diary / notes taking app with tags may be good too I guess.

[SkateToronto]

Usually people do not take notes during private skating lessons or group lessons.  You should try to remember what you are being taught by practicing it then so that you can remember it, but remember that repeating elements correctly is how you will learn them best as this is a practical sport and not a textbook sport.

[RinkGuard]

jjane, see if you can get your coach's permission to record lessons. You can buy inexpensive recorders that you can wear on your collar to record up to an hour. My experience with videoing them is that people tend to focus more on the technology than the skating. Something passive and non-interfering is better.

[SynchKat]

For what it's worth, I once took a cooking class where one student videotaped the classes.  He didn't ask the first time but then explained to the instructor why he was doing this.

So if it helps to record or tape lessons just make sure to explain to the coach what you are doing, and it may not be done all the time but I have seen it in other classes.  .   

[jjane45]

You should try to remember what you are being taught by practicing it then so that you can remember it, but remember that repeating elements correctly is how you will learn them best as this is a practical sport and not a textbook sport.

Sadly I cannot always remember everything. Having the notes to fall back on has been tremendously helpful.