Water Safety Instructor (WSI)

The De Anza description of this four unit class is:

A course for Red Cross certification of swimming and diving instructors. Emphasis on the biomechanics of strokes, teaching progressions, and feedback techniques. Includes the American Red Cross Fundamentals of Instructor Training Certification.

De Anza College will offer the four unit class, P.E. 28G, winter quarter 2012, not the usual spring quarter, Sundays January 15 to March 25, 2012, 10 a.m. to 12:50 and 1:30 to 4:20. The De Anza pool will be closed for repairs, so the class will be held at the Foothill pool some days and at a classroom at De Anza other days.

Please go to P.E.28G for details about the winter quarter De Anza class.

Details of the Red Cross swim stroke performance standards for WSI candidates are at: WSI prerequisites.

This webpage is used when I teach off-campus.

The following is updated each time I teach the class off campus, and might not be current now.

The Red Cross suggests the following information be given to students:

The Water Safety Instructor course is not designed to teach you basic-level swimming skills. It is dedicated to developing the skills and knowledge you will need to plan and teach courses in the American Red Cross Swimming and Water Safety Program.

To participate in the Water Safety Instructor course, you must be at least 16 years old and be able to demonstrate the following skills:

1. Swim the following strokes consistent with American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim Level 4 Stroke Performance Criteria:

Front crawl—25 yards (You might know front crawl as freestyle.)

Back crawl—25 yards (You might know back crawl as racing backstroke.)

Breaststroke—25 yards

Elementary backstroke—25 yards

Sidestroke—25 yards

Butterfly—15 yards

2. Maintain position on back 1 minute in deep water (floating or sculling).

3. Tread water for 1 minute.

Please bring these documents to the precourse session:

Proof that you are at least 16 years old by the end of the course (driver’s license, state ID card, passport, birth certificate or other government-issued photo identification).

To be an effective Water Safety instructor, you must become completely familiar with the American Red Cross Swimming and Water Safety manual (Stock No. 651314), the American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor’s Manual with CD-ROM (Stock No. 651313) and other course materials and videos."

You will be given practice-teaching assignments, which will give you experience in presenting information and teaching skills to course candidates, conducting classes and evaluating skills.

Course completion certificates will be awarded to instructor candidates who successfully complete the precourse session, attend every class session, successfully perform all practice- teaching assignments and pass the final written exam with a score of 80 percent or higher (correctly answer at least 40 of 50 questions). You must also demonstrate maturity and responsibility throughout the course. These qualities are demonstrated by, among other things:

Arriving at class on time and being prepared

Returning from breaks on time

Being prepared for class activities, such as with homework completed and dressed in swim suits, when required (Which is almost every class session, so always be ready to swim even uif we expected to be in a classroom.)

Completing homework assignments, including preparing written lesson plans (typed preferred)

Course work will include physical exercise. If you have a medical condition or disability or if you have any questions about your ability to participate fully in this course, discuss them with your physician or health-care provider and the appropriate person at facility offering the class before you start the course.

Besides teaching basic swimming skills, starts, turns and diving, there are special sections in your text on support techniques for infants and children, parent and child aquatics, pre-school aquatics, basic water rescue, learning and development, class planning, class organization. Customizing the program includes customizing for disabilities, for adults, by integrating fitness components and with games and water activities.

Students make written lesson plans and teach the lessons to other students in the class.

Each Water Safety Instructor candidate will teach at least four lessons and two mini-lessons.

Your teaching will be evaluated by you: (what was done particularly well and what could be improved upon):

You will complete a Practice-Teaching Self-Evaluation Form.

Did I follow my lesson plan?

Did participants have enough time to practice?

Were the activities I used right for the age and skill of the participants?

Did I choose the right activities, or were they too difficult, too time consuming or too easy?

Did I use my teaching area effectively?

Did I use a variety of methods and equipment to enhance learning?

Did I include a variety of skills in the plan so that everyone had some success?

Did the participants’ skills improve?

Did I use co-instructors or instructor aides effectively?

and your teaching will be evaluated by the other instructor candidates and the Instructor Trainer:

(what was done particularly well and what could be improved upon), based on these goals:

Followed written lesson plan.

Arranged participants so that all could see.

Was clean and neat in appearance.

Communicated effectively. (A common mistake in delivery is to fail to listen and manage silence. Silence is okay. You don't need to fill pauses with "Um...you know...So, um.")

Made frequent eye contact with students.

Organized presentation logically.

Managed time well.

Delivered accurate and specific information.

Was able to answer the questions asked by the group. (It is never acceptable to wing it, guess at or make up answers to questions. If you find yourself not remembering something, there is nothing wrong with saying, let's look in the book and read exactly what the Red Cross says. Not all questions have answers straight from the book. There is a difference between making up something and answering a question based on your own experience and knowledge. If you need to add from your own experience say that you are doing so. Refer to making an educated guess when you need to. )

Gave clear explanations of practice teaching and skills to be taught.

