Different skill levels in groups

[pamred4]

Today I started coaching a rec/general class that has 4-6 year olds in it. There is a dramatic difference in skill level and it made the class very difficult to coach. There is 1 six year old that is very competent and it's a good little gymnast. There is a disabled boy who has another coach follow him and assist him with everything so I don't do any real coaching of this boy. Also tonight I had 2 new 4 yearold start. I had to dumb the class right down tonight because I had to go right through everything with the new girls so it was safe for them to be in he gym (safety fall from the beam, motorbike landing etc.) and I really felt bad for making the competent little girl go through all the easy things. There are also another two children in the class they are 5 yearold girls and I have no idea what their skill level is. There is a set routine that I have to follow each day about what skills I need to do etc. but my question is-
How can I include the girl that is advanced In a class where the children are all beginners
P.s their is no option in her changing classes because I have already asked and there is no option for her to change classes as it doesn't fit in for her family
Any suggestions help! thanks

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

What I do when I have kids of really varied ability (and in 4-6yo classes, that happens a lot!) is I cater to the differences. I expect the advanced girls to do more and/or do it with better form than the beginners. For the beginners, it's OK to walk across the high beam with assistance on flat, for the advanced girls they must do it by themselves, on releve, without help. On a forward roll, I will spot the beginner and not be picky about things but the advanced girls will need to show better form and follow through with standing up at the end without using hands etc. you get the drift!
There is nothing wrong with having to go trough the basics now and then, but there are lots of ways to make sure varied abilities get the most out of classes at the same time. Sure, you won't be able to work front handsprings with the class any time soon, but that's not necessarily what a rec class is for (on a beginner level). If the advanced girl becomes super bored because you have to teach the basics over and over (if it is a beginner rec class) then eventually she is going to have to move to a different class whether that works for them or not... Or be less challenged than she could be in a higher level class. Do what you can, but there's only so far you can go while keeping the whole class together.

 

[Sasha]

I'm just a parent, but I've seen pretty mixed rec (and team) classes be done effectively. The more advanced kids just get slightly different instructions at the self-service stations, like kickover from a mat instead of just bridging, backbend from standing instead of from knees, pullups or pullover instead of a hang, walk on releve or backwards instead of forwards, etc. And at the coach's spotted station, they attempt higher level skills with the coach when it is their turn. Seems to work pretty well. The new 4 year olds won't always get the self-stations right, of course, but your competent 6 year old can probably get a lot out of them. My DD's first rec class was like this (it was ages 5-6). At first she was the beginner and did the basic stations while other girls were learning more advanced skills, but was soon it was the other way around. It worked. Now she works out in a mixed L3-5 JO team class, and so obviously they are doing different skills at stations as well.

Just my observation that i've seen it work and seems pretty common! Good luck!

 

[MILgymFAM]

My younger dd is in a rec class that is girls 10+, all levels. The coaches just have the different levels do different things at each apparatus. For instance, this week on vault coach was having dd learn handsprings over the vault table while the other girls were practicing flat backs on the tumble track. On bars dd was mostly conditioning and doing pull overs while other girls were practicing glide circles and other stuff. There are usually between 3 and 9 girls per rec class, and her coaches do manage, via stations and different instructions, to teach girls at different levels. In the larger classes I see it is harder for the coaches to be there, time wise for everyone, so I can see how it can be frustrating.

 

[barcrawler]

All my knowledges come from watching my DD's class. Her teacher seems to adjust the activity for each child. For example, my DD can do a pullover when the other kids cannot. So the coach gives her form corrections, and then works on her back hip circle. With the others, he spots the pullover. Or, for beam, my DD is on the low beam because she has a tendency to lose her balance and just step off repeatedly. The kids with better balance use the slightly higher beam to do the same drills.

 

[pamred4]

Ok, do adjust the lesson plan for each child... I think I could do that also I might have a little chat with the competent little 6 year old about how he is going to be doing some things that only she is allowed to do (not anyone else in the class) because she is an active little helper and attempts to help me coach all the time! Eek
Thanks for he great responses I will report back next Wednesday