Kayak Rolling Instructor

Mandate of the Kayak Rolling Instructor

A Kayak Rolling Instructor is certified to conduct Paddle Canada Kayak Rolling clinics and to instruct paddlers at that level.

Course Details

Prerequisites

Age

At least 16 years of age.

Membership

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

Instructor Certification

Basic Kayak Instructor.

Teaching Experience

The prospective instructor candidate must have taught a minimum of two Basic Kayak Skills (or higher) courses within the past three years, being the lead instructor on at least one of those courses.

Paddling Experience

The ability to roll a kayak confidently. It is strongly recommended that instructor candidates can roll confidently on both sides.

Minimum Course Length

6 hours of instruction, with a minimum of five hours of instruction on the water.

Minimum Staff and Certification Level

A minimum of one Instructor Trainer is required to teach this course.

Instruction staff must consist of at least one Kayak Rolling or Level-1 Instructor Trainer.

A maximum of two assistants are allowed. Assistants must be Basic Kayak Instructor Trainers or higher.

Class Ratio

1 Instructor Trainer:6 candidates

1 Instructor Trainer with 1 assistant:8 candidates

1 Instructor Trainer with 2 assistants:10 candidates

Minimum Number of Registered Candidates

This instructor course must have a minimum of two 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. This policy will be strictly enforced.

If there are fewer than two registered candidates, the instructor trainer can certify them via the instructor mentorship process.

Course Location

Appropriate to a Paddle Canada Kayak Rolling clinic.

Environmental Conditions and Sea State

Environmental conditions must match those outlined in the Paddle Canada Kayak Rolling clinic syllabus.

Instructor Candidate Assessment

The Kayak Rolling Instructor candidate will be assessed by the following methods:

1. Continuous assessment (by observation) of skills throughout the course.
2. Written and/or oral presentations demonstrating ability to communicate course content.
3. Ongoing assessment (by observation) of the candidate’s performance in the areas of safety, self-care, care of equipment, group dynamics and leadership.
4. A minimum of two demonstrations of teaching ability by each candidate, at least one of which shall be an “on water” session in which the candidate teaches a skill from the Kayak Rolling syllabus.
5. Successful completion of a written test of approximately one hour in length (developed by the course director).

Candidates should be given at least 24 hours’ notice of their formal teaching topics. Other practice teaching session topics throughout the course may be assigned at short notice from a previously issued list.

The Instructor Candidate will demonstrate all skills at a high level of proficiency suitable for instructional demonstration purposes. Re-entry and general paddling skills will exceed minimum skills and be suitable to the instructional environment.

For each category of paddling skills, theory and teaching, candidates will be graded Pass, Weak, or Fail. To achieve this certification, a pass is required in all categories, but one weak may be accepted at the discretion of the instructor. Up to two weak evaluation items may be eligible for a conditional pass at the discretion of the instructor. A fail in any one category will result in a fail in the overall course. The head instructor will outline as clearly as possible the criteria, which determines a pass, weak or fail grading of each test to the candidates prior to assessment.

Reassessment or retesting may be conducted by the course instructor or a designated instructor at the appropriate level, according to the guidelines.

Course Outcomes

Across the broad expanse of Canadian waterways, consistency of course content and assessment are important considerations. However, variations in regional geography and environmental conditions require instructor trainers to be flexible in their delivery of course content and the assessment of skills and knowledge.

Knowledge and Paddling Skills Review

The candidate will:

• explain all knowledge and theory topics as outlined in the Kayak Rolling clinic,
• perform a “demonstration quality” review of all paddling skills as outlined in the Kayak Rolling clinic syllabus.

Teaching Note

Candidates should be encouraged to learn how to roll on their non-dominant side so they can demonstrate the roll on both sides to participants. Time should be set aside during the course for personal coaching on offside rolling.

Teaching Theory and Knowledge

The candidate will:

• demonstrate effective communication through a variety of media including voice, physical demonstrations, and other teaching aids, and
• understand that many participants require extra practice to master the techniques involved in rolling, and that it is very important to manage participant’s expectations in learning to roll.

Program Design and Delivery

The candidate will:

• review how to organize and present information on the water, at the beach or pool and/or in the classroom, and
• discuss effective course progressions and timelines for a kayak rolling program,
• discuss equipment choices and teaching locations that set the participant up for success,
• discuss how to present the course syllabus in such a way as to motivate and encourage participants to continue paddling. These could include learning using games, teaching with a focus on fun or the use of goals and rewards.

