teaching tips

system · April 2, 2001, 1:22pm

I am planning to teach a beginners’ unicycling workshop at my upcoming juggling
convention. I think I will be in reasonably good shape to teach people who can
at least ride forwards well. However, I could use some tips on how to teach
someone who has never tried sitting on a unicycle before.

My workshop will be under an hour, so my goal is to get people as close to
riding as possible as quickly as possible, then once they realize how much
fun it is, hopefully, I’ll be able to convince them to keep working on it on
their own time.

thanks for any advice, Jeff Lutkus

Free e-Mail and Webspace - http://Unicyclist.com

system · April 2, 2001, 4:24pm

Re: teaching tips

Greetings

In message “teaching tips”, Jeff Lutkus wrote…
>I am planning to teach a beginners’ unicycling workshop at my upcoming
>juggling convention.
I think I will be in reasonably good shape to teach people who can at least ride
forwards well. However, I could use some tips on how to teach someone who has
never tried sitting on a unicycle before.
>
>My workshop will be under an hour, so my goal is to get people as close to
>riding as possible
as quickly as possible, then once they realize how much fun it is, hopefully,
I’ll be able to convince them to keep working on it on their own time.

I and many others believe that the best way to teach beginners is by using two
spotters oneither sise, the details of which are described in The Unicycle Book
and my Anyone Can Ride A Unicycle. I believe this was originally invented by
Bill Jenack. This is far more effective than holding on to any kind of support.

>thanks for any advice, Jeff Lutkus
>
>_____________________________________________________________
>Free e-Mail and Webspace - http://Unicyclist.com
>

Stay on top, Jack Halpern, IUF Vice President Website: http://www.kanji.org

system · April 2, 2001, 7:10pm

Re: teaching tips

When I learned to ride I went around my house holding onto the kitchen counters.
When I got good enough to go across the kitchen, I started going from one piece
of furniture to another, and ultimitely, across a room. When that happened I
went outside and learned to turn.

I think this method is better than having people help you because you can not
only do it alone, but you can control how much support is given to you by other
things. I think by only getting support on one side of you, it helps encourage
you to learn faster and develop balance better in the beginning.

system · April 2, 2001, 10:40pm

Re: teaching tips

Jack,

I have a copy of “Anyone Can Ride A Unicycle” that came with my Miyata, but it
is in Japanese. Is there an English version or translation?

John Hooten

Jack Halpern wrote:

> Greetings
>
> In message “teaching tips”, Jeff Lutkus wrote…
> >I am planning to teach a beginners’ unicycling workshop at my upcoming
> >juggling convention.
> I think I will be in reasonably good shape to teach people who can at least
> ride forwards well. However, I could use some tips on how to teach someone who
> has never tried sitting on a unicycle before.
> >
> >My workshop will be under an hour, so my goal is to get people as close to
> >riding as possible
> as quickly as possible, then once they realize how much fun it is, hopefully,
> I’ll be able to convince them to keep working on it on their own time.
>
> I and many others believe that the best way to teach beginners is by using two
> spotters oneither sise, the details of which are described in The Unicycle
> Book and my Anyone Can Ride A Unicycle. I believe this was originally invented
> by Bill Jenack. This is far more effective than holding on to any kind of
> support.
>
> >thanks for any advice, Jeff Lutkus
> >
> >_____________________________________________________________
> >Free e-Mail and Webspace - http://Unicyclist.com
> >
>
> Stay on top, Jack Halpern, IUF Vice President Website: http://www.kanji.org

system · April 2, 2001, 2:05pm

Re: teaching tips

–part1_bb.d0ff1c6.27fa3f85_boundary

Jeff,

I got a chuckle out of this. David Stone and I just had a club meet yesterday in
Central Park. Several people approached us asking us if they could try our unis.
One was tourist, possibly inebriated? The other was a skateboarder kid, pretty
fearless. Several of us were attempting to hold the tourist up. It was like
trying to put a sandbag on a unicycle. The skateboarder just picked it up and
started trying. The two extremes, I guess.

My dim recollection of learning to ride 20 years ago plus some input from a few
others was:

Put the wheel perpendicular to a curb or step, with the pedal for your
strong leg in the back.
Push down on your strong leg to keep the uni tight against the curb. Sit
on the seat.
Put your other foot on the awaiting pedal. Lean forward.
Pedal like hell. Let uni fall. Land on your feet.
Repeat a few hundred times.