Started practice efficiently. (If you lose control, and everyone does some of the time, you must get it back. Unless all your class is listening to you they can't learn.)

Noticed participant errors.

Gave appropriate feedback.

Provided accurate demonstrations when needed.

Used appropriate class organization for the skills being taught.

Used appropriate learning activities, games or drills for the skill being taught.

Used appropriate equipment and teaching aides.

For every class, bring all your books, a notebook, pen/pencil, swim suit, towels (suggest more than one towel, as one or more will get wet when we need to be in and out of the pool and then you will want another one for your shower), sweatsuit or other coverups for ins and outs of the water. A hat with a big brim is important during daylight classes. A plastic or metal water bottle and some snacks in non-glass containers are a good idea. For long class sessions sunscreen to reapply may be a necessity.

If we don't do Fundamentals of Instructor Training (F.I.T.) as a separate class, for the first class with F.I.T. you can wear street clothes and then change into your suit if we finish enough classroom work, after the first class you will need to be suited-up when we start, as class time will not be allowed for changing.

Homework is listed below for each class session. We do not always know how quickly we will go through each 'section', so your goal is to stay at least three sections ahead, as much of this is required by the Red Cross to be completed before a class section meets.

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Fundamentals of Instructor Training is the prerequisite for every Red Cross Instructor course and depending on our schedule we might complete it in one class session.

This homework will be due the first time we meet, for the Fundamentals of Instructor Training pre-WSI-course: read the Fundamentals of Instructor Training textbook and complete the assignments below.

We’ll go over all these assignments in class. Your answers may change after you watch the video. In some cases the book asks you to write down people’s responses. Put your own responses, we’ll go over them in class and then you can write down other people’s responses.

Read or skim through appendix A pages 25-29

Read B 31-32

Look thru 33-38

Read 39-47

look thru 49-51

read 53-57

look at 59

read 83-85,

Read 61-62 You will be signing one of these as you become an instructor. What are the most important things you say you will do?

64-65 is almost the same as part of 62

read 65-68

65 is the document that the pool you work for, for example, agrees to. What are the most important things they say they will do?

look at 70-76, (especially 73-76),

look at 77-81, 87, 89

complete pages 3, 4

we’ll do page 5 in class

complete 7-11 Put your own responses, we’ll go over them in class and then you can write down other people’s responses

read 12-13 Have you had any instructors who only Push?

complete all of the scenarios on 14 & 15, be ready to explain your answers,

read 17-19

read and complete 20, 21

read 53-57 again

Pick a topic you are good at in swimming that does not require a pool to teach and prepare a 2 minute lesson. Put it in writing and be ready to teach it. Always include safety considerations in your lecture. You can’t properly cover most subjects in a short lesson. Pick a part of one that you can do in 2 minutes. (Big hint, you might want to try it at home first to see if it fits in 2 minutes.)

examples:

Swimcaps: why wear one, kinds, how to put one on

Sunscreen: why use it, kinds, how to use it

Kickboards and zoomers: why use them, how to use them

Basics and any tricks you know for swimming an I.M., including rules

Again, the two minute teaching is not at all crucial, just a warm up for any future instructor class you take. Keep it simple. You do not need to overdo it with powerpoint, flashy pictures, laser pointer, interactive holography, light show, fireworks, fog machine, cheerleaders, drum and bugle corps, dancing bears, or parading costumed elephants.

Read 23-24. We’ll complete these in class.

Click on this link: History of swimming section, read it and find four things from history you could tell swim students about to motivate them, or just make things more interesting.

Examples:

When I first time an advanced class on a 100 front crawl (freestyle) I tell them that the first Olympic men's swimming gold medal, in 1896, was won by Alfred Hajos of Hungary, in 1:22.2. It often turns out that some, if not many of my students can swim a 100 faster than that. After celebrating we discuss why. (Advances in stroke mechanics, faster swim suits, wave eating lane lines, etc.)

When multi gold medal winner Michael Phelps first learned to swim at age 7 he swam only backstroke. "I was afraid to put my head underwater." This can be a great thing for non-swimmers and beginners motivation.

Read: WSI class safety rules and be prepared to discuss them.

Red Cross websites you need to be familiar with:

The homepage of the Silicon Valley Red Cross (your local chapter, Santa Clara County) is at:

http://www.siliconvalley-redcross.org/

go there and click on at least three links and briefly (three sentences is all that is needed), write up what you find.

The info hot line for the Red Cross is 1-800-RED-CROS (1 800 733-2767)

You will turn in your course records to: support@redcrosstraining.org

Write that phone number and email address on the inside front cover of your instructor manual.

At the end of Fundamentals of Instructor Training (FIT) we need to assign each instructor candidate a section to do a five minute review of at the start of the following section, for example, prepare to present a review of section 1 at the beginning of section 2.

At the end of FIT we need to assign candidates some of the following to research and prepare a presentation on:

Parent and Child Aquatics Levels 1 and 2, Preschool Aquatics Levels 1–3, Learn-to-Swim Levels 1–6, Water safety courses, Water safety presentations and Longfellow’s WHALE Tales

Each presentation will tell us how the following materials help the instructor. Each should last about 5 minutes and, at a minimum, should include the following: Purpose, Options/levels, Intended audience and Instructor resources.

