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How to start a lesson

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Paul Arden
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How to start a lesson

#1

Post by Paul Arden »

Askel asked a good question about how he should prepare himself as a student. Made me wonder how you start a lesson? I generally throw some hoops or some shoes out there and ask them to play around while I get ready. This is my way of knowing where my student/s levels are. And also they hopefully get to relax. I can have a bit of a throw as well.

But I'm sure that there are many other ways. What do you do?

Cheers Paul
It's an exploration; bring a flyrod.

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Paul Arden
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How to start a lesson

#2

Post by Paul Arden »

Actually that's not 100% true. That's immediately prior to the lesson. Before that we have a coffee and shoot the shit. But I think you know what I'm talking about :laugh:

(And obviously this doesn't apply to complete beginners!)
It's an exploration; bring a flyrod.

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Graeme H
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How to start a lesson

#3

Post by Graeme H »

I like this question Paul. I hope lots of people answer. Admittedly, I have nowhere near the experience you do, but I'll lay out my own routine.

The first step for me begins a day or two before the first lesson, when I ask the student what they'd like to work on and what they'd like to achieve in the short and medium terms. That lets me prepare some sort of lesson plan (which is normally discarded after the first three casts anyway ... ;) ) I also ask them what gear they are going to bring in case I need to provide something more suitable for the lesson.

At the start of the lesson itself, I ask them to make a few false casts and a few presentation casts while I watch for the errors. I like your idea of laying out some targets and letting them play for a while. I am going to adopt that one.

It's during this time that the lesson plan often flies away. Usually their self-assessment of the problems they want to work on have a deeper root and we'll go back to some fundamental casting instruction before getting back to the specifics (if we're lucky and time permits.)

Looking forward to reading other responses.

Cheers,
Graeme
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How to start a lesson

#4

Post by OLDGOLD »

Just so long as you don't have an 'ice breaker' session. Can't think of anything more cringey for an adult.

Dunno why Paul, but I had the idea of you cracking your knuckles, draining a beer, burping loudly and asking...anyone gotta fly rod???
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Bernd Ziesche
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How to start a lesson

#5

Post by Bernd Ziesche »

Hi Paul,
I usually ask my clients to start free style casting for 5 minutes to get a warm up. That allows me to watch the sort of grip, stance and style they use. Also I can already keep 1 - 2 issues in mind.
Then I offer a short insight about the big three (loop shape, trajectory and line speed) + an overview what we are going to do during the lesson.
Cheers
Bernd
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The first cast is always the best cast.
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Paul Arden
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How to start a lesson

#6

Post by Paul Arden »

Yep that’s what I used to do too, Bernd. What I like about the targets is it focuses the student, many have have never actually cast at a practise target and so fears/inhibitions are often moved to another part of the mind while they deal with the immediate.

I’ve also done intermediates-advanced classes where the first thing we’ve done is measured their distance casts. I like this too because you can repeat at the end and see a measured improvement. However it’s not such a soft start and instead of making the students comfortable it does exactly the opposite!

I’ve often thought it would be great to have video cameras set up and to be able to show the results and narrow in on the style/s as the day progresses but for that I would need someone who’s job it is to film and show the content throughout the day. There is nothing worse than wasted time trying to get movies to display or waiting for them to load. Done well however it is a superb tool.

Graeme, I’m more and more of the opinion nowadays that we should have a target for every exercise. Even distance should be down two parallel lines.

Matt, :D it depends how well they know me! No icebreaker games for me. What I normally do at the introductions is ask them to tell us who they are, where they fish and any secret flies they may have, and what they’d like from the day (group lessons). There is a big difference between groups and 1-1.

I’d love to hear some more ideas!

Thanks, Paul
It's an exploration; bring a flyrod.

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How to start a lesson

#7

Post by OLDGOLD »

The Bfcc meetings I have been to start with a bacon sarnie which is as good a way to start as any unless you are a vegetarian...or the pig.....
It then tends to progress to James untying the muddle that the five weight lines have knit themselves into, and then maybe Mark waving a carrot.

You had to be there.....
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How to start a lesson

#8

Post by Stoatstail50 »

Come on man...I have never “waved” a carrot... :oh:
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OLDGOLD
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How to start a lesson

#9

Post by OLDGOLD »

In which case...you have never lived ;)
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How to start a lesson

#10

Post by Stoatstail50 »

:D :D
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