8. Teaching principles

In the Spring 1998 issue of The Loop, Mel Krieger wrote that “…instruction provides avenues for learners.” The Casting Instructor certification is more than being able to perform a task. Qualified instructors transfer knowledge that is memorable, repeatable, and clearly understood in a fun, comfortable and motivating manner. Certified instructors are inspiring, adaptable, patient, non-judgmental, and able to build student confidence in a non-threatening environment. An instructor is successful when the student says, “That was fun and I learned so much!” and is excited to go out and try their newly acquired skills. (Echer C., The Loop, Spring 1995).

Learning to teach takes experience and is a lifelong journey. The more you teach, the more you will learn, and the better instructor you will become. Below you will find teaching methodologies and examples to help you build your foundation as a new Casting Instructor.

b. Get to Know Your Students

Spend time prior to the lesson getting to know your students and determining their ability level. Use the following questions as a guide:

Do you have any physical restraints or limitations that may affect casting?
What equipment will you bring to the class?
Where and how do you fish?
Have you taken lessons before?
Why do you want to learn to cast well? What is your motivation?
What specifically do you want to learn?
How much time do you plan to commit to casting? One lesson or a series?
How much time are you able to commit to practice between lessons?

What Effective Teachers Do Create an environment conducive to learning

Demonstrate kindness, empathy, patience, and respect
Use non-threatening language
Suppress their ego
Are good listeners
Honor the student’s individuality
Empower the student
Make it fun!

Develop Lesson Plans

Each time you have a casting lesson with an individual or group, prepare a lesson plan (see examples in Appendix C). Print them out and keep them on a clipboard in your teaching kit. Your lesson plans should consider factors including the skill level and number of your student(s), time and space available, and of course safety. Keep each lesson simple, only covering one or two topics. Break the lesson into steps, each step building on the previous step. Try to incorporate opportunities for auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learning into each lesson when appropriate.

Be sure to leave time for independent practice. That may mean walking to the restroom or your car for a few minutes, not watching the student. This helps to allay the student’s selfconsciousness.

At the conclusion of the lesson, review what was achieved, reinforcing the lesson and praising the student for her/his accomplishments. Ask the student “what is your takeaway from today?” Or ask, “what was your “ah ha” moment when your fly went into the target?” This is the

verification of what the student learned. Review any notes written by you or the student. If possible, make a video of the lesson highlights and any homework that may have been suggested including practice drills.

When your lesson includes encouragement, positive feedback, repetition, and builds sequentially on previously learned material, you will help pave the way to long term learning.

For More Information on Teaching, see:

Sprague D., Richards B. (July 2019) Notes on Teaching, The Loop Journal
Jim Sommercorn (Nov. 2020) The Tenets of Teaching, The Loop Journal
Kreiger, M. (Fall 2020) Observations on Teaching Fly Casting, The Loop Journal
Lord, M. (Spring 2009) Direct Instruction a New Paradigm for Teaching, The Loop Journal
Gammel, B. (Fall 2002) One Hour Lesson Plan, The Loop Journal

c. Discover Optimal Learning Styles

There are three sensory styles used when teaching and learning casting: auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. When teaching, find which style (or combination of styles) works best for your student. For instance, if the student has one sense impaired, another is naturally heightened. Below are examples of the three styles:

Auditory

Hearing the fly rod “whoosh” as a result of too much force, or the line make a whipcrack sound when the pause is too short.
Hearing, seeing, and feeling a pool noodle stopping a back cast in the proper place. A pool noodle can be found at any dollar store. Cut one in half and use it for props like stopping the rod for the proper arc.
Counting out loud or using a metronome phone app to help with timing.
Verbal or auditory cues, which could be a word or a noise like a clap.

Visual (seeing/demonstration)

Watching the instructor demonstrate a task to be learned
Watching their loop and what it does when they move differently
Watching their loop when side-arm casting
Watching a video analysis of a cast
Watching another caster’s loop shape
Watching another caster’s body movements, such as the hand

Kinesthetic (being aware of body position and movement)

Pantomime.
Ask the student to feel the movement of the cast with eyes closed.
Overloading the fly rod to help with the feel of the double haul.
Ask student to cast a fiberglass rod to feel the rod load.
Hands-On teaching, i.e., casting with the instructor’s hand just above the student’s hand on the rod blank (after asking for permission).
Ask student or group to run in place with active arms. Note the arm position, the 90degree bend in the arms, the rotation at the shoulder, the drop in the elbows. Running in place allows you to feel the motions of a basic cast.
While helping a student cast more from the shoulder, place a ball inside the elbow and squeeze the ball with the forearm and bicep. Cast by lifting and rotation at the shoulder without dropping the ball.

Additional Information

Goodwin, Ty (Winter 2008), Using Learning Styles in Casting Instruction, The Loop Journal
Sommercorn, J. (Summer 2019), The Tenets of Fly Casting Instruction, The Loop Journal