I’m sure you knew that already though Other than having two people help hold
the beginner up, I can’t think of anything else. If the person is intrigued and
persistent (the key) , they might get the bug. Once they realize that it is
POSSIBLE, that’s half the battle. Let us know what happens.

Too bad Rochester is far from NYC!

In a message dated 4/2/2001 4:13:06 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
lutkus@unicyclist.com writes:

>
>
> I am planning to teach a beginners’ unicycling workshop at my upcoming
> juggling convention. I think I will be in reasonably good shape to teach
> people who can at least ride forwards well. However, I could use some tips on
> how to teach someone who has never tried sitting on a unicycle before.
>
> My workshop will be under an hour, so my goal is to get people as close to
> riding as possible as quickly as possible, then once they realize how much fun
> it is, hopefully, I’ll be able to convince them to keep working on it on their
> own time.
>
> thanks for any advice, Jeff Lutkus
>

–part1_bb.d0ff1c6.27fa3f85_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset=“US-ASCII”

<HTML>Jeff, I got a chuckle out
of this. David Stone and I just had a club meet yesterday in Central
Park. Several people approached us asking us if they could try our
unis. One was tourist, possibly inebriated? The other was a
 skateboarder kid, pretty fearless. Several of us were attempting to
hold the tourist up. It was like trying to put a sandbag on a
unicycle. The skateboarder just picked it up and started trying.
The two extremes, I guess. My dim recollection of learning to
ride 20 years ago plus some input from a few others was: 1)
Put the wheel perpendicular to a curb or step, with the pedal for your
 strong leg in the back. 2) Push down on your strong leg to keep
the uni tight against the curb. Sit on the seat. 3) Put your
other foot on the awaiting pedal. Lean forward. 4) Pedal like
hell. Let uni fall. Land on your feet. 5) Repeat a few
hundred times. I’m sure you knew that already though Other
than having two people help hold the beginner up, I can’t think of anything
else. If the person is intrigued and persistent (the key) , they might
get the bug. Once they realize that it is POSSIBLE, that’s half
the battle. Let us know what happens. Too bad
Rochester is far from NYC! In a message dated 4/2/2001 4:13:06 PM
Eastern Daylight Time, lutkus@unicyclist.com writes: 
 <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style=“BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT:
5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px”> I am planning to teach a
beginners’ unicycling workshop at my upcoming juggling convention. I
think I will be in reasonably good shape to teach people who can at least
ride forwards well. However, I could use some tips on how to teach
someone who has never tried sitting on a unicycle before. My workshop
will be under an hour, so my goal is to get people as close to riding as
possible as quickly as possible, then once they realize how much fun it is,
hopefully, I’ll be able to convince them to keep working on it on their own
time. thanks for any advice, Jeff Lutkus </BLOCKQUOTE> 
 </HTML>

–part1_bb.d0ff1c6.27fa3f85_boundary–

system · April 2, 2001, 2:29pm

Re: teaching tips

I wonder what others have to say about the virtues of one teaching method
vs. another.

When I learned to ride, I first rode along side a wall, while holding the wall
with one hand, then worked my way up to riding a few meters away from the wall.
Being that I ride a lot, I have trouble remembering back (almost two years in
my case ) to when I first learned to ride. (I’ve actually forgotten I was on
a unicycle before – it’s the oddest feeling when you suddently realize you’re
not walking)

Thanks for the tip, though. I think based on what you said, I might want to try
breaking into two groups – one the young kids without fear, and another group
to hold onto the walls or each other.

— Nycjoe@aol.com
> wrote: Jeff, I got a chuckle
> out of this. David Stone and I just had a club meet yesterday in
> Central Park. Several people approached us asking us if they could
> try our unis. One was tourist, possibly inebriated? The
> other was a skateboarder kid, pretty fearless. Several of us were
> attempting to hold the tourist up. It was like trying to put a
> sandbag on a unicycle. The skateboarder just picked it up and
> started trying. The two extremes, I guess. My dim recollection
> of learning to ride 20 years ago plus some input from a few others was:
> 1) Put the wheel perpendicular to a curb or step, with the
> pedal for your strong leg in the back. 2) Push down on your
> strong leg to keep the uni tight against the curb. Sit on the seat.
> 3) Put your other foot on the awaiting pedal. Lean forward.
> 4) Pedal like hell. Let uni fall. Land on your feet.
> 5) Repeat a few hundred times. I’m sure you knew that
> already though Other than having two people help hold the
> beginner up, I can’t think of anything else. If the person is
> intrigued and persistent (the key) , they might get the bug.
> Once they realize that it is POSSIBLE, that’s half the battle.
> Let us know what happens. Too bad Rochester is
> far from NYC! In a message dated 4/2/2001 4:13:06 PM Eastern Daylight
> Time, lutkus@unicyclist.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE
> style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px;
> PADDING-LEFT: 5px"> I am planning to teach a beginners’ unicycling
> workshop at my upcoming juggling convention. I think I will be in
> reasonably good shape to teach people who can at least ride forwards well.
> However, I could use some tips on how to teach someone who has never
> tried sitting on a unicycle before. My workshop will be under an
> hour, so my goal is to get people as close to riding as possible as
> quickly as possible, then once they realize how much fun it is, hopefully,
> I’ll be able to convince them to keep working on it on their own time.
> thanks for any advice, Jeff Lutkus </BLOCKQUOTE> 
>

