Coaches Lesson Plans & Circuits for Class Management

[RecAcro4Fun]

Hello!

I am not a formally trained coach by any means. I just started teaching a 60 minute recreational acro class once a week at my local studio. I have about 20 kids ages 6-12 who have widely varying skills. Some are still working on forward rolls and some are beginning to work on walkovers or BHS. We only do floor and trampoline, we don't have bars or vaults in our studio, it's all very basic.. I'm looking for advice on lesson planning.

I'm having a really hard time with class management. Some of the younger kids will tell me gymnastics is stupid and they don't want to be in class. I'm used to older kids who enjoy the class and truly want to learn, so Idk how to deal with that kind of attitude. I have kids rolling themselves up into mats, climbing anything they can reach, running around wildly, at any given moment. Everyone says to keep them busy, but it doesn't work that way. If I take the time to correct anything or work with a student for even a moment, all control is lost. They cannot handle standing in line for more than a few moments.

We've had about 4 classes so far and I still haven't figured out a lesson plan that works. I have two teenage helpers, but it's up to me to plan our classes of course. Circuits have been suggested, but I have to admit I don't really know what that means or how I can implement that in a class with kids at all different levels. After last week's class, I decided to make permanent "groups" within the class of beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Is this a good idea? I have several drills/progressions for all levels that I would love to do in class, but somehow every week turns into a free-for-all and you can't tell that I spent about 5 hours planning our class at all. I'm starting to feel defeated, but I'm still committed to doing a good job and helping all my kids improve this year. Any advice or suggestions for ciruits and/or lesson plans are greatly appreciated.

Sincerely, a struggling beginner coach

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

I don't think the solution to this is a specific lesson plan, I think the solution is making kids sit out for misbehavior. If they can get away with misbehavior, they will -- if they can't, they won't. Sitting kids out is usually the best consequence; if they want to benefit from access to the equipment and your expertise, they have to behave themselves in the gym.

 

[JBS]

@RecAcro4Fun Do you have 20 kids all at the same time?

 

[RecAcro4Fun]

I don't think the solution to this is a specific lesson plan, I think the solution is making kids sit out for misbehavior. If they can get away with misbehavior, they will -- if they can't, they won't. Sitting kids out is usually the best consequence; if they want to benefit from access to the equipment and your expertise, they have to behave themselves in the gym.

I agree with you 100%! However, the studio owner said parents would be upset if they were paying for their child to sit down during class and would pull their kids out, which as a business owner, she would not be thrilled about. She said to keep them engaged and try to make it fun. I'm not an especially fun person and many of these kids are younger than my preferred student age. But yeah, if it were up to me, kids who don't listen and talk back would be told to sit down until they can make better decisions. It's just not an option though

 

[RecAcro4Fun]

@RecAcro4Fun Do you have 20 kids all at the same time?

Yes, all 20 are in class at the same time.

I have about 6 advanced, 5 intermediate, and the rest are beginners working on handstands, cartwheels, forward rolls, etc.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

Yes, all 20 are in class at the same time.

I have about 6 advanced, 5 intermediate, and the rest are beginners working on handstands, cartwheels, forward rolls, etc.

I don't think there exists an effective -- or even safe -- way to teach that many kids with that big a level spread all at the same time. I think by doing it this way, the owner is setting you up for failure, setting the kids up for injuries, and setting themselves up to for lawsuits.

My biggest advice in this situation, from one coach to another, is to polish your resume and explore your options.

 

[RecAcro4Fun]

I don't think there exists an effective -- or even safe -- way to teach that many kids with that big a level spread all at the same time. I think by doing it this way, the owner is setting you up for failure, setting the kids up for injuries, and setting themselves up to for lawsuits.

My biggest advice in this situation, from one coach to another, is to polish your resume and explore your options.

I do this because I wouldn't be able to afford my child's classes without the credits from teaching. I do have two helpers... I just hope for the best. This is going to be a long year

 

[Aussie_coach]

That is just a ridiculous situation.

The behaviour needs to be nipped in the bud: Keeping the kids busy, is not going to magically improve it.

In reality, which would bother you more as a parent. Paying for a class in which your child had to sit out for a period of time to manage their behaviour or paying for classes every single week where all the kids run amok and learn nothing and are in danger.

The studio owner will lose more money because the students quit from not being able to learn anything.

It sounds like some of these students also need a deeper threat of being sent home from class, contact with parents.

But of course the discipline needs to be balanced with purpose. Why are they there? What are they working towards? What skills do they want to learn? Why do they want to learn those skills? What is the recognition when they do.

 

[Coach Em]

I think that the best option is to separate the class into 3 different levels like you already have. Then you and your assistants stay with 1 group each. You would essentially be treating it like there are 3 different classes. Progressions will be much easier that way. As for class management you always want to keep the kids moving. While I set up stations I have the kids do strength conditioning, I don't really care about form in the conditioning for the little kids. The goal is just to keep them busy enough that they don't goof off. I like to say: "while I set up stations, you guys are getting stronger". Then I flex my arms (essential lol).