LCI

Bicycling experts in Northern Virginia ready to work for you

| Doug Smith

Welcome Northern Virginia’s newest League Cycling Instructors (LCis)!

Let’s have a round of applause for the people of Northern Virginia! Not just because they’re great (though they are), but because there are now 12 new, dedicated, and excited citizen-educators across the NoVa communities ready to work with bicyclists and pedestrians.

In April, committed bicyclists and community leaders from Fairfax, Herndon, Aldie, Alexandria, Burke, Dunn Loring, Arlington, and Reston spent a long weekend (25 hours) with WABA’s education staff to earn their certification as League of American Bicyclists’ League Cycling Instructors. The main focus of the seminar is teacher training, providing skills and tools for public speaking, lesson design, student engagement, and more—all in the context of bicycling and riding on streets. Part of the time was spent inside where everyone could craft and practice teaching. Then, the education continued outside where folks practiced teaching bike skills and leading group rides.

Prior to participating in the LCI seminar, the instructor group attended two trainings in Arlington where the focus was on pedestrian safety. These community members are now well-versed in both pedestrian and bicyclist education. They are eager to share their knowledge and talents with the larger Northern Virginia community!

But they need your help to discover and connect with opportunities for bike education and advocacy. So, if you’re planning a pedestrian or bicyclist-focused event in the near future, then you should reach out and put these eager folks to work in the community!

They’re an eager bunch – and they can’t wait to work with you!

This seminar was made possible through the partnership of the Northern Virginia Regional Commission and the generous donation of meeting and parking lot space by INOVA Fairfax Hospital Center.

Everyday Bicycling Program Year in Review

| Doug Smith

The Everyday Bicycling program rode with a lot of bicyclists in 2017. Since the weather is supposed to turn colder this time of year the adult education team doesn’t offer many classes. Instead, we take a brief pause to scan behind and discover what worked in 2017, then set our sights on 2018 and beyond. Below are some highlights from the year.

A few hundred new bicyclists

This year our team of instructors led 30 adult Learn to Ride classes across DC, Arlington, and (for the first time!) Prince George’s County, and the City of Falls Church.

  • More than 400 folks attended a class and 80% of them were riding by the end of the morning!
  • That means 320 new riders are enjoying the trails and roads on two-wheels today!

Our season has wrapped up for the year, but if you know someone that still wants to learn how to ride, consider sharing the joy of life on two wheels by setting up a private class—many of WABA’s instructors enjoy teaching one-on-one.

Students learning to ride in Arlington

Riding confidently

More than 200 people (mostly grown ups, but also kids) attended a City Cycling class in 2017. In 3 hours time participants learned some skills and tips to enjoy the great trails and also how to make the commute with traffic less stressful and more fun. In addition to the confidence learned, community building was gained.

  • WABA ran 25 City Cycling classes in Montgomery County, DC, Alexandria and Arlington in Virginia.
  • WABA ran two family biking classes in DC – one discussing the challenges of riding with youth attached to the bike, while the other focused on the joys of riding with youth on their own bike in the city.
  • WABA ran a youth bike rodeo in Montgomery County.
  • WABA trained National Park Service Rangers that work along the Anacostia River Trail.

Want to bring a City Cycling class to your office for your employees? Email us: education@waba.org.

Building community

Navigating the streets in the region on a bicycle can be tricky, which is why WABA offers slow, no-drop community rides.

  • To date, WABA led 220 community members through the neighborhoods discussing ways to avoid the door zone and how to deal with tricky intersections.
  • We shared thousands of fun facts and trivia questions.
  • For the first time, WABA led a Community Ride in Fairfax County.
  • We’ve got one ride left on the calendar for 2017 – come and ride with us!

Bringing biking to work

The Everyday Bicycling team worked off of the bike too.

  • WABA shared the key components to start commuting by bike with more than 300 people in Everyday Biking Seminars at workplaces across the region. The point of this seminar is to encourage people to try a regular trip by bike instead of car.
  • WABA met with and had honest conversations with the supervisors and safety trainers of DC Circulator buses about using the road with pedestrians and bicyclists, through the creation and launch of WABA’s Bicycle Friendly Driver program.

Training the trainers

WABA welcomed 14 new certified bicycling teachers. The League of American Bicyclists certifies cycling instructors across the country, but about once a year, we run a special certification course to help us ensure that we have a varied and exciting team of instructors that are connected to the communities in which we teach. 