Water Safety Instructor’s Manual with CD-ROM

(Read Water Safety Instructor’s CD-ROM Contents and go through the CD Rom before we start the WSI sections.)

Swimming and Water Safety manual (The text, American Red Cross Swimming and Water Safety, has no index, so I wrote one: Swimming and Water Safety 2009 index)

Learn-to-Swim booklets : Raffy Learns to Swim & Waddles in the Deep

Water Safety Handbook

Water safety presentations

Safety Training for Swim Coaches Instructor’s Manual

Safety Training for Swim Coaches Supplement

Longfellow’s WHALE Tales K–6 Educational Packet

Teaching Swimming and Water Safety DVD

Swimming and Diving Skills DVD

Longfellow’s WHALE Tales DVD

Instructor’s Corner

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W.S.I. Homework Section 1 Read Chapters 1, 4 and 10, Water Safety Instructor’s Manual.

Read Chapters 1 - 3 , Swimming and Water Safety manual.

Read Water Safety Handbook, Longfellows Whales Tales K-6 educational packet

You should have already read the Water Safety Instructor’s CD-ROM Contents and should have gone through the CD Rom.

Be prepared to discuss:

As you learned in Fundamentals of Instructor Training, there are certain steps you must take before you can teach American Red Cross courses.

What steps must you take at your local Red Cross chapter before you can teach?

Once you are authorized to teach by your local Red Cross chapter, what steps should you take at your aquatic facility before you teach?

What factors must you consider when planning a course?

What are visible signals to observers that water safety is a central part of the aquatics program?

After reading in chapter 4 about buoyancy and why some people float horizontal while others float diagonally or even vertically, write out an answer to this:

A swim student says "I can't float, and my legs sink when I glide on my back, what can I do?"

The instructor answers "lift your tummy!"

Is this the right answer to the problem, or can you think of a better answer/correction?

After completing this lesson, the goal is that candidates will have the skills and knowledge to:

Identify Swimming and Water Safety program materials

Identify and briefly describe Swimming and Water Safety courses and presentations that Water Safety Instructors are eligible to teach .

Identify key elements and strategies for planning and preparing effective and safe swim lessons.

Identify key class management principles for effective and safe swim lessons.

Describe practice-teaching goals and principles of teaching water safety.

Demonstrate basic water safety skills.

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About your practice teaching:

One of your responsibilities is to make class time as effective and rewarding as possible for the participants.

This takes careful planning and preparation.

For a WSI class you must prepare a written (at least an outline) lesson plan beyond what is in your instructor's manual. Typed is best, but clear printing is okay if I can read it.

Put your name and the class subject at the top, then add at least:

List of instructional equipment, space (shallow or deep water, kickboards, fins, safety equipment... ) you will need to have.

Group and personal safety precautions

What do you expect them to learn and why?

(Remember the primacy/recency effect. The first and last words/sentence/points of your lecture can be the main things people remember. Tell them what you want them to learn, teach it to them and tell them what they learned.)

Consider class organization, that is, how your students will be able to hear you, see you, and practice. Is the sun in their eyes? Are some people at the back unable to see you?

When students get in the pool for a skill session it is easy to lose control. What discussion/practice/drill before getting in the pool would be worthwhile? What class organization method will you use?

You should often start with a brief review of previously taught skills that apply to this lesson.

Explanation, description and/or and demonstration of new skills. (To save time during practice lessons among each other you can say that the group already saw the video.)

When appropriate, briefly describe how/when & and or why the new skill is used.

Practice of the new skills.

List cue words/phrases you will repeat and possibly even have your students repeat out loud to help your students learn and remember.

Make a list of mistakes you expect. Prepare to maintain a non-judgmental perspective. Devise ways to prevent the mistakes and devise potential corrective feedback.

Plan to use your photographic eye, described below by the Red Cross:

"The ability to observe and assess a skill and to intervene to improve performance is often the difference between a successful and unsuccessful instructor.

The ability to see and hold a mental picture of what is being done at any given moment is critical. This is known as having a photographic eye.

A well-trained eye stops the action of a skill in the mind, such as a basic skill, ... and holds the image long enough to compare it to performance criteria.

This skill can only be acquired by practice and experience.

The keys to an accurate assessment are having a thorough knowledge of the skill, a clear understanding of the learning progression of the skill and a photographic eye."

Prepare for usual questions and have the answers to them. Can you answer some of them before they are asked?

Each lesson will be as follows:

You will prepare a lesson, arrange the class and teach it until I say time is up (5, 10 or 15 minutes). We will then have you give a self-critique of your organizational ability, knowledge of the subject matter, presentation and communications skills. This is followed by a peer (the other Water Safety Instructor candidates) and instructor trainer evaluation.

At the end of section one we should decide which practice teaching assignments each instructor candidate will complete.

