Canoe Certification

Kayak and Canoe Instructor Certification

The American Canoe Association - ACA - Through it's "Instructor Trainers-ITs" and "Instructor Trainer Educators-ITEs" , certifies ACA Instructors in various Paddlesport disciplines. CKAPCO Instructors, ITs and ITEs teach ACA courses and certify ACA instructors and Instructor Trainers in CANOE and KAYAK. [go here for BCU programs]

The process of ACA Certification involves an IDW, which is an "Instructor development workshop" and an ICE, an "instructor certification exam" [detailed below].

There are various Levels of Certification offered in an IDW/ICE depending on which course in which discipline is taken. They span variously from one to six days :

On the Kayak/Touring Kayak/Coastal Kayak Track : L 1 Introduction to Kayak; L 2 Essentials of Kayak Touring; L 3 Coastal Kayaking ; Open Water Coastal Kayaking.

River/Whitewater Kayak : Same L 1;L 2 Essentials of River Kayak (class 1 rapids); L 3 River Kayak (class 2 rapids); L 4 Whitewater Kayak(class 3) rapids.

On the Canoe track: Introduction to Canoe, Basic Canoe [flatwater], Basic River Canoe, Whitewater, etc. [also see more Canoe specific certification information here]

INSTRUCTOR DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP
INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATION EXAM

Generic Description

Instructor Development Workshops (IDW) help students become acquainted with the ACA model of effective instruction, paddling and leadership necessary in kayaking and canoeing. The teaching techniques, paddling skills, technical knowledge, rescue and safety competencies, required for successful completion of the Instructor Certification Exam will be reviewed and modeled during this course. We will focus on fine-tuning each candidate’s paddling, rescue, group management and teaching skills, as well as expanding their knowledge in various aspects of paddlesport and the marine environment. Each participant will be assigned mini dry land and on-water topics to present to the group. In addition, candidates will present a 5-minute talk to the class during the IDW. This dress rehearsal will allow the candidate to receive valuable feedback from their peers and the IT. The IDW is a prerequisite for the Instructor Certification Exam.

The Instructor Certification Examination (ICE) primarily serves as an opportunity to evaluate the Instructor Candidate for certification. Participation in this course does not guarantee certification. Candidates should arrive proficient in all skills on the appropriate ACA course outlines before attending the ICE. Throughout the certification process, candidates will be instructed and evaluated in the areas below and must be able to perform all of the related skills at a 100% competency 70% of the time. For example – a candidate must demonstrate an ACA model of a forward stroke seven out of ten times to be considered at a passing level.

Technical Knowledge - General knowledge of the ACA, kayaking or canoeing and the paddling environment.

Paddling Skills - Technical proficiency, including personal paddling skills and comfort in a variety of water conditions.

Teaching Ability – Good physical modeling, the ability to break down maneuvers and skills into their components, clear, concise, organized and thorough presentations aimed at the beginner paddler, people skills and general professionalism.

In the category of Safety Awareness and Technical Rescue Skills candidates must demonstrate 100% competency ,a 100% of the time.

Teaching Assignments: Each candidate will be assigned two 12-minute teaching topics to present during the ICE. This may include classroom, shore-side and on-water topics. These presentations should be concise talks geared to beginning students in an ACA Quickstart , Introduction to Paddling , or Basic Course. This is not intended for a candidate to tell us how much they know, but to demonstrate how they can prioritize the available information, to give beginners what they need to know, in an efficient and effective manner. In addition, each candidate will be assigned impromptu (3 to 5 minute) presentations on a very basic topics, which should be familiar to all instructors (i.e. sizing PFD’s) and various strokes, maneuvers and rescues to present to the group.

Links to CANOE and KAYAK specific Certification and general information are on the left margin.

Instructor Criteria

What does it take to be an ACA Basic River or Whitewater Canoe Instructor?

Candidates must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in safety awareness, general technical knowledge, paddling,
and teaching. Administrative requirements such as minimum age, dues and maintenance of certification are covered in
the Policy Manual.

Safety Awareness includes your ability to present safety information in an effective manner and your understanding of
how to prevent problems. This is an absolute prerequisite to becoming a full instructor. While First Aid and Rescue
training is recommended, it is not a required part of the certification.

Evaluation System: Observation of teaching and class interactions. Alertness for the well being of others is an
especially important trait. Ability to assertively manage the group when necessary is also critical.