Safety Skills

The candidate will:

• perform a “demonstration quality” review of all safety and re-entry skills as outlined in the Kayak Rolling clinic,
• respond effectively and quickly to a participant unable to exit from their capsized kayak,
• explain common signs of a capsized and entrapped participant in distress,
• demonstrate and explain proper wet exit protocol, and
• demonstrate basic safety management including:
  • ensuring equipment is in good repair,
  • site orientation,
  • ensuring pre-course paperwork is complete including waivers, medical forms, etc.,
  • select an appropriate teaching location for the participant’s needs, skill level and environmental conditions, and
  • identify potential hazards in a variety of situations and state appropriate preventative safety procedures.

Evaluation and Assessment

The candidate will:

• explain common issues participants have when learning the roll including physical (for example, lifting headfirst or tight hamstrings), and/or emotional issues (for example, fear or frustration). Discussion should involve multiple solutions for common problems.
• review assessment techniques including providing appropriate, timely, and constructive feedback to participants, and
• discuss the benefits and limitations of the use of video analysis from waterproofed cell phones, tablets, or small handheld cameras for rolling instruction.

Course Administration and Paddle Canada Knowledge

The candidate will:

• review Paddle Canada policies and programs,
• be familiar with course sanctioning and reporting for Kayaking Rolling clinics,
• understand certification maintenance, and
• discuss legal and liability issues affecting the instructor.

Assignments and Tasks

Course Plan Development

The candidate will individually develop a detailed course plan for a Paddle Canada Kayak Rolling clinic. This assignment may be completed after the instructor course; however, certification will not be issued until the assignment and all other criteria has been satisfied.

The course plan will include:

• clinic objectives,
• a clear and logical progression of skills and theory topics taught, and
• estimated timelines for each activity or skill.

Teaching Skills Demonstration

The candidate will:

• develop and present a minimum of two formal demonstrations of their teaching ability by teaching both a rolling progression and a knowledge topic (on-land) based on the Kayak Rolling clinic syllabus,
• develop and demonstrate an appropriate teaching progression for the skills taught,
• provide a detailed teaching outline or lesson plan for each formal teaching topic assigned,
• foster a rewarding learning environment by using positive language,
• use a range of appropriate teaching aids and techniques including on-water activities and games,
• model ethics and values consistent with the Paddle Canada with the Paddle Canada code of conduct,
• offer relevant, constructive feedback to participants during debriefing sessions, phrased in a non-threatening/demeaning manner, and
• select a teaching location appropriate to the skill being taught and to the skill level of the participants and delineate the location using clear boundaries.

Teaching Notes

Presentations should be 15-30 minutes in length depending on the assigned topic.

Each presentation should be organized with:

• a clear introduction,
• a middle that provides opportunity for feedback to participants,
• guides to identifying and fixing common errors, and
• a defined end.

All strokes will be of demonstration quality and demonstrated in a manner consistent with any explanation.

Kayak Rolling Instructor Certification through Mentorship

As an alternative to an instructor course, Instructor Candidates can earn certification through mentorship. The mentorship process entails working as an apprentice instructor under direct supervision of a mentor who is a qualified instructor trainer on a minimum of two appropriate courses.

Refer to the section, Instructor Certification through Mentorship for specific information on the mentorship process.

Kayak Rolling Instructor Mentorship Specific Policies

Prerequisites

Instructor Candidates must complete all prerequisite skills, instructor certification(s) and required teaching experience before commencing a mentorship.

The Instructor Candidate must have Basic Kayak Instructor certification before starting the mentorship.

Refer to the syllabus for other prerequisites.

Assessment Process

The Instructor Candidate must mentor on a minimum of two Kayak Rolling Skills clinics as part of the assessment process though the Candidate may be required to mentor on more at the discretion of the Mentor.

Minimum Staff Numbers and Certification Levels

Only one assessing mentor is required, and the same mentor can assess the instructor candidate on both courses.

The mentor must be at least a Kayak Rolling or a Level-1 Instructor Trainer to be qualified to assess an instructor candidate at this level.

A maximum of two Instructor Candidates may be assessed on a clinic.

Both the Instructor Candidate and Mentor must be present throughout the entire clinic.

General Policies

To ensure that the Instructor Candidate experiences an appropriate level of group dynamics, and shows competence in managing those dynamics, a minimum of 3 participants must be enrolled in all instructor courses where a mentorship is taking place.

Mentors may require the instructor candidate to teach additional courses between mentorships at their discretion.

The instructor candidate must complete all assessment tasks as outlined in the Kayak Rolling Instructor course syllabus, including requirements for written examinations and submission of lesson plans.