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Homework Section 2

Read Chapter 2, Teaching and Learning Swimming in the Water Safety Instructor’s Manual.

Read the front crawl section of Chapter 6, Stroke Mechanics, in Swimming and Water Safety.

Review drills and games on the Water Safety Instructor’s CD-ROM.

Review the front crawl section of the Stroke Performance Charts in the Water Safety Instructor’s Manual or on the Water Safety Instructor’s CD-ROM.

After completing this lesson, the goal is that candidates will have the skills and knowledge to:

Identify how instructors can promote learning.

Describe what factors influence learning.

Describe the key principles of learning motor skills.

Identify and demonstrate key hydrodynamic principles.

Identify and describe different strategies of teaching for swimming.

Identify the components of a refined, efficient front crawl and describe different activities and drills that can be used to teach the front crawl.

Identify selected developmental progressions in breath control and front and back swimming.

You should be able to answer these questions:

What has to happen for learning to occur?

How can instructors promote learning?

What are examples of numeric changes?

What are examples of performance change (change in the quality of the movement)?

Why is it important to know that changes in the performance of a skill occur in a predictable order when teaching swimming?

The Red Cross Swimming and Water Safety program stresses that water safety information be shared with parents as well as participants. Why is that important?

Click on this link: Fifty ways to praise your swim students read the page and write out your five favorites. Can you think of any others?

Click on this link: CPO and briefly write up three new things you learned. If you already knew it all, write up the most important things. This writing assignment only requires three sentences.

Click on this link: http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/rwi/illnesses/swimmers-ear-prevention-guidelines.html and briefly write up three new things you learned. If you already knew it all, write up the most important things. This writing assignment only requires three sentences.

Read this suggested script for a kid's swim lesson, and then write out an alternate script (it need not be as long) for teenagers or adults who do not know how to swim or even float at all:

Who can show me how we get a breath? [Provide appropriate positive, constructive feedback]

Why do we need to take a breath? [Answers vary depending on age and comprehension of participants, from “to live” or “to stay alive” all the way to “get oxygen to our body”]

Do you have to think about breathing all the time? Do you have to think about breathing when you are asleep? [Chorus of responses, which should include “no.”]

No, of course, not. Breathing is pretty automatic, isn’t it?

Okay, can we breathe under water? [Answers may vary. Some may suggest using SCUBA or snorkel or some other idea.]

Who can show me what you have to do when you put your face under water?

[Reinforce all submersions, even partial ones. Acknowledge the different ways participants are performing—some may be blowing bubbles while others may be holding their breath.]

How can we keep water from getting in your nose? [Praise those who are successful and have them show others how easy it is.]

This time everyone try to get your mouth and nose wet and blow bubbles. All together now . . . mouths and noses wet! Blow bubbles!

Great job! [Give individual feedback, as appropriate.] Let’s practice 5 times. Ready? Go. Great! Okay, one more time. Ready? Go.

Okay, now can you make funny sounds when you blow bubbles in the water? [Give individual feedback, as appropriate. If some are having trouble, continue with the additional direction.]

Remember, you take a breath, put your face in the water and blow out through your nose and mouth so that it makes big bubbles and loud noises. Let’s all give it a try. Ready? Go.

You all did great! I heard lots of bubble noises! [Give individual feedback, as appropriate.] Let’s do it again. Ready? Go.

Now, who can make your whole head go under the water so that all of your head gets wet? If you want, you can make bubbles at the same time. Everybody try it together. Ready? Go.

Good job! Does anyone see dry hair? [Give individual feedback, as appropriate. If some are having trouble, have a few who are successful show others how they did it.]

Who wants to show us they did it? Okay [insert a few participants’ names], we are all going to watch to see if your hair gets all wet. Good job! Does anyone see dry hair?

Now, it is everyone’s turn to do it again. Ready? Go.

Whose hair is all wet now? Yea! I think everyone got their whole head wet. Let’s do it again. Ready? Go. Great job! [Even though participants have accomplished the goal of getting their hair wet, it is likely that some will wipe their faces each time they surface.]

This time, can you put your whole head under the water and make big bubbles out of your nose and mouth while you are under the water? Ready? Go.

You did it! [Give individual feedback, as appropriate.] Let’s do it again. Ready? Go.

Since everyone is doing so well, we’re going to try something harder. This time, you are going to put your face in the water, blow out making bubbles, come up and take a breath and then go back down under and do it again. We’re going to try it 5 times in a row. Okay? Watch me do it, and count with me every time I go under and then come up for a breath.

Your turn! I’ll count while you do it. Ready? Go. [Count out with participants.]

Super job! [Give individual feedback, as appropriate.]

Everyone did great on that today. We’ll practice that again tomorrow. Now we’re going to do some swimming on our fronts.

What other teaching strategies might be used besides those above?

The suggested set-up for this class is with the students in a line along the wall, what other forms of class organization might be used?

What questions might be asked to involve the participants?

