PE 28G course syllabus

We have more time in this class for you to be successful than most Water Safety Instructor classes held elsewhere. You should end up with more confidence in your skills and more employability as a result.

Prerequisites: The De Anza catalog lists a prerequisite of P.E. 26C. You do not actually have to have taken the De Anza 26C class, you just need the swimming skill of an intermediate swimmer.

To enroll in a Red Cross Water Safety Instructor course, a person must:

Be at least 16 years of age on or before the final scheduled session of this course.

Have successfully completed Fundamentals of Instructor Training. (This is included in the De Anza class.)

1. Demonstrate the ability to perform the following swimming skills consistent with Stroke Performance Charts, Level Four (WSI prerequisites has details about what Level Four means):

Front crawl (also known as freestyle) - 25 yards

Back crawl (you might know back crawl as racing backstroke) - 25 yards

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 one minute. (You can use a breaststroke kick, scissors kick or eggbeater, and if you want to show off, can tread without using your hands, but we will not accept a flutter kick for treading.)

Tests #2 and #3 will be given the second class session and you must pass them to continue with the class.

Red Cross Instructor: Mary Donahue

E-mail donahuemary@fhda.edu (I get too many e-mails so I don't always return emails that can be answered in class, but you can give me notice that you need an answer by emailing before you ask in class.)

I'm a Red Cross certified lifeguard, swim teacher, lifeguard instructor, lifeguard instructor trainer, water safety instructor trainer, CPR, First Aid and Automated External Defibrillation instructor (and other Red Cross instructor and I.T. certifications). I was on swim team in high school, and as a student at De Anza was sports editor of the newspaper. I have taught at De Anza, first in Physical Education and then in Biological and Health Sciences, since April, 1988.

I have been a lifeguard, lifeguard captain, or in charge of the swim at 45 triathlons or open water swims, including the Danskin Women's Triathlon (6 years), National Triathlon for the Physically Limited (every other year for a total of 4 times), Bud Light (4 years), All for Kids Day (2 years), a six and a half mile 'Pier to Pier' swim from Capitola to Cowell's beach in Santa Cruz in 1998, San Jose International (2 years), the Silicon Valley Kids Triathlon (2004, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11), the 2009 National Senior Games Triathlon and the Escape from Alcatraz 'Sharkfest' and/or Alcatri and/or under the Golden Gate swim since 2000.

I'm also senior faculty advisor to the De Anza Outdoor Club. Volunteering at some swim races is done as a club event. Outdoor Club Coming Attractions

Office Hours are in S75 at 12:20 after the Friday HLTH class, Sunday at the pool deck after the WSI class or by arrangement. Office hours are held wherever we happen to be - in a classroom or on the pool deck or in the pool.

Office hours for Danielle Altman Von Matt are Tuesdays 10:24 to 11:20 or by appointment. Her office is above the diving boards at the De Anza pool complex, in room PE41L. Email: VonMattDanielle@deanza.edu

Dress, supplies and fees

You paid a fee for the Red Cross cards when you registered for the class. The fee is charged by the Red Cross whether or not you pass.

- Required textbooks: All the texts and the Water Safety Instructor CD-ROM will be for sale at the De Anza Bookstore.

You can get a head start on the reading by downloading or printing (for free) the American Red Cross Swimming and Water Safety Manual at: http://editiondigital.net/publication/?i=55928

(This had no index, so I wrote one: Swimming and Water Safety 2009 index).

and the American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor's Manual at: http://editiondigital.net/publication/?i=59183

- Notebook and pen or pencil

- A swimsuit you can move in (women: one piece, not strapless; men: nylon trunks, not cutoffs or extreme bikini style). White material on Speedos, etc. is see through when wet and not appropriate for this class. Changing should be done in restrooms or locker rooms, not in storage rooms, hallways or under a towel on deck.

Bring your suit and towels, etc. everyday, even when we intend to be in a classroom, in case plans change.

Wear your suit to class on days we expect to be in the water since class time is not allowed for changing.

- Sweatsuit or the like and extra towels for occasional ins and outs of the water; thongs or sandals (the pool deck can get hot). Wear a hat with a wide brim as often as possible.

- waterproof sunscreen, applied one half hour before swimming (most kinds will wash right off and just make an oil slick in the pool if you apply them right before getting in). I use 36 to 50 sun protection factor Bullfrog or Aloe Gator brands, which can be applied right before getting in. Test a little before you use it extensively; some people are allergic to some kinds.

