Assistant Water Safety Instructor Course

Assistant Water Safety Instructor Course

and Water Safety Instructor Course

Facilitator Guide

(Updated and reprinted 2008)

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Acknowledgements

The Canadian Red Cross wishes to thank the many volunteers and staff involved in the revision of the Water Safety Program for their invaluable efforts. Their tireless work and dedication during the development process have created these new programs and products, of which we are very proud. We would also like to thank the many Authorized Providers, Instructor Trainers, Instructors, and parents who participated in the market research. Their input and guidance helped shape the new look of our program and product offerings. We would also like to express our appreciation to the many Authorized Providers who graciously agreed to operate a pilot site for the programs during development.

Instructor Development Program

Instructor Committee Members Pilot Course Conductors and Pilot

Gail Botten (co-chair) Site Sponsors

Shelley Dalke (co-chair) St. Johns Canada Games Aquatic Centre

Marie-Josée Chicoine Tiffany Ellin

Laura-Lee Dam Gena Fowler

Loriann Ierullo Glen Haines

Rachelle Kopp Elsa Stanley

Lana Keim

Johane Lafleur We would also like to extend a very special thank you

Darlene Pieroway to the following individuals who were instrumental

Elsa Stanley in providing leadership and vision to the creative

Instructor Trainer Committee Members process:

Wayne Little (Chair) Yvan Chalifour

Gail Botten Marie-Josée Chicoine

Shelley Dalke Shelley Dalke

Michelle Hebein Michelle Hebein

Mark Kristalovich

Shelley Kwong Johane Lafleur

Johane Lafleur Colleen Lavender

Elsa Stanley Michele Mercier

Eric Ritterrath

Karen Shank

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Coaching Young Swimmers—Swimming/Natation Canada 1990

YMCA Water Fitness for Health

Swimming and Water Safety Manual 1995

Water Safety Instructor Manual 1995

Full Body Flexibility by Jay Blahnik

Assistant Water Safety Instructor Course
pages 3-31

Water Safety Instructor Course
pages 32-48

AWSI Appendices
pages 49-66

WSI Appendices
pages 67-71

Assistant Water Safety Instructor Course

As a Canadian Red Cross Water Safety Instructor Trainer, it is important to provide courses that relay information in an interesting, exciting and challenging way. This guide is designed to assist you with course planning. In it you will find: a definition of the purpose or goal of the session, topics that need to be covered in the session and some suggested activities. The activities are yours to use, modify, build on and be inspired by! The suggested activities do not cover all of the information that needs to be covered in the session, so don’t forget to add your own material and ideas!

Contents

Introduction

Screening

Red Cross Swim

Communication

Learning

Safety Supervision

Teaching

Science of Swimming

Developing Swimmer

Strokes

Skills and Water Safety

Fitness

Final Evaluation / Next Steps

INTRODUCTION

1 hour (class)

**Important: The first 30 minutes will set the tone for the remainder of the course. Ensure that you set a positive and encouraging learning environment for your candidates. For example, welcome each candidate with a smile, ensure the instruction room is easy to find, and make the room inviting as candidates enter.

objectives

1. Provide candidates with the course agenda, course materials, expectations, and evaluation criteria.

2. Provide candidates with an orientation to the facility and to safety procedures.

3. Introduce candidates to the principle of inclusion as it applies to the Red Cross Swimming and Water Safety Program.

Suggested Activities

(Please note: these activities do not cover all points that need to be included in your session. You will need to incorporate some of your own activities to ensure all of the above bulleted points are covered.)

Each person gets three sticky notes Have candidates write one interesting thing about themselves on each sticky note. Put the three sticky notes in a balloon and then blow up the balloon and tie. (Be sure to have different coloured balloons). Now have the group start in a circle and on “go” throw the balloons in the air and try to keep them up there until you say “stop”. Have candidates grab a balloon, not their own. Candidates pop the balloon, read the sticky notes, and try to find the person that matches the sticky notes. Be sure to clean up the balloons before moving on. This activity provides lots of fun and noise.