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Homework Section 3

Review the back crawl section of the Stroke Performance Charts in the Water Safety Instructor’s Manual or on the Water Safety Instructor’s CD-ROM.

Read the back crawl section of Chapter 6, Stroke Mechanics in Swimming and Water Safety.

Review Teaching Activities, Drills and Games on the Water Safety Instructor’s CD-ROM.

Read Chapter 3, Support and Holding Positions, and the information related to characteristics of child learners in Chapter 5, Customizing for Your Audience, in the Water Safety Instructor’s Manual.

Read Chapter 7, Parent and Child Aquatics and Chapter 8, Preschool Aquatics, in the Water Safety Instructor’s Manual.

Read Raffy Learns to Swim and Waddles in the Deep booklets.

After completing this lesson, the goal is that candidates will have the skills and knowledge to:

Use a block plan to develop lesson plans.

Demonstrate and use holding and support positions appropriately.

Describe the purpose and structure of Parent and Child Aquatics.

Describe the main skills and activities of Parent and Child Aquatics.

Demonstrate the ability to teach Parent and Child Aquatics skills.

Identify the components of a refined, efficient back crawl and describe different activities and drills that can be used to teach the back crawl.

Be prepared to answer these questions:

What are some ways to vary a Level 2 skill, such as combined arm and leg actions on the back, to meet the individual needs of each parent and child pair?

What do you think you can do to reduce or eliminate fearful behavior in young children?

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Homework Section 4

Review the breaststroke section of the Stroke Performance Charts in the Water Safety Instructor’s Manual or on the Water Safety Instructor’s CD-ROM.

Read the breaststroke section of Chapter 6, Stroke Mechanics, in Swimming and Water Safety.

Read Chapter 8, Preschool Aquatics, in the Water Safety Instructor Manual.

Read Chapter 4, Hydrodynamics, and Chapter 5, Basic Aquatic Skills, in Swimming and Water Safety.

Read Raffy Learns to Swim and Waddles in the Deep booklets.

After completing this lesson, the goal is that candidates will have the skills and knowledge to:

Describe steps for evaluating the execution of their own lesson plans.

Identify resources that they have available to help record and report progress in swim lessons.

Demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate about a student’s progress in swim lessons.

Develop a lesson plan for one Preschool Aquatics Level 1 or Level 2 class.

Identify the components of a refined, efficient breaststroke and describe different activities and drills that can be used to teach the breaststroke.

Be prepared to role-play the following situations, one person playing the 'parent,' one the 'instructor' and others observing what happens.

1) A parent approaches the instructor and asks, “I notice that my child is not comfortable with anything on his back, especially floating? What should I do?"

2) A parent approaches the instructor and explains that the grandparents are in town for one day and would like to take a photograph of her daughter jumping off of the diving board. Other children in the class have jumped off the diving board before, but this child is still expressing fear and has not been willing to try it yet.

3) A parent approaches the instructor and asks, “Why are you spending so much time sitting on the deck talking and playing in life jackets? I paid for swimming lessons and it doesn’t seem like they are swimming much.”

After the role playing we will consider how the 'instructor' handled the situation.

How did the 'parent' appear to feel about the way the 'instructor' handled it?

In section 4 you will also take turns playing participant and instructor to teach:

blowing bubbles, submerging to mouth, nose and eyes, front float, back float, front glide, back glide.

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Homework Section 5

Read Chapter 9, Learn-to-Swim in the Water Safety Instructor’s Manual.

Read the information related to Learner Characteristics of School-Aged Children in Chapter 5, Customizing for Your Audience, in the Water Safety Instructor’s Manual.

Read the butterfly section of Chapter 6, Stroke Mechanics, in Swimming and Water Safety.

Review the Teaching Activities, Drills and Games on the Water Safety Instructor’s CD-ROM.

After completing this lesson, the goal is that candidates will have the skills and knowledge to:

Observe and describe stroke development for Learn-to-Swim Levels 1–4 using video.

Observe and assess swimming skills and accurately classify them for front crawl, back crawl and breaststroke.

Demonstrate the ability to teach a lesson from Preschool Aquatics Levels 1–3 or Learn-to-Swim Levels 1 or 2.

Understand how they are progressing in the Water Safety Instructor course.

Identify the components of a refined, efficient butterfly and describe different activities and drills that can be used to teach the butterfly.

Practice-Teaching Assignment 1

Skill Level (PSA = Preschool aquatics, LTS= Learn to Swim)

1. Back float and recover to a vertical position PSA 1

2. Combined arm and leg actions on back PSA 1

3. Recognizing the lifeguards PSA 1

4. Front float and recover to a vertical position LTS 1

5. Combined arm and leg actions on front LTS 1

6. Alternating leg action on front LTS 1

7. Front glide PSA 2

8. Roll from front to back LTS 2

9. Treading water LTS 2

10. Jellyfish float LTS 2

You will need a written lesson plan for this 5 minute lesson.

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steps to learn to swim from a 1921 Red Cross article by Wilbert Longfellow:

Homework Section 6

Review the elementary backstroke section of the Stroke Performance Charts in the Water Safety Instructor’s Manual or on the Water Safety Instructor’s CD-ROM.