To get a free catalog of clothes rated with a 30 sun protection factor call Sun Precautions 1 (800) 882-7860. They sell a long-sleeved shirt you can swim in and lots of wide-brimmed hats.

So as not to injure yourself or others: you'll need to remove watches, jewelry, body jewelry (piercings... ear, eyebrow, nose or wherever).

- Don't hyperventilate (multiple, rapid, deep breaths) before you swim under water. You can't store extra oxygen that way, and you can possibly pass out under water.

This is a long class, so be sure to eat a good breakfast. You will want to bring snacks (just be sure they're not in glass containers). Most people don't get stomach cramps from having a light meal before they swim.

Can you wear your contact lenses to swim? Ask your eye doctor first. Pool chemicals can damage some kinds and others might absorb bacteria. Plus you always risk losing them. Goggles do not protect contact lenses.

Water Safety Instructor candidates will need to 'clear' their ears (equalize the pressure) before they feel the pressure change when they swim to depth. I will describe clearing your ears the first day. Please talk to me personally if you don't understand how to do it, or if it doesn't seem to work when you try it in the water. Surface immediately if you have pain. You can lose your hearing if you do it wrong.

Normal anti-theft precautions apply in the showers/locker room or on deck. Take off expensive watches and jewelry in your car instead of in the locker room. IF we get lockers at Foothill, don't let people watch over your shoulder as you dial in your lock combination. Don't leave things out on a bench in the locker room while you shower. A thief will assume your bag that only has towels in it has your wallet, and you'll have to buy a new bag and towels. People have been known to steal curling irons, etc.

De Anza photo student ID cards are processed downstairs in the Campus Center. The nearest entrance is on the corner facing the L quad next to Le Café. You need to bring a valid, legal photo ID (driver's license, passport, Calif. ID card, or green card), and you must know your Social Security number or have your current DASB validation sticker with you. The hours are listed in the schedule of classes and posted at the office. Sometimes the line is shorter after about 3 p.m. If you don't have a driver's license or passport, you can get a photo ID from the Department of Motor Vehicles by bringing in a birth certificate, Social Security card and a small payment.

Once you have the student ID, you use it as a library card. If the student ID is offensive to you, you can get a different library card at the learning center.

For Red Cross certification

100% attendance and attention is required by the Red Cross for certification. Students late to class, missing part of the class, or leaving early will not be able to certify and are subject to being dropped. 100% attention to learning is a requirement of that attendance. Simply being present does not constitute attendance. Almost every day of class has required material for Red Cross certification. Makeups may be impossible to do, as we will need to find a Red Cross Instructor Trainer to volunteer do personal tutoring.

There will be teaching assistants / tutors working with the class, but they are here to help people who are attending, not to catch up people who miss class, with the exception of someone they want to hire and are willing to spend extra time outside of class with.

Therefore, all students should strive for perfect attendance and attention.

Some people take Water Safety Instructor for fun with no intention of certifying. But they find as the class progresses that they are very successful. If you are taking this class for exercise or fun, don't lose out on the possibility of certifying by having weak attendance.

For your De Anza Grade

If you choose to ask for a pass/no pass instead of a letter grade, please note: No more than 30 units of credit with a "P" grade can be applied toward an Associate of Arts degree. And ordinarily, no "P" grade may be applied toward a student's major requirements unless the major lists a pass/no pass. You will need to apply for a pass/no pass at the Portal early in the quarter. To earn a 'pass' you must do at least the work required for a 'C.' http://www.deanza.edu/registration/passnopass.html

(Many) De Anza physical education classes, including Water Safety Instructor, require some reading, writing and critical thinking.

Written tests are not graded on a curve so it is possible for most of the class to earn A's and B's.

To earn a passing grade you must have a minimum participation in the class and in homework/exams. Do more and you earn a higher grade. (Sorry, you can't do all the homework and not swim/do lessons, or vice versa.)

A+ = 97%, A = 90, A- = 87 B+ = 84, B= 80, B- = 77, C+ = 74, C= 70, (no C- grades are given at De Anza), D+ = 64, D = 60, D- = 57, (no F+ or F- grades are given at De Anza), F = less than 57%.

Grade criteria:

Homework - 30%

Quizzes - 15%

De Anza final exam - 25%

Lesson plans - 30% (The two lessons with the lowest grades will be dropped.)

Extra credit opportunities will be available for up to a 5% grade increase.

