Low quality ski instruction

I've never been impressed by the way instructors teach skiing in America. They don't seem to care much about their students and just simply place them first. Sure, unlike some of their European counterparts, they're not paid much and don't have as much control on what they can do and how they can run their career. The problem is that the client is the one who suffers. I'm not even talking about the dogmatic teaching style of PSIA. I could cite a few stinging examples, but would like to limit myself to observations made while skiing at two of our three local resorts (Deer Valley is the exception): Ski instructor boarding the lift ahead of his class, skiing hundred yard ahead of his client, barely able to ski as well as the student, etc.

Many instructors are coming from Australia and New-Zealand and seem weak both technically and pedagogically. By contrast, the instructors I know in France go through a rigorous training and as independent contractors can earn a pretty good living, in the order of $40,000 for a season. Pleasing the client and making her a return customer is key! In the USA, try $20,000 at the very best resorts. Of course, the mountain probably charges $60,000 to the consumer for that income to the instructor. Sounds to me like “big government” programs: Inefficient, too expensive and unable to please the end-users!