Hiring New Instructors

A few new instructors were hired and put on the schedule. Knowing that the coordinator doesn't teach or take any aerobics classes, I asked how she evaluated the new instructors in hopes that she would recruit current instructors to help in this area. I wasn't attacking her but how would she know if the new hire could actually teach - break down combinations and cue them properly, balance left and right sides, be motivating, and so on? Unfortunately, this was understood by the coordinator that I was telling her how to do her job and in this case, she felt no response was necessary. Insecure much?

In addition, some brand new instructors were placed in the 5:30 (prime time) evening classes all by themselves. Generally, in most jobs, when you start from ground zero, you're not given a major critical task all on your own. As a former coordinator, I know that you ease in new instructors by placing them with an experienced instructor -- it's called team teaching. This gives the members time to get acclimated to the new instructor and vice versa. It's less stressful on the new instructor as well. In the prime time slot, mostly "regular" and hard-core members take class. That's why it's important to team teach with an experienced instructor -- this can ensure that the members still get their intense workout. The experienced instructor can also provide insight to the new instructor. It's a great way to learn and improve! Gradually, the new instructor gets more and more time until he or she is comfortable teaching an entire class alone. This was never the case. Even after many instructors made this suggestion, the coordinator ignored them.

I'm certainly not saying that new instructors aren't intense or can't do a good job (we all had to start somewhere) but that a more steady progression into teaching is advisable.