Your first six hours of absences (or one class session) will not affect your grade, no matter the reason for it. Each 50 minutes after that will lower your grade one full grade, unless it is made up. After the first week if you are more than ten minutes late, the time absent will count towards lowering your grade. Again, the Red Cross requires 100% attendance and attention to learning for you to be certified.

Many of the homework assignments involve reading webpages and writing up new things you learned. Most of these short assignments only require a few sentences of writing.

Some days we will start class with a short quiz. We will go over the answers right away and these quizzes can't be made up.

Homework is due in the first five minutes of class on the date specified, but with the exception of quizzes we go over in class, most will be accepted late for half credit if turned in by the next class day (again, in the first five minutes). To be sure you get credit for your homework, do each assignment on a separate sheet of paper, don't put one on one side and another on the back. Do not turn in homework early.

I do not accept emailed homework.

I do not accept any assignments after the last day of class.

You are responsible for keeping a copy of each homework assignment, so doing them on a computer is wise. (And many of them are the same assignments for lifeguard training spring quarter, so saving them on your computer could be wise.)

Sometimes the server for faculty websites is not functioning properly, so don't put online homework off until the last minute. If you do not have a computer with online access there are almost one hundred in the basement of the De Anza Learning Center, and most public libraries have a few. You can usually get a public library card quickly, often the same day you go into the library.

Almost all of the homework will be posted at the class webpage: P.E.28G

It is possible to receive college credit and an 'A' for this course and not receive Red Cross certification. Likewise, it is possible (although unlikely), to receive Red Cross certification and get a De Anza 'F'.

A point system is used in this class for excused or unexcused absences, lates and lack of participation. After 12 points: excused, unexcused, made up, or not (8 points in the first two weeks), you are subject to being dropped.

Each absence equals 4 points. (If you add the class late, you have points accumulated.)

Absence on a major test day (De Anza final, Red Cross exam) is 6 points.

Lateness or leaving early equals 1 point.

A half hour late equals 2 points.

Not participating in the water (sick, forgot your swimsuit, etc.) = 2 points

Late homework = 2 points

Homework not completed equals 4 points.

Routine appointments (a teeth cleaning at your dentist, for example) are not considered excusable, since they could have been scheduled for another time.

Again, the Red Cross requires 100% attendance for certification.

Makeups include:

Scheduled extra practice sessions during swim team workouts.

Extra credit research assignments and other makeups as arranged with the instructor.

According to the dean of physical education, you can't do make-ups in the Wellness Center or weight room.

In the case of longterm illness, injury, or other multiple excusable absences, arrangements can be taken to receive an 'incomplete' in the class rather than a low grade. The instructor and student must make arrangements and sign a contract to do this. An 'incomplete' grade is only appropriate for verifiable illness/injury or other unforeseen emergency situations. The incomplete will not apply to the Red Cross certification.

If you can't participate in the water due to illness or injury, your attendance in class will still count partially (but if you have a broken leg and can't get in the water for a month, you'll need to drop or do an incomplete).

College success hint: Communicate with your instructors. E-mail me or leave a note as to why you are missing class, and when you expect to return. Notes can be left in my mailbox in the P.E. Division office, upstairs behind the pool diving boards. If the office is locked, any P.E. instructor has a key and might let you in if you ask nicely. Please don't expect notes to be picked up regularly. Email is best.

Video or audio taping of this class is not allowed. Please turn off ringers on cell phones or pagers during class, unless you are having an emergency at home, in which case let me know.

You need to pay complete attention during videos. Everything mentioned in the video is in your text, so note taking while watching videos is not needed nor is it allowed.

Drops:

You are responsible for dropping classes you do not want to take and deadlines are enforced. After the deadlines neither you nor your instructor can drop you.

An 'incomplete' grade is only appropriate for verified illness/injury or other unforeseen emergency situations, not because you forgot to drop by the deadline.

Please note these De Anza policies:

"It is recommended that all students consult with a physician regarding their participation in this physical education class."

"Students should not enter the pool until their instructor or the lapswim lifeguard is supervising them on deck, or until they have permission of an instructor whose class they wish to join for makeups. For your personal health and safety we require there be no gum chewing or spitting on the deck or in the pool. In addition we require that there be no diving from the starting blocks, three meter diving boards, platforms, or into water less than 9 feet deep."

