The Canoe Guru is pleased to announce an ACA Level 4 Whitewater Canoe Instructor Course from April 24th to 29th, 2011. He will be instructing this course with Chris Stec, the ACA’s Chief Operating Officer. This course will be held in Western North Carolina and will be offered for $575.00/person. This course will conclude on the French Broad River near Hot Springs, NC and all participants will receive complimentary admission to the French Broad River Festival, April 29th to May 1st, 2011 where they can relax and enjoy great music and even better companionship. Please refer to
www.frenchbroadriverfest.com for additional details.
American Canoe Association (ACA) Level 4 Whitewater Canoe Instructor Certification workshops are designed for canoeists who want to teach flatwater, moving water, or whitewater canoeing. Instructor candidates need to show leadership and group management skills. Instructor candidates must model proficient paddling strokes and demonstrate that they can teach effectively and paddle comfortably in class II/III water.
The Canoe Guru will present the effective up-to-date teaching and paddling techniques. Each ACA Instructor Certification course has two parts: an Instructor Development Workshop, in which The Canoe Guru presents teaching techniques and works to improve the paddling skills of aspiring instructors; and an Instructor Certification Workshop, in which the aspiring instructors teach a mock flatwater, moving water, or whitewater course.
The Canoe Guru proficiently demonstrates effective paddling skills, uses memorable instruction techniques, and exercises safe judgment as he strives to share his love for the sport of whitewater canoeing. This course is designed for individuals who have prior paddling & teaching experience. You should not take this course if you are new to canoeing. If you are unsure if this is the course for you, please contact
info@TheCanoeGuru.com to discuss your options. For more specific certification criteria, look at the ACA website,
www.americancanoe.org.
The instructor certification process is divided into 2 sections: the Instructor Development Workshop and the Instructor Certification Exam. You are required to attend both sections in order to fulfill the time requirements for your certification.
Instructor Development Workshop - (First half of course)
We will discuss and illustrate effective teaching techniques and analyze your personal paddling skills. We will empower you to compare the different styles of teaching and learning. You will use this knowledge to instruct your peers. We will help you to learn to evaluate and improve your skills on and off the water. We will provide you with a progress evaluation at the end of the IDW and offer suggestions for improvement to your style.
Instructor Certification Exam - (Last half of course)
• Instructor candidates will teach relevant paddling topics. They will lead the group on a safe, informative and enjoyable whitewater trip. There will be an opportunity for the Instructor Candidate to demonstrate their paddling, rescue and group management skills. Instructor Candidates will provide self evaluation and evaluation of their peers. We will provide feedback on your instructor skills. We will evaluate your performance and decide on certification levels at the end of the course.
When you take the Instructor Certification Exam, please be aware that participation does not guarantee certification. You will be evaluated on your teaching and paddling ability and your technical knowledge of the sport. Certification can be at any of the levels, or not at all. Please read and understand the certification requirements which can be found on the ACA website. If you are unable to receive certification at the conclusion of this course, The Canoe Guru will work with you to complete the Instructor certification process.