Planning for 2018

WABA is excited for all the work the team did in 2017 to make bicycling better for everyone in the region. By taking advantage of the best practices of this year and working from some new ideas to improve the program in 2018 – the Everyday Bicycling Program can’t wait for the weather to turn warmer. Hopefully, we’ll see you (or a friend) in a class or on a ride next year!

Become a WABA Education Instructor

| Alex Baca
IMG_6374

Be a superhero! Become an education instructor, no costume required

We are proud to announce the 2013 WABA Education Instructor training program. This is a unique opportunity to join one of the country’s most prominent and successful bike education programs (featured in the Washington Post and on NPR last spring)! Additionally, through the program, you will become certified as a League Cycling Instructor (LCI), enabling you to teach bike education anywhere in the country and/or to host your own classes as an independent instructor.

You’re invited to apply for one of fifteen Instructor trainee positions this fall. The application is a simple 3-question form, but please take the time to think about your answers and use them as your opportunity to make the case for yourself.

Click here to fill out your 2013 WABA Education Instructor application!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a WABA Education Instructor?

WABA Education Instructors are enthusiastic local individuals who combine their love of bicycling and aptitude for teaching to help run one of the best Adult Bike Education programs in the country. Anyone can apply using this form, and from those applications, we will select fifteen people to be our Instructor class for 2013.

Do WABA Education Instructors get paid?

Yes! Once they have completed their Trainee period (7 hours of teaching), they are paid a rate of $50/hour for any WABA classes they teach.

What is the time commitment for WABA Education Instructors?

The training program involves 3-4 mandatory events, including a weekend-long seminar (tentatively scheduled for November). We estimate that the total required time is somewhere around 40-45 hours (including time spent on homework) between August-November. Once you complete the Seminar, you will have to attend two WABA adult classes (totaling 7 hours) as a Trainee. After that, however, your commitment level is up to you. Over 90% of our classes are held on weekend mornings, from 10am-1pm. Instructors are required to arrive 15 minutes early and stay 15 minutes late for each class, for a total time commitment of 3.5 hours per class.

What happens if I am chosen as one of the fifteen WABA Education Instructor candidates?

You get the following:

  • A guaranteed spot in an Instructors-only Traffic Skills 101 class, tentatively scheduled for October 5th. ($75 value)
  • Food & drinks at an Instructors Meet & Greet, tentatively scheduled for October 18th. ($15 value)
  • A guaranteed spot in WABA’s League Cycling Instructor (LCI) Seminar, tentatively scheduled for November 8-10. NOTE: This application is the ONLY way to attend this Seminar. ($300 value)
  • A WABA Instructor polo shirt. ($20 value)
  • A 1-year WABA membership OR renewal. ($35 value)
  • Payment at the $50/hour Instructor rate for any classes taught with us after your Trainee period has been successfully completed.

And in exchange:

  • You must commit to the dates for ALL classes in the Instructor training program.
  • You must commit to completing your Trainee requirements (7 hours of instruction) in your first year as an LCI.
  • You must join the League of American Bicyclists, if you are not already a member.
  • You must complete the Traffic Skills 101 course with a score of 85% or better.
  • You must agree to wear a helmet at all classes and while teaching.

We think that seems like a pretty fair trade.

What are the dates and times that I should know about?

July 8 – Applications begin
August 9 – Applications end
September 4 (Tentative) – Instructor Candidates notified
October 5 – Traffic Skills 101
October 18 (Tentative) – Instructors Meet & Greet
November 8-10 – League Cycling Instructor (LCI) Seminar

What does it cost to become a WABA Education Instructor?

Completing the application form is free, of course. If you are selected as one of our fifteen candidates, you will be asked to pay for membership in the League of American Bicyclists in order to obtain your League Cycling Instructor certification. Additionally, you are responsible for all transportation, food/beverage, and bike upkeep costs incurred while in the training program, and as a WABA Education Instructor thereafter (except where otherwise noted). WABA will cover the rest of the costs (see above list).

I completed WABA’s Confident City Cycling course. Can I waive out of the Traffic Skills 101 requirement?

Sorry, but no. Traffic Skills 101 includes both a written evaluation and an on-bike evaluation that you must pass with a score of 85% or higher in order to be allowed into the LCI Seminar. While WABA’s classes cover some of the same material, the only way to take these evaluations with us is through this WABA Education Instructor training program.

Click here to fill out your 2013 WABA Education Instructor application!

Thanks for applying, and good luck!

Photo by Joe in DC. Join our Flickr pool!