You will be required to comply with all rules and regulations as outlined in the De Anza College Student Handbook http://www.deanza.edu/studenthandbook/index.html (especially the section on academic integrity http://www.deanza.edu/studenthandbook/academic-integrity.html ) as well as any in the De Anza College Catalog http://www.deanza.edu/publications/catalog/ ).

All information in the student handbook applies in this course and students will be held accountable for this information. In addition to outlining expectations of classroom behavior, the handbook contains many helpful resources for students.

In the handbook you will find descriptions of cheating and plagiarism and these statements: "It is the students' responsibility to know what constitutes academic dishonesty...When students are caught cheating or plagiarizing, a process is begun which may result in severe consequences."

If disruptive behavior occurs in a class, "the instructor may remove the student from his or her class for that day and the next class meeting if the student interfered with the instructional process," and the behavior will be reported to the Office of Student Development for possible disciplinary action/reprimand/suspension.

It would be impossible to list all the ways a student could be disruptive, but the basic definition is: a disruptive person is one, who through his/her behavior, speech or actions, interferes with academic activity. This can be as obvious as physical or verbal abuse; willful damage to person or college property; disorderly conduct; lewd, indecent or obscene behavior or use of illicit drugs or misuse of prescription drugs & alcohol.

Disruptive behavior also includes anything that distracts or intimidates students or disrupts teaching, including, but not limited to: using cell phones, pagers, and other electronic devices other than those approved by me or allowing them to ring; using a laptop during class to do homework, email friends, etc.; engaging in private conversations; inappropriate language (profanity or vulgarity) or gestures; requesting excessive (in the opinion of the instructor) breaks; taking breaks of your own choosing; inconsiderate personal hygiene habits including, but not limited to: noticeably offensive body odor or the use of chewing tobacco; smoking in or near the classroom; wearing/using headphone or earbuds-type music/tape playing devices; packing up early; disruptive noise making, including but not limited to uncontrolled laughter, pen, pencil or foot tapping, loud gum popping, loud or attentiondistracting drinking and paper/book rustling; inappropriate body language, including, but not limited to propping feet up on a desk, refusing to remain seated, glaring or making faces; inappropriate physical contact; refusal to comply with instructor's directions; open and persistent defiance of the authority of the instructor or teaching assistants. Day packs and other gear should be left on the floor, not the desk top, so you won't be tempted to hide your cell phone from view of the instructor while you text message a friend.

Disruptive behavior also includes inordinate demands for time and attention, including, but not limited to, monopolizing discussions; persistent questioning; wasting class time by repeatedly asking unnecessary questions, such as those that have been answered in class or class materials or giving excuses for not doing homework; attempting to debate with the instructor over teaching style, the need for required homework, attendance, attention; interrupting the flow of class with interjections or questions; incoherent comments and off-topic discussions; interrupting the flow of class by not staying organized during drills, especially not following along with simultaneous practices.

Disruptive behavior also includes overt inattentiveness and engaging in activities inappropriate to learning, including, but not limited to: sleeping (or appearing to sleep, as in eyes closed); reading nonclass related materials (newspapers, magazines, etc.); reading class materials at inappropriate times, such as when attention should be focused on videos, lecture, discussion or skills practice; completing homework during class time; applying makeup; staring out the window.

At the pool disruptive behavior also includes, but is not limited to: submerging when the instructor is talking or it could be normally anticipated the instructor would talk; swimming in a direction opposite to the flow of a drill and risking hitting other swimmers/not staying on your side of a lane or circle swimming improperly; swimming out of bounds of the class; entering the water before the instructor says to; public displays of affection; changing clothes on the deck; prolonged breath holding or submersion without permission and a lifeguard watching you; floating and/or not moving without a thumbs up signal; breaking safety rules, such as climbing over the wall instead of using the stairs, running on the deck, pushing others into the pool.

It is self-defeating, and disrupts the class as well, to say out loud (or even to think to yourself) "I can't do this." Give yourself the time to try each step repeatedly until you succeed! Keep thinking "I WILL be able to do this" until it happens. Your personal positive attitude really can affect the outcome. Balking or refusing to participate in class practice or skills testing is also disruptive to the class as a whole and can lead to your being dropped.

Open class discussions are encouraged as long as the discussion is appropriate, done in a respectful, orderly fashion and fits in the time required to cover the class material. Disagreements and differences of opinion in class discussions are not disruptive behavior unless they include personal insults, bullying or physical confrontation, intimidation, excessive aggressiveness or anger, being overly argumentative, interrupting others, obscenities, yelling and the like.

