Flatwater River Kayak Instructor

Mandate of the Flatwater River Kayak Instructor

The Flatwater River Kayaking Instructor is certified to:

• conduct Paddle Canada River Kayaking courses up to Flatwater Skills course and to certify paddlers at that level, and
• teach paddlers river kayaking on water up to and including Class 0.

Prerequisites

Age

At least 16 years of age.

Membership

Current Paddle Canada membership and Provincial/Territorial membership (as required).

Skills Certification

Paddle Canada Beginner River Kayaking skills.

Teaching Experience

None

Rolling Ability

The demonstrated ability to consistently roll a kayak in a Class 1 water on one side.

Minimum Course Length

24 hours (3 days) minimum.

Class Ratio

1 instructor:6 candidates, with a maximum of six kayaks.

Certification Awarded

Upon successful completion, the participant will be awarded the Paddle Canada Flatwater River Kayaking Instructor certification.

Minimum Staff and Certification

One Flatwater River Kayak Instructor Trainer.

Minimum Number of Registered Candidates

This instructor course must have a minimum of three registered candidates to qualify. This is to ensure the candidate experiences an appropriate level of group dynamics and can demonstrate competence in managing those dynamics.

Environmental Conditions

This course will start on Flat water and progress to a Class I environment to give Instructor candidates an opportunity to demonstrate their moving water skills.

Please see Moving Water Classifications for specific definitions of water classifications.

Other Recommended Training

Swift Water Rescue training is recommended.

Instructor Candidate Assessment

The Flatwater River Kayaking Instructor Candidate will be evaluated by the following methods:

• Continuous evaluation (by observation) of skills throughout the course.
• Candidate demonstration of appropriate level of group management, and professionalism when teaching.
• A written test of knowledge of course content of approximately one hour in length. Candidates must achieve a mark of at least 80% to pass.
• Written and/or oral presentations demonstrating ability to communicate the course content.
• Ongoing evaluation (by observation) of the candidate’s performance in the areas of safety, group care, self-care, equipment care, group dynamics and leadership.
• A minimum of two demonstrations of teaching ability by each candidate, one of which shall be an “on water” session in which the candidate teaches a Flatwater River Kayaking skill. The candidate must select a teaching location appropriate to the skill being taught and to the skill level of the participants. In addition, development of appropriate teaching progression and strategies must be demonstrated. Teaching topics may be previously assigned or chosen or may be assigned at short notice from a previously issued list. The course instructors will determine the methods and number of tests in each content area.

Personal Skills

Candidates must be strong in all Beginner Kayak skills and are expected to perform all safety and skill items to a level that is superior to that of a participant taking the Flatwater River skill course.

One swim at the discretion of the Instructor Trainer may be allowed.

Safety

Candidates must demonstrate all safety procedures outlined in the Flatwater River Kayaking Skills course. Candidates must also identify potential hazards in a variety of kayaking situations and state appropriate preventative safety procedures.

Demonstration Skills

Flatwater River Kayaking Instructor candidates must consistently show demonstration quality skills as outlined in the Flatwater River Kayaking course on Class 0 water. As such, a skills demonstration by the candidate will be required.

It is expected that instructor candidates will be able to complete the required skills with ease, clearly showing strokes, body movements and boat movements in an obvious demonstration.

Teaching and Evaluation

Candidates will demonstrate knowledge of the following topics and areas, especially as applied to the teaching of psychomotor skills in general and recreational kayaking specifically.

• How one learns.
• Conditions of learning.
• Skill, knowledge, and attitude areas of learning.
• Goals and objectives.
• Teaching strategies.
• Lesson planning and organization.
• Class management.
• Group dynamics.
• Evaluation techniques.
• Instructor behaviour and attitudes.
• How to plan and organize a Beginner River Kayaking course.

Lesson Plan

Candidates will complete a lesson plan for a Paddle Canada Flatwater River Kayaking Course. This assignment may be handed in after the instructor course, however, no certification will be issued until the assignment and all other criteria have been satisfied.

Theory

Candidates must demonstrate a thorough understanding of all theory presented in the Flatwater River Kayaking course. The candidate will demonstrate knowledge of the following topics as they relate to the initiation, management, and operation of a recreational kayaking program in Canada.

• Paddle Canada policies, programs, certification, and certification maintenance.
• Organization and management of a Flatwater River Kayaking course.
• Other germane institutions and programs (National associations, Provincial associations, clubs, etc.) available in Canada.
• Overview of resources (publications, manufacturers, retailers, repair persons, etc.) available in Canada.
• Legal and liability issues affecting the instructor.
• Safety procedures, hazard recognition, related regulations, and safety equipment.
• Equipment choice, teaching sites and areas, and scheduling.
• Development of appropriate teaching progression.
• Knowledge of kayaking activities, games, and events
• Staffing and staff management