Waterfront Kayak Instructor

With a strong focus on fun, games and safety, this two-day instructor program is designed to introduce candidates to activities, skills, teaching techniques, and knowledge to effectively teach the Waterfront Kayak program.

Mandate of the Waterfront Kayak Instructor

A Waterfront Kayak Instructor is certified to:

• conduct Paddle Canada Waterfront Kayak skills courses and certify paddlers at that level, and
• assist a Basic Kayak Instructor on a Basic Kayak skills course.

Course Details

Prerequisites

Age

At least 16 years of age.

Membership

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

Skills Certification

None.

Teaching Experience

None.

Paddling Experience

None, though some previous experience in a kayak in class 0 conditions is highly recommended.

Minimum Course Length

16 hours of instruction (2 days) with a minimum of eight hours instruction on the water.

Class Ratio

1 Instructor Trainer:6 candidates

1 Instructor Trainer with 1 assistant:8 candidates

1 Instructor Trainer with 2 assistants:10 candidates

Minimum Staff and Certification

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

Instruction staff must consist of at least one Waterfront 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.

Course Location

Appropriate to a Waterfront Skills course.

Environmental Conditions and Sea State

Environmental conditions must match those outlined in the Waterfront Skills course syllabus.

Instructor Candidate Assessment

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

1. Ongoing assessment (by observation) of the candidate’s performance in the areas of paddling skills and knowledge, safety, self-care, care of equipment, group dynamics and leadership.
2. 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 Waterfront Kayak skill.

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.

Waterfront Instructor Certification through Mentorship

Due to the nature and delivery model of this course, mentorship is not available. Instructor candidates must participate in the full course.

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.

It is not expected that Waterfront Instructor Candidates have prior kayaking experience so it will be necessary to provide time for personal coaching and learning.

Due to the unique nature of this program, course directors will include the Basic Kayak skills syllabus as part of this 2-day instructor course.

Knowledge and Paddling Skills Review

The candidate will:

• demonstrate understanding of all knowledge and theory topics as outlined in the Waterfront Kayak Skills course, and
• perform a “demonstration quality” review of all paddling skills as outlined in the Waterfront Kayak Skills course.

Teaching Notes

It is expected that instructor candidates be able to complete a demonstration of required skills with ease, clearly showing how strokes are used in an obvious demonstration.

Instructor Ethics

The candidate will participate in an introductory level discussion about the roles and responsibilities associated with being a Paddle Canada Instructor.

Program Design and Delivery

A Waterfront Kayak Instructor is a beginner instructor course so teaching and instruction technique topics should focus on the needs of a new instructor including:

• How to present content in such a way as to motivate and encourage participants to continue paddling, for example through playing games, or by balancing challenges, fun, and rewards.
• How to organize and present information on the water and at the beach, to an audience of mainly kids and youth.
• Tips and ideas for course progressions, timelines, and lesson plan development.
• How to communicate effectively through a variety of media including voice, physical demonstrations, and other teaching aids.

Leadership and Group Management

The candidate will:

• demonstrate leadership skills in a variety of situations including games and activities or the daily routine of running a Waterfront Kayak program,
• organize the group according to the environment or needs of the participants to enhance learning,
• speak clearly and effectively with participants using a variety of verbal and nonverbal communication tools in a variety of conditions, both on and off the water, and
• set and manage appropriate boundaries.

Safety Skills

The candidate will:

• demonstrate and understand proper wet exit protocol.
• demonstrate all re-entry skills with a high degree of proficiency as outlined in the Waterfront Kayak Skills course,
• demonstrate basic safety management including:
  • ensuring equipment is in good repair,
  • select an appropriate teaching location for the participant’s needs, skill level and environmental conditions,
  • identify potential hazards in a variety of situations and state appropriate preventative safety procedures, and
  • demonstrate knowledge and understanding of camp or club’s own waterfront emergency procedures.
• demonstrate an understanding of the Transport Canada vessel regulations for guided excursions and the extra safety gear required to comply, and
• lead the group through a guided excursion safety briefing.

Games and Activities

Candidates will be aware of a variety of games and activities for use during lessons that are appropriate for kids and youth. Please see Kayaking Games and Activities for an extensive list of activities.

Participant Assessment Skills

The candidate will provide timely, accurate and appropriate feedback to participants.

Course Administration and Paddle Canada Knowledge

The candidate will:

• demonstrate familiarity with Paddle Canada policies, mission statement and general information about the programs,
• demonstrate familiarity with the procedures for registering and reporting a course, and
• understand the requirements for maintaining certification.

Assignments and Tasks

Teaching Skills Demonstration

The candidate will:

• develop and present a 10–15 minute on-water session teaching one of the kayak skills from Waterfront Kayak Skills with a strong emphasis on safety and fun,
• develop and present a 10–15 minute presentation on one of the knowledge or theory topics from the Waterfront Kayak course,
• foster a rewarding learning environment by using positive language,
• use a range of appropriate teaching aids and techniques including on-water activities and games, and
• model ethics and values consistent with the Paddle Canada Code of Conduct.

Teaching Notes

Presentations should be 10-15 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.

Any skills demonstration and evaluation should match how they are verbally described.

Candidates should be given at least 24 hours’ notice of their two formal teaching topic(s). Instructor Trainers may require candidates to teach other topics at shorter notice.

Due to the nature of the audience for this course (kids and youth) candidates should be encouraged to use games and activities as the primary method of teaching a skill or activity as appropriate.