Page | 2
Welcome WSI Candidates,
We are happy that you have chosen one of our Partners to take your WSI course. The purpose of this course is to prepare you to teach swimming and water safety courses and presentations that are offered by the American Red Cross.
Your course begins with some preliminary work that must be completed before the first day of class. This Syllabus will explain how to complete this preliminary work and what to bring to class.
This Syllabus is for the Red Cross Blended Learning program. This means you will do some of the class online and some of the class in the class room.
You should have received a letter with a link to register for the class through the ARC learning Center. Follow those directions, the once completed you will have access to WSI Blended Learning site. There are 9 simulations. You will be required to start your simulations prior to class. The number will depend on the class schedule. List is located in your first letter.
You will have access to the required manuals for free while doing the simulations, on the first day of class you will receive an instructor manual to keep.
Here is how you access your free manual:
1. Go to my website: newenglandhealthandsafetytraining.com
2. Go to student resources on the top menu bars.
3. Go to the Instructor Manuals tab. (this is password protected). You received the password in your email.
4. Find the Water Safety Instructor manual and download.
5. No need to print, you will get a hard copy the first day of class.
Please review the general information contended in this syllabus. Please make sure you can meet the pre-course requirements.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at any time.
See you in class,
Thomas Roudabush
Director of Training and Development
GENERAL INFORMATION
Course Description: This course prepares you to teach American Red Cross (ARC) swimming and water safety course. This program meets the requirement for employees looking for a person with a WSI certification.
Prerequisites: To enroll in this course you first must be:
· At least 16 years old by the last day of class. A picture ID with birthdate will be required the first day.
· Completion certifications for blended learning components. (You only need to bring the last one you did.)
· Able to swim the front crawl (free style), back crawl (backstroke), elementary backstroke, sidestroke, breaststroke and butterfly at level 4 proficiency.
· Able to tread water and float on the back for 2 minutes.
Required Text: You must have access to a hard copy or electronic copy of:
· WSI instructor Manual (hard copy will be provided on the first day of class).
· Swimming and Water Safety Manual (access to a free electronic copy).
Other Required Material: Please bring to class:
· Swim suit and towels. You may be in the water more than once a day.
· Snack for class. This will let you keep your energy up. You will also get a lunch break if it is a full day.
· Pen and Pad for taking notes.
· Completion certifications for blended learning components.
Completion Requirements: To receive your WSI certification, you must:
· Meet all prerequisites and pass pretest.
· Present 4 practice teaching assignments (teach backs) with a passing grade.
· Pass a final written exam with a score of 80% or better (40 out of 50).
· Attend all class meetings, participate in all class activities. And meet the maturity criteria.
o Arriving to class on time and retuning to breaks on time.
o Being prepared for class activities/completing all homework and blended learning simulations.
o Behaving appropriately in class and during activities.
o Giving and receiving feedback appropriately during class and activities.
o Treat each other with respect and make this a positive experience for everyone.
Water Safety Instructor Course Syllabus
Course Schedule, this syllabus is designed for 3 full days with a week between each day.
Prior to Class
o Homework Complete up to at least round 4 of the simulations. Bring round 4 completion certificate with you.
o Read chapters 1, 2, 6, 4, 10 Water Safety Instructor Book. (electronic copy)
o Read Chapters 1, 2 Water Safety Manual. (electronic copy)
o Review Front and Back Crawl, Breaststroke chapter 6 from your Water Safety Manual. (electronic copy)
o Review your stroke performance chart. Become familiar with it.
Day One
Pre-course 1.5hrs.
1. Sign in and verify age and blended course simulations are completed.
2. Introductions
3. Water Pre-Test.
Classroom: 1 to 1.5 hrs.
1. Purpose and Importance of a WSI training program.
2. Incorporating Water Safety in every course.
3. Overview of the Red Cross programs and material.
4. Planning and preparing to teach.
5. Class Management strategies.
6. Practice instructing a virtual “Learn to Swim Level 1.”
Classroom: 1 to 1.5 hrs.
1. Transition from online simulations 1-2-3-4
2. Direct and Indirect teaching strategies.
3. Planning Lessons
4. Practice Teaching Overview and assignments.
5. Recognizing and rewarding achievement.
6. Motor Skills and Learning development.
7. Detailed description of front and back crawl.
8. Introduction to Adult swim.
Classroom: 1 to 1.5 hrs.
1. Overview of parent child aquatics.
2. Hold and support techniques.
3. Teaching Parent child aquatics.
4. Overview of the preschool program
5. Overview of the learn to swim program
6. Learn to swim Level 3.
7. Detail description of the elementary Back stroke.
Pool: 1 to 1.5 hrs.
1. Water Safety Skills
- Help and Huddle positions
- Reaching assist
- Throwing assist
- Wading assist
- Two person removal
- Head and shoulder splint
2. Refining the front crawl
3. Common Teaching progressions front and back crawl
4. Refining Back crawl
5. Reciprocal Teaching
Pool: 1 to 1.5 hrs.
1. Refining the breaststroke
2. Hydrodynamic principles
- Buoyancy
- Center of mass and buoyancy
- Resistance to movement
- Laws of inertia
- Laws of levers
3. Hold and support technique
4. Breast stroke practice
Homework
o Complete rounds 5, 6 and 7 of the simulations. Bring round 7 completion certificate with you.
o Read chapters 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 Water Safety Instructor Book. (electronic copy or Hard Copy)
o Read Chapters 6, 7 and 8 Water Safety Manual. (electronic copy)
o Review butterfly and Sidestroke chapter 6 from your Water Safety Manual. (electronic copy)
o Review your stroke performance chart. Become familiar with it.
Day Two
Classroom: 1 to 1.5 hrs.
1. Review Simulations 5-6
2. Teaching people who move , learn and behave differently
3. Butterfly and elementary backstroke Sidestroke descriptions
Pool: 2-2.5 hrs.
1. Refining the butterfly
2. Reciprocal Teaching
3. Practice teaching 1
4. Stroke practice Butterfly
5. Refining the Elementary Back Stroke and stroke practice
6. Making accommodations for inclusion
Pool: 2 to 2.5 hrs.
1. Practice teaching 2
2. Progressions for starts turns
- Entries
- Turns
- Starting blocks
- Dives
Homework
o Complete rounds 8 and 9 of the simulations. Bring round 9 completion certificate with you.
o Read chapter 9 Water Safety Instructor Book. (electronic copy or Hard Copy)
o Review for the written test.
o Review Elementary Backstroke chapter 6 from your Water Safety Manual. (electronic copy)
o Review your stroke performance chart. Become familiar with it.
Day Three
Classroom: 2 hrs.
1. Transition from online simulations 7-8-9
2. Longfellow Whale Tales
3. Diving progressions lecture
4. People who move differently review
5. Teaching private lessons
6. Elementary Backstroke and sidestroke description
7. Course overview
Classroom: 1 to 1.5hrs
8. Red Cross Administration
9. Final exam
10. Final words
Pool: 3 to 4 hrs.
1. Teach-back 3
2. Elementary Backstroke and sidestroke refinement
3. Teach-back 4