Review Levels 5 and 6 sections of the Stroke Performance Charts in Chapter 9, in the Water Safety Instructor’s Manual.

Review Teaching Activities, Drills and Games on the Water Safety Instructor’s CD-ROM.

Read the elementary backstroke section of Chapter 6, Stroke Mechanics, in Swimming and Water Safety.

After completing this lesson, the goal is that candidates will have the skills and knowledge to:

Observe and assess swimming skills for the butterfly, elementary backstroke and sidestroke and accurately classify them.

Demonstrate the ability to teach a lesson from Learn-to-Swim Level 3 or 4. Modify their teaching to meet unexpected challenges.

Identify the components of a refined, efficient elementary backstroke and describe different activities and drills that can be used to teach the elementary backstroke.

Practice-Teaching Assignment 2

Skill Level (PSA = Preschool Aquatics, LTS= Learn to Swim)

1. Fully submerging and holding breath PSA 3

2. Back glide PSA 3

3. Treading arm and leg actions PSA 3

4. Change direction of travel while swimming on the front or back (teach front and back) PSA 3

5. Too Much Sun Is No Fun PSA 3

6. Headfirst entry from the side in a sitting position LTS 3 7. Front crawl LTS 3

8. Elementary backstroke LTS 3

9. Push off in a streamlined position then begin dolphin kicking LTS 3

10. Exit skills assessment LTS 3

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Swimming classes often include students at various levels or stages of performance.

Be prepared to discuss solutions for the following scenarios.

Scenario 1

This is your first day of teaching a class of Level 1 students. There are six students in your class. Three of the students are eager to totally submerge their heads. One student attempts to do so, but is quite hesitant. Two students are unwilling to put their faces in the water and appear to be quite fearful.

Scenario 2

This is the third day of teaching a class of Level 4 students. There are eight students in your class. Two of the students exceed the performance criteria for all strokes on the front and back. One student is well below the performance criteria. Five of the students are near the performance criteria for at least two of the strokes on the front.

Scenario 3

This is the first day of teaching a class of Level 6 students. There are ten students in your class. All of the students are between the ages of eight and 12, however, only five of the students can demonstrate all of the strokes consistent with the Level 6 Stroke Performance Charts. Three of those five students have signed up for the Lifeguard Readiness Option and two signed up for the Fitness Swimmer option. The remaining five students have simply signed up for swimming lessons and did not make any option choice.

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(Photo below of a backstroke start by Red Cross instructor Ken Mignosa.)

Homework Section 7

Review the sidestroke section of the Stroke Performance Charts in the Water Safety Instructor’s Manual or on the Water Safety Instructor’s CD-ROM.

Read the sidestroke section of Chapter 6, Stroke Mechanics, in Swimming and Water Safety.

Read Chapter 7, Starts and Turns, in Swimming and Water Safety.

Review Chapter 9, Level 6, Fundamentals of Diving, in the Water Safety Instructor’s Manual.

Review sample lesson plans, drills and games on the Water Safety Instructor’s CD-ROM.

After completing this lesson, the goal is that candidates will have the skills and knowledge to:

Conduct lessons for teaching starts and turns.

Demonstrate the ability to teach a lesson from Learn-to-Swim Level 4 or 5.

Identify the components of a refined, efficient sidestroke and describe different activities and drills that can be used to teach the sidestroke.

Two participants start to hyperventilate before starting a long swim skill and then later try to hold their breath for extended periods.

Two participants begin splashing each other and disrupting the class.

A participant has a cramp in the hamstring muscle.

Thunder and lightning are detected in the area and the facility is closed for the next 30 minutes.

A participant rejoins the class after missing several lessons and does not open turn have the same skill level as the other participants.

A parent interrupts the class and demands to speak with you.

One participant gets frustrated with the other participants who are swimming slower and disrupting his swim by being in the way.

Due to a scheduling conflict at the facility, you are able to work only in shallow water, but the lesson 'requires' deeper water.

Two participants begin teasing while swimming another participant who then refuses to attempt this skill.

The pool temperature is colder than normal and about 4 minutes in to your lesson participants are too cold to stay in the water.

Practice-Teaching Assignment 3 (It is intended that half of these will be done in section seven, half in section eight.) A written lesson plan is required.

Skill Level (LTS= Learn to Swim)

1. Survival swimming LTS 4

2. Feetfirst surface dive LTS 4

3. Tread water using 2 different kicks (modified scissors, modified breaststroke or rotary) LTS 4

4. Sidestroke LTS 4

5. Backstroke open turn LTS 4

6. Think So You Don’t Sink LTS 4

7. Breaststroke LTS 4

8. Exit Skills Assessment 1 LTS 4

9. Front flip turn while swimming LTS 5

10. Tuck surface dive and pike surface dive LTS 5

This will be a 7 to 10 minute practice teaching lesson.

When teaching any head-first entries, whether starts or dives, review the safety precautions in your texts. The students’ safety is foremost.