In my classes sometimes I will take answers off the cuff, but often the best way to answer is to raise your hand and be recognized. Occasionally I will ask a question and request that no one answer it out loud for a moment until all have had a chance to think about it.

Use the restroom and change into your swimsuit before class begins on pool days as we will not take many long breaks. Making the rest of the class wait while you change is also disruptive, if you come too late to change in time, let me know and wait until a time when you can leave without missing important information. If your instructor in the class you have just before this one keeps you too late to be able to have enough time to change, then you will need to wear your swimsuit under your clothes to that class. If you need a bathroom break, let me know, don't just walk out of class, as we will have to stop class if anyone leaves so they don't miss required information.

Use the restroom before an exam begins. Once you have begun an exam you will not be allowed to go to the bathroom and return to finish the test. No books, notes, computers, dictionaries, translation devices or other aids are allowed during exams. Do not wear ear buds. Do not talk to anyone during an exam, except the instructor, a co-instructor or teaching assistant.

Again, no cheating, plagiarism, dishonesty or behavior that would lead a reasonable person to assume that these activities have taken place will be tolerated. When I give written tests I like students to sit far apart from each other so if they look around while thinking no one will think they are trying to cheat. No one should talk during exams, except to the instructor or a teaching assistant. Unless an assignment is given as group work I expect that all work will be your own.

There is essentially no privacy in this class. If your swim skills are not up to par, corrections we give you will make that obvious. Anyone in hearing range will know if you fail an exam. A list of what skills have been passed may be posted. Missing homework may be discussed in front of other students.

Some etiquette:

The teaching assistants are here to help tutor you, not to do chores, so your participation is expected. Your assistance in removing lane lines will help get the class going faster. Assistance after class in getting equipment put away means we do not have to do it during class and have more time for skills work.

The teaching assistants (TAs) are not supposed to start dating students in the class, so it's really not fair for the students to ask TAs to parties or hit on them until April 26.

Your friends or relatives who want to watch the class can do so from the bleachers. If you are having babysitting problems, quiet, wellbehaved kids can occasionally attend class with you and sit in the bleachers but can NOT get in the pool. Class discussions are frequently not appropriate for children, and / or the presence of children makes other students uncomfortable, so kids are not allowed in the classroom(s).

The De Anza Health Policy says (in part) "A De Anza student will:

Not attend college if he/she has a contagious condition (i.e., T.B., measles, hepatitis, etc.).

Not attend college if he/she is under the influence of alcohol or illicit drugs.

Obtain a physician's note and cooperate openly and honestly with college officials about medical problems that may threaten the health and/or welfare of self and others.

Adhere to safety regulations and use safety equipment and protective devices as required."

Do not enter the pool if you have had diarrhea within the past two weeks (unless you get a note from a doctor saying you are okay).

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Report any injuries and equipment or facilities problems immediately to your instructor.

In case we have an accident in class, or outside of class time in the locker room or around campus, the mergency phone number whether we are on the Foothill or De Anza campus on Sunday is (408) 924-8000.

Running on the deck, standing on a kickboard in the water and trying to push people into the pool are only some of the various actions that could cause injury. It would be impossible to list all of them in this course syllabus, so pay attention to lectures on the subject and think before you act in a rowdy manner.

Pay close attention to all safety lectures and descriptions in the book of how to do activities safely. One of your first homework assignments is to review a number of class safety rules at the website.

Failure to perform activities correctly can result in injury.

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There might not be any certification 'card.' for WSI. If not, you will be able to print a record of your certifications at a Red Cross national website, probably within two months after the quarter is over.

If needed before the two month date, I can send an email verify passing to potential employers.

IF it turns out you will be getting an actual paper certifcation card, students who earn Red Cross cards within the regular school term can expect their cards in the mail within three weeks after the end of the quarter (if the Red Cross is not too swamped with work, it can often take much longer) and if they provide the instructor with a stamped, self addressed envelope. If needed before the threeweek date, arrangements can be made with the instructor (before the last day of class) to verify passing for potential employers. Students should get the stamped, self addressed envelope to the instructor by the last day of class. After that day the instructor is not responsible for keeping your card on file and you may need to contact the Red Cross for a replacement card, at 1 800 733-2767.

Any unused SASEs can be claimed during class but will not be returned after class is over.

Updated Sunday, March 31, 2013 at 1:41:46 PM by Mary Donahue - donahuemary@fhda.edu
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