Lunch bag activity Distribute one lunch bag to each candidate. Have the candidates write their name vertically down one side of the lunch bag using a marker. Beside each letter of their name they need to write down a positive adjective that would describe them best, e.g.:

G – goofy

A – attentive

I – imaginative

L – leader

Have each candidate tape their lunch bag on the desk in front of them, so that everyone can see their name. Explain that throughout the course, this is where paperwork, feedback, evaluations, and maybe even treats will be placed, so look often.

Distribute the Candidate Information Sheet (Appendix A) and have the candidates complete it. Collect the sheet. Anyone not meeting the age pre-requisite should be addressed immediately, in private. Transfer the information from these sheets to the master sheet. Once the information has been transferred to the master sheet, please destroy the individual Candidate Information Sheets. Remember the master sheet should not be passed around for the candidates to complete because of the Privacy Act. If there are any concerns that may limit performance, they must be address immediately in private with the individual.

Hang 3 flipchart stations around the room

a) Facility and Course Guidelines (e.g. course rules such as: respect, comply with facility rules, clean up the room, you may bring snacks, etc.)

b) What are your expectations? What do you want to learn? What do you hope to gain from the course?

c) What do you think you will be evaluated on? ( e.g. strokes, leadership, etc.).

Have the candidates select a marker and rotate to the three flipcharts to write down their ideas. When completed, have them return to their seats. Review, discuss and add points where necessary.

SCREENING

1 hour (pool)

You need to ensure that the candidates know and can perform the strokes, skills and distances of the Red Cross Swim Kids Program.

objectives

1. Meet prerequisite skill and stroke requirements for: front crawl; back crawl; elementary back stroke; breast stroke; shallow dive; feet first and head first surface dive with 2m underwater swim; treading water; distance swim 500m; rescue breathing, with adaptations for infants, children, and adults; conscious choking rescue; throwing assist with a line; reaching assist with an aid (meet the performance criteria of Red Cross Swim Kids Level 10 or the highest level in which the skill is evaluated).

Suggested Activities

Stations Water Safety Instructor Trainer to create stations for all strokes and skills. Each station should have the name of the skill and all performance criteria. Have the candidates walk through the stations completing the stroke or skill while the WSIT monitors. Refer to the AWSI Manual appendix B and D for the listing of items to be screened.

RED CROSS SWIM

1.5 hours (class)

Objectives

1. Know the Red Cross history in Canada, programs and services, and Seven Fundamental Principles.

2. Identify the various components of the Red Cross Swim program..

3. Identify the components of the Haddon Matrix Injury Prevention Model (PEE [personal, environment, and equipment]; PSSS [Prepare! Stay Safe! Survive!]).

4. Identify the difference between an “accident” and an “incident” and that “accidents” are predictable and preventable (injury prevention).

Suggested Activities

Seven Fundamental Principles Have candidates complete the crossword puzzle (Appendix B). Review answer key when the puzzle is complete.

Water Safety Program Divide class into small groups (two or three to a group). Ask them to complete the Red Cross AWSI Manual Seek & Find Activity (Appendix C). Review answers together.

Injury Prevention Activity Break into small groups. Have each group share a personal physical scar or injury story. After sharing amongst themselves, have each group choose one story to dissect. Using the chart on pg 2.8 of the AWSI manual, have each group fill in the chart by detailing how the injury could have been avoided. There must be at least three items in each category. Ask the groups to identify if any of these injuries or scars were truly an “accident”-- an unavoidable incident. Each time look at the factors involved and determine if, at some point in the series of events, someone could have made a choice or taken a different action that would have prevented this incident from occurring. Ask the candidates to identify why the Canadian Red Cross would choose to use an injury prevention approach to create the Swimming and Water Safety Program. Refer candidates to section titled Tips for Developing Water Safe Attitudes and Behaviours on pg 2.7 of the AWSI manual.

Drowning Research Divide the class into groups of two. Hand out the current issue of Drowning Research or Drownings and other water-related injuries in Canada 10 Years of Research (available at www.redcross.ca). Assign each group a Typical Victim Profile or a Typical Scenario to review. Each group is to present their profile or scenario and identify how the Canadian Red Cross Swimming and Water Safety program addresses the factors raised.