Basic River candidates must possess knowledge of safety concerns and the ability to communicate
them and apply them on water below class II. They must also be able to perform necessary rescues
and recoveries on class I moving water.
Whitewater candidates must do all the above, including rescues and recoveries on class II.

Standard: Successful candidates must demonstrate complete knowledge of the safety concerns at their level of
certification. They also must consistently model and practice safe paddling and group leadership at their level
of certification.

Technical Knowledge includes a general knowledge of paddlesport, safety, equipment, conditioning, paddling theory,
river reading, river running strategies and rescue. This also includes an ability to explain, in layman’s terms, the
mechanics of stroke efficiency and maneuvers.

Evaluation System: Observation of teaching and class interactions. Experience is a big part of this. First year paddlers, or paddlers out of practice can be weak in this area
Basic River candidates should be familiar with basic river running maneuvers including eddy turns,
peel outs and ferries. They should also have a general knowledge of paddlesport.
Whitewater candidates should have the same knowledge as above but in more depth.
Standard: Successful candidates must possess significant technical knowledge appropriate to their level of
certification. They must also be able to communicate this knowledge effectively to their students.

Paddling Skills include your ability to demonstrate and model efficient technique, and to handle your own boat
competently on a level of water one classification above that on which you will be certified to teach.

Evaluation System: Observation of personal paddling skills on both flatwater and on the river.
Standard:
? Basic River candidates should be able to move the boat effectively on water below class II. This
includes the ability to do eddy turns, peel outs, and ferries. At this level technique is not as important
as long as the candidates can effectively maneuver on the river and perform necessary rescues.
? Whitewater candidates should be competent class II paddlers and able to demonstrate high-quality boat
control in class III water. They must possess good balance and effective strokes. They must use
correct angles and momentum, and read water well. Modeling should be done in a way that provides
students with a clear visual image of the technique being taught. Here are some tips for effective
modeling:
o It often helps to slow it down to half speed and pause at transitions;
o Exaggerate your lean and rotation to make them obvious to watchers;
Use a complete range of motion...no shortcuts.

High quality boat control means making the moves with demonstration quality. In other words paddling with
grace, control, and mental tranquility, not just surviving. Stress can impair your performance.

Failing characteristics: tippy, no back ferry, poor reverse strokes, the mad bomber, poor rescue abilities, lack of
mental tranquility on one grade harder water, and close-mindedness about technique. This is an evolving sport.
It is better to get temporarily worse than not to try a new skill.

Teaching Skills include logistics, lesson organization, class control, teaching of specific technical topics, technique
analysis, and demonstration of leadership skills and judgment.

Evaluation System: Generally, instructor candidates are required to present both two and five minute teaching
topics. You will be evaluated on the quality of your content. You are encouraged to use notes and resources
such as books, videos or classmates. You need to prioritize your presentation. Ask your IT for help with what
to cover. Each topic is debriefed on presentation style and content with feedback from the class.

? Two minute mini talks are generally equipment oriented and their brevity allows us to discuss a wide
range of topics. In reality, the two minute talks are similar to the way you will actually teach.

? Five minute prepared talks are timed to force you to prioritize. You can teach from your notes, but be
careful not to let the notes interfere with the presentation. In a normal class, these topics would be
linked to form a continuous presentation. You will need to distinguish between presenting to
instructors and presenting to beginner students. Be creative in your presentations and involve the
class!

Standard: Successful candidates must be able to employ a variety of teaching methods. A quality presentation
keeps our attention, organizes information in a logical way, and gives a level of detail appropriate to the level of
students being taught. A successful teacher conveys enthusiasm for the sport and an ability to connect with
students.

More on the evaluation process The information above is meant to be a guide for both instructor candidates and
instructor trainers. The goal is to create as objective a standard as possible given that most of the skills being evaluated
are not easily quantified. The phrases underlined in each “Standard” paragraph represent qualitative descriptions of how
an IT knows quality when he or she sees it.

ITs vary in the difficulty of their courses just as college professors vary in how strictly they grade. In addition, ACA
courses vary by region and according to the background of the instructor (slalom, rodeo, river running, teaching
background outside paddlesports, teaching background in paddlesports.) Therefore, ITs face continual self-evaluation
to figure out where they fall in the spectrum between requiring an instructor to be merely safe and competent and
requiring them to demonstrate high-end technical skills. ITs are encouraged to use checklists, videotape and peer
feedback to track performance in each area. Sample checklists are available from ITEs and the ACA website.
Candidates are encouraged to look over these checklists to get a sense of what a specific IT standard is and how they
will be evaluated.

REV: GW 01/20/03