Our Mission:

"To facilitate the healthy growth, joy, and confidence of our students by establishing a pattern of daily victories."

We accept children as they are so that they will accept themselves.
We assist children in accomplishing personal victories, great or small, each time they come to class.
We love to learn, we love to teach, we love to move, and that love is contagious.
We make the emotional and physical safety of each child our priority.

1. Unconditional Respect

We offer and insist upon unconditional respect between teacher and student. Humiliating,

embarrassing, demeaning or hurtful behavior is not acceptable and will not be tolerated.

2. Safety

This is done through vigilance, awareness, and safe training methods. This takes into

consideration both client and teacher.

3. Clearly Communicate Expectation

Tell the kids what you expect of them.

4. Catch Kids Doing Things Right

Focus on things gone right rather than things gone wrong.

5. Discipline With Natural Consequences

The natural (and unpleasant) consequences of a poor decision

should form the basis of our discipline, not "punishment."

6. Be Enthusiastic

It shows you care and inspires others to care.

7. Offer Daily Challenges

Going past perceived limitations is the only way to stretch and grow.

8. Offer Daily Successes

"Sense of Accomplishment" is one of the most powerful motivators to "try again when

the going gets tough."

9. Perpetual Motion

Kids learn by doing, not by sitting or standing in line.

10. Creativity, Variety, Fun

Kids (and adults too, for that matter) learn best when there is an element of fun

built into the training environment.

11. Effective and Routine Openings and Closures

This principle is "Quality Insurance." When we begin every class, event, and skill with

clear direction and end each of these with purpose and a review, both student and teacher grow.

12. Hands On Teaching

Shape & Mold, Specific & Personal.

13. "Personal Best" = "Success."

It is our mission to assist youth in taking important steps forward from where they are now

towards gaining a greater vision of what they truly can accomplish. We believe in rewarding all

victories not just the individual with the "fastest", "highest", or "most" of the group

14. Love, Empathy, and Compassion

Many of our teaching principles have been adopted from Jeff Metzger of Kids First Sports Center.

We openly thank Jeff and his staff for many great things happening for the employees and clients of Bitterroot Gymnastics.