For many members, certification is their primary reason for becoming a member of PSIA. Whether you’re new to teaching or a season veteran, certification is one of the best ways to advance your career as a ski instructor. Most ski schools offer increased pay and standing to certified instructors, with the benefits generally increasing at higher levels of certification. Once you become certified, you are required to maintain your certification by fulfilling the PSIA Continuing Education requirements.
The on-snow portion of each assessment will consist of 3 assessment modules. The modules are as follows:
Day 1 Ski Performance and Movement Analysis/Technical Understanding
Module 1: The Ski Performance module will include demonstrations, tasks, and free skiing.
Module 2: The MA/Tech module will include activities performing MA and having Technical discussions as well as answering questions relative to both MA and Tech on both yourself and your peers.
Day 2 Teaching/People Skills
Module 3: The Teaching module entails skiing and interacting with your peers to assess their needs. From this short examiner-led skiing sample you will design and implement a teaching segment focused on enhancing your peer’s skills that display your teaching and people skills in a real-time teaching environment.
The activities in each of the three module are designed to allow every candidate opportunities to demonstrate that they meet the PSIA Telemark Certification Standards for their desired level. Level II and III assessments are conducted jointly due to low enrollment numbers in Telemark events.
Each assessment is scored at the end of each day. Written and verbal feedback will be given each day.
Modular assessment model: Each scored assessment day (Teach/People or Ski Performance & Tech/MA), with a passing grade, will be logged for the individual with their PSIA region. When attending a future 2-day assessment event, the individual will only be required to join the module they need to pass the assessment (Teach/People or Ski performance or MA/Tech).
Assessment Resources
Certification Standards – PSIA-AASI (thesnowpros.org)
- Assessment Form
- Performance Guide
- Fundamentals
- Certification Standards
- Become a member of PSIA.
- Complete and pass the Telemark Level I Professional Knowledge Exam.
- Attend Assessment Modules
- Ski Performance & Technical Understanding/Movement Analysis (1 Day)
- Teaching and People Skills (1 Day)
- Obtain the Level I Telemark certification.
- Complete and pass the Telemark Level II Professional Knowledge Exam.
- Attend a Level II Telemark prep clinic or Telemark Educational Event
- Attend Assessment Modules
- Ski Performance & Technical Understanding/Movement Analysis (1 Day)
- Teaching and People Skills (1 Day)
- Obtain the Level II Telemark certification.
- Complete and pass the Telemark Level III Professional Knowledge Exam.
- Attend a Level III Telemark prep clinic or Telemark Educational Event
- Attend Assessment Modules
- Ski Performance & Technical Understanding/Movement Analysis (1 Day)
- Teaching and People Skills (1 Day)