Free e-Mail and Webspace - http://Unicyclist.com

system · April 3, 2001, 5:59am

Re: teaching tips

Greetings

In message “Re: teaching tips”, Jim wrote…
>When I learned to ride I went around my house holding onto the kitchen
>counters. When I got good enough to go across the kitchen, I started going
>from one piece of furniture to another, and ultimitely, across a room. When
>that happened I went outside and learned to turn.
>
>I think this method is better than having people help you because you can

I beg to disagree. I have taught hundreds of people using spotters, and this
method has been widely used in Japan with great success. I don’t think there are
many directly involved in teaching beginners that will disagree that two
spotters brings the quickest results when teaching complete beginners.

But there are details that must be considered (explained in my book) – the
spotters need to know what they are doing, like only holding the tip of the
hands lightly, staying half a pace ahead, and maintaining good speed – fast
walking or light running.

>not only do it alone, but you can control how much support is given to you by
>other things. I think by only getting support on one side of you, it helps
>encourage you to learn faster and develop balance better in the beginning.

>
>
>

Regards, Jack Halpern President, The CJK Dictionary Institute, Inc.
http://www.cjk.org Phone: +81-48e$B!]e(B473e$B!]e(B3508

system · April 3, 2001, 6:00am

Re: teaching tips

Greetings

In message “Re: teaching tips”, John Hooten wrote…
>Jack,
>
>I have a copy of “Anyone Can Ride A Unicycle” that came with my Miyata, but it
>is in Japanese. Is there an English version or translation?

Yes, of course, but it is out of print. Below are instructions on how to get it.

ANYONE CA RIDE A UNICYCLE.

Here is some infrmation for those interested in acquiring it.

Miyata and I are considering publishing a new edition if I ever have time to
deal with it, but this might take quite a while. In the meantime, to get a
photocopy, please do the following.

Send me US$15 or equivalent in cash (cashing a check costs more than that
in Japan!).
Let me know your snailmail address.

I will airmail you a copy as soon as I know your address and you inform me that
the payment hs been sent.

Some of the pictures in that book have been place on the unicycling home page.

Here is a quote from the unciyling FAQ describing the book.

    o Anyone Can Ride a Unicycle by Jack Halpern

      For the material it covers this is the best book on unicycling. In
      particular, book tells how to learn to ride, as well as a variety of
      beginning and intermediate skills. It also covers practical issues
      like unicycling attire, adjusting the unicycle, and theory.

      The book is based on what are considered the most effective ways of
      learning. John Foss helped a lot with reviewing the manuscript and by
      providing excellent photographs. Much credit is also due to Bill
      Jenack,the founder of modern unicycling, who has developed most of the
      techniques introduced in the book.

      The book comes with Miyata unicycles, and you can also get it from
      Jack Halpern while supplies last. Miyata is out of stock at the
      moment, and has no definite plans at this time to reprint it. In
      the meantime, he will be glad to send you photocopies for $15,
      including airmail.

      The amount you send need not be $15 exactly if you send it in another
      currency. You should send this in cash form, not a check, since it is
      very difficult to cash a check in dollars in Japan. Supplies are
      short, so you may want to send e-mail to Jack before sending cash to
      verify availability. His address is:

    Jack Halpern, CEO & President The CJK Dictionary Institute, Inc. (CJKI)
    Komine Building (3rd & 4th Floor) 34-14, 2-chome, Tohoku, Niiza-shi
    Saitama 352-0001 JAPAN E-mail: jack@kanji.org