Summary of Information Divide the candidates into two groups. Place one group of candidates in a circle sitting on chairs facing out. Have the second set of candidates place a chair directly opposite the inside circle so that the candidates are facing the inner circle. Give each member of both circles one Canadian Red Cross Swimming and Water Safety Program Question Card (Appendix D). You may decide to give more than one card if you have a small group. The inner circle partner begins by reading his/her question card to the partner in the outer circle. Together they discuss the answer to the question. The person who asks the questions keeps notes on the back of the card for the brief presentation at the end of the activity. Then the outer circle partner reads his/her question card and the partners discuss their answers, recording notes on the card. After three minutes, call for a rotation. The inner circle stays put and the outer circle moves clockwise to the next person. Repeat activity until the outer circle completes one full rotation. Have the candidates read the question out to the group and the recorded answers. Provide additional information when necessary. Information can also be found in Red Cross Swim, Chapter Two of the AWSI Manual.

COMMUNICATION

1 hour (class)

Definition: You demonstrate effective interpersonal skills with candidates, colleagues, employers and parents.

Objectives

1. Identify how communication affects learning.

2. Demonstrate the ability to communicate verbally and nonverbally with all age groups.

3. Identify effective strategies for solving problems and resolving issues in an aquatic environment.

4. Identify how to create and maintain a safe environment for children, teens and adults and how to proceed appropriately should a situation arise.

> Key points and perception checks

> Keep It Short and Simple

> Instructing with enthusiasm

> What is empathy and how to demonstrate it

Suggested Activities

Characteristics of Communication

Have AWSIs brainstorm the list of components for effective communication (from the AWSI Manual pg 3.1). Ask AWSIs to quickly identify which of the characteristics from the list are important when dealing with difficult situations, e.g., using non-verbal cues such as thumbs-up or speaking to swimmers at eye level. Create a chart similar to the example below to outline the characteristics the class has highlighted and some strategies to deal with each.

Communication Characteristic Strategy (Examples)

Talk to people, not at them Remember, communication is two-way.

Ensure I take into account the other person’s

point of view and feelings.

Speak at eye level Maintain eye contact and ensure I am at eye level

with the person.

Speak assertively Have confidence in my knowledge of the Water Safety

Program performance criteria and method of evaluation.

Be specific and use key points Create a script that helps to focus my thoughts

before talking to the person.

Match body language Ensure my body language is sending positive messages.

(You would not want to match body language with someone

who is angry, closed or defensive).

Consider verbal and Words, tone of voice and non-verbal cues need to send

non-verbal communication positive messages.

Role Playing (Parent/WSI Relations)

Candidates will work in partners. They will be provided with a scenario which they must resolve. The scenario will be role-played for the rest of the candidates. Parent/WSI scenarios can be found in Appendix E.

Tone, Volume, Voices, Directions, Verbal/Nonverbal Messages

Play the Aladdin video selection, where he comes out of the lamp for the first time and sings the song. Ask the class questions related to how tone, volume, voices, directions and verbal/non-verbal communication were used in the clip. How can we as instructors do the same for our classes? Ask group why it is important to have verbal and non-verbal language match. Typical responses might be: to meet individual learner needs (such as visual or auditory learners), to ensure a lack of confusion, to make yourself believable. Place candidates in partners. Each pair is to come up with two examples of non-matching verbal and non-verbal communication. When one partner demonstrates these mismatches, the partner who is not mismatching calls “freeze” and manipulates the mismatched partner so that the messages do match.

Being Specific, Using Key Points and Perception Checks

Headband Game

Tape a specific game card to the game headband of one candidate, the guesser, ensuring that the candidate is unaware of the item featured on the card. Send the guesser candidate out of the room. Instruct the remaining candidates to be vague and non-specific when providing hints to the guesser about the item attached to his/her headband. Invite the guesser candidate back into the room, and have the remaining candidates provide the hints as instructed. Once the guesser has guessed the item, choose a new guesser, and provide a new card. Again, send the guesser out of the room. This time, instruct the remaining candidates to be specific and provide key points to the guesser regarding the item to be guessed. Bring the guesser in and repeat the game. Choose one last guesser. Place a card on the headband. The item on this card should not be known to the guesser nor the remaining candidates (e.g. KAVA, which is a type of plant). Repeat the game. Once all three guessers have had a turn, ask the candidates which one was the easiest to guess. The answer should be when the candidates were being specific and using key points. What happened in the third case? How can the game continue if no one understands? Discuss the importance of perception checks.