Working with kids can be very difficult but also rewarding. I teach gymnastics to kids around the ages of four years old to 13 years old. I teach many different classes ranging from the four year old class, bronze classes, and silver classes, and boy classes. All of these classes get taught different skills, while also working on perfecting their previous skills. I am going to talk about the pros and cons to teaching gymnastics

The first pro I am going to talk about is how rewarding teaching gymnastics is. Watching the kids go from struggling to do a skill and having to help them every time to just watching them do the skill is so awesome. Watching their faces light up when they finally do the skill they have been working on for so long is amazing. Also when they are scared to do a skill even with you spotting them, and then gaining their trust so they let you help them on the skill has got to be the most rewarding thing I have ever felt. 

The first con I am going to talk about is the kids that only want to do the fun things and not work on their skills they have to test on. If you are five and up you are put into the bronze class, and at the end of our eight week session you get tested on many different skills to see if you are ready to be moved up. The levels go in this order: bronze, silver, gold, diamond, platinum. Once you get to the levels above silver you have chances of going to supertots. Supertots is the team you get put on before you get put on the competitive team. 

Another pro is gaining a relationship with the kids and their parents. Most of the parents are very kind and sweet. They understand when their child isn’t listening and they talk to them and the kid will usually apologize. Many parents will also get you Christmas gifts ( Usually Starbucks gift cards). I love having relationships with the families. 

Another con is having a big class. Some classes have tons of kids so it can be very stressful because there is only one teacher. While there are many kids that listen, there are also many that don’t. If you have a big class and you have to keep telling kids to get back on task it is very hard to help everyone. You also won’t get your one on one time with kids helping them on the skill they are struggling on. 

Finally working with kids is so fun, but also stressful so keep that in mind if you want to teach gymnastics. I think working with kids is so worth it, it is an amazing opportunity to learn many life skills.