What guidelines should you follow when teaching any type of head-first entry, whether for an entry to start swimming or to dive from the side or a diving board?

In section seven each instructor candidate will prepare (with a written lesson plan) and teach two 5 minute mini-lessons,

one from Parent and Child Aquatics Level 1 skills:

1. Getting wet with toys and kicking

2. Blowing bubbles on the surface

3. Blowing bubbles with mouth and nose submerged

4. Submerging mouth, nose and eyes

5. Front glide

6. Passing from instructor to parent

7. Leg action on front

8. Back float

9. Leg action on back

10. Rolling back to front

and one from from the following Parent and Child Aquatics Level 2 skills:

1. Stepping or jumping in

2. Bobbing

3. Drafting

4. Front float

5. Back glide

6. Leg action on front—alternating movements

7. Arm action on front—alternating movements

8. Leg action on back—simultaneous movements

9. Arm action on back—simultaneous movements

10. Rolling front to back

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Homework Section 8

Read Chapter 8, Diving, in Swimming and Water Safety.

Read the Characteristics of Adult Learners section of Chapter 5, Customizing for Your Audience, in the Water Safety Instructor’s Manual.

After completing this lesson, the goal is that candidates will have the skills and knowledge to:

Identify key elements and strategies for planning and preparing effective and safe swim lessons for adults.

Describe strategies for dealing with participants who misbehave.

Describe rules and progressions for teaching diving.

Conduct lessons for teaching diving.

Use teaching activities, drills and games to improve butterfly, elementary backstroke and sidestroke.

Demonstrate the ability to teach a lesson from Learn-to-Swim Level 4 or 5 (continued).

Be prepared to discuss:

What factors influence how adults learn new things?

What kind of differences might you see among adults that might affect how they learn to swim?

What are some reasons children might misbehave in a swim class?

How can planning and preparing to teach help you aviod, minimise or deal with misbehavior?

When teaching any head-first entries, whether starts or dives, review the safety precautions in your texts.

The students’ safety is foremost.

What guidelines should you follow when teaching any type of head-first entry, whether for an entry to start swimming or to dive from the side or a diving board?

What are the key differences between teaching the shallow angle dive and the standing dive?”

This section includes the second half of practice teaching 3 and three mini lessons:

Three candidates will prepare a mini-lesson plan for a teaching activity, drill or game specific to front crawl, back crawl or breaststroke. You should use the Water Safety Instructor’s CD-ROM as a resource or can use any other swimming reference. The plan should be in writing and should include relevant information, such as class organization, safety considerations, brief descriptions of the activity and key cue words or question trees and should last about 5 minutes.

Click on this link: Neighborhood Watch applied to swim centers and write up the three most important things you learned. This assignment only requires writing three sentences.

Every swim instructor, not just pool managers, should be familiar with the Centers for Disease Control(CDC) webpages.

Click on this link: http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/faq

and answer these questions:

Can head lice spread in a swimming pool? How would a swimmer be likely to get head lice at a pool?

Are swim diapers effective in holding in feces?

How long does it take an appropriate level of free chlorine to kill E coli in a pool? Cryptosporidium? ( Big hint, the answer is at the Chlorine Disinfection Timetable).

Then click on Aquatics staff in the right hand column, then on 12 Steps for Prevention of Recreational Water Illnesses, and answer these questions:

What is the optimum PH for a pool? What is the best filtration system for a kiddie pool? Is a written fecal accident response policy required? List two rules from the webpage that could be on a poolside sign.

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Homework Section 9

Read Chapter 9, Individual Characteristics and Other Health Conditions, in Swimming and Water Safety.

Read Chapter 6, Customizing for Individuals with Disabilities and Other Health Conditions, in the Water Safety Instructor’s Manual.

Read the Red Cross on-line reference American with Disabilities Accommodation Resource Guide for Conducting and Administering Health and Safety Services courses. at: (copy and paste this url into your browser)

www.chicagoredcross.org/pdf/adaresourceguide.pdf

It is a 104 page document, but most of it is links to resources. YOU DON'T HAVE TO READ ALL 104 PAGES! It starts with a review of basic principles of accommodating people with disabilities and Red Cross procedures for classes. Eventually you will want to read the whole document, but for now at least read:

section 3 on page 3 access to and participation in courses

section 4 on page 3-4 Teach to the standard. Test to the objective. Accommodate to the objective.

Chapter 2 page 6 problem-solving approach to develop appropriate accommodations has a lot of info for your pool site itself to get ready in advance for various people with various needs.

Pages 6-8 are worth reading and try out the case studies in pages 9-10

FAQs on pages 17-24

On page 23 open and closed captioning are explained. I did not know that American Sign Language was built on French Sign Language and in some cases there is no translation for the English terminology and the word order and syntax are different.

Chapter 4 has a ton of info on service animals.

Commonly asked questions are on page 36-7.

Hearing loss tips are on pages 39 - 40.

Details about facility accessibility start on page 43.

MS starts on page 48, with sample accommodations on page 52.

Most of the rest of it is a really detailed listing of online sources for info.

_________________________

After completing this lesson, the goal is that candidates will have the skills and knowledge to:

Demonstrate the ability to teach a lesson from Learn-to-Swim Levels 4–6.

Use teaching activities, drills and games to improve butterfly, elementary backstroke and sidestroke.

Describe some of the challenges participants with disabilities experience.

Demonstrate the ability to accommodate participants who have disabilities.

Briefly write up modifications or accommodations that you should consider to meet the needs of an individual with a disability as in these scenarios:

Scenario 1 The swimming and water safety program coordinator has informed you that a child who has epilepsy has enrolled in your next Preschool Aquatics Level 1 class. How might you prepare for that participant?

Scenario 2 One of your Learn-to-Swim Level 3 students has a vision impairment. How might you approach teaching headfirst entries?

Scenario 3 The swimming and water safety program coordinator has informed you that one of the Level 2 participants in the upcoming session does not speak English. How could you adjust your class to accommodate his or her needs?

Scenario 4 An adult participant in your Learn-to-Swim Level 4 course has severely restricted movement in one shoulder. His main goal for signing up for swim lessons is to improve his strokes so he can swim for fitness. How could you adjust your class to help him meet his goals?

Scenario 5 The swimming and water safety program coordinator has informed you that one of the Preschool Aquatics Level 3 participants in the upcoming session has autism. How could you adjust your class to accommodate his or her needs?

Scenario 6 The swimming and water safety program coordinator has informed you that a 9- year-old child who has an intellectual disability is registered for your upcoming Level 2 class. There will be only two other participants in your class. How could you approach teaching this session to accommodate his or her needs?

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Be prepared to discuss: “What are modifications you should consider to meet the needs of an individual with an impairment?”

read:

http://www.berkeleywellness.com/html/fw/fwFit02Stretching.html

and briefly write up the three most important safety rules you found. This assignment only requires writing three sentences.

optional reading: STOP THAT CRAMP!

4 causes -- and solutions -- for muscle cramps during exercise

http://www.usms.org/news/newsitem.php?n=29

read:

http://www.berkeleywellness.com/html/fw/fwFit03StrengthTraining.html and briefly write up the three most important safety rules you found. This assigment only requires writing three sentences.

USA Swimming has a nutrition article at:

http://www.usaswimming.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabId=1635&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en

read it and briefly write up three new things you learned. This assigment only requires writing three sentences.

Practice teaching #4

Practice-Teaching Assignment 4

Skill Level (LTS= Learn to Swim)

1. Shallow-angle dive LTS 5

2. Backstroke flip turn while swimming LTS 5

3. Sculling LTS 5

4. How to call for help and the importance of knowing first aid and CPR LTS 5

5. Reach or Throw, Don’t Go LTS 5

6. Breaststroke turn LTS 6

7. HELP position LTS 6

8. Diving from poolside progressions (kneeling, forward dive fall-in and standing dive) LTS 6

9. Calculating target heart rate LTS 6

10. Takeoff on deck (one-part and two-part takeoff) LTS 6

We will write different types of conditions or circumstances on small pieces of paper, such as—

Two participants are visually impaired and cannot see.

Half of the participants cannot hear due to a physical disability.

One participant with mild autism has difficulty communicating.

One participant with cerebal palsy has trouble with balance and posture.

One participant with mild autism is sensitive to being touched.

Some participants in an adult class have limited range of motion in the shoulders.

One participant cannot bend one leg at the knee joint.

One participant has trouble concentrating and following complex instructions.

A majority of participants speak and understand limited English.

Half of your adult class is extremely hesitant to try new things.

and have each candidate pick out one of the pieces of paper from a hat or bag.

In teaching assignment 4 you will have to be prepared to make accommodations for the condition or circumstance. Review their lesson plan to determine what accommodations need to occur.

You will have about ten minutes to teach. After about 7 minutes, I will stop the instructor candidate and have him/her state the condition or circumstance that he or she was assigned and explain what modifications or accommodations might be used to help participants achieve success.

3 candidates will prepare a mini-lesson plan for a teaching activity, drill or game specific to either butterfly, elementary backstroke or sidestroke. You can use the Water Safety Instructor’s CD-ROM as a resource or any other swimming reference. The plan should be in writing and should include relevant information, such as class organization, safety considerations, brief description of the activity and key cue words or question trees. The activity, drill or game should last about 5 minutes.

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Homework Section 10

Read How to pass a Red Cross written test and come to class prepared to discuss three new things you learned.

Read: Water Safety Instructor exam study guide

This session will have no water work, but will include a brief review, any info not yet covered from the Red Cross Silicon Valley Chapter, and your final written exam.

You must pass the final written exam with a score of 80 percent or higher (correctly answer at least 40 of 50 questions). Those of you who have had lifeguard training or CPR, for example, know that there are two tries allowed for these exams, but since this is an instructor class you will have only one try at this exam. The exam is not open book.