This program is for OOPS Trip Organizers only. To successfully register you will need to sign into your OOPS member account, and your account will need to be a member of the "Trip Organizers" group. Your acceptance is conditional on approval by the Organizer, who may contact you with questions about your skills and equipment.
Instructor Development Program – Multi-day Training for Trip Organizers (Level 1-2 Class)
OOPS needs a self-sustaining community of kayak instructors to support the training needs of OOPS. Based on years of running instructor programs for the ACA, we’ve come up with the following modified program for OOPS (i.e. not affiliated with ACA).
An on-water class is a trip. Hence, before becoming an instructor, a candidate must be a Trip Organizer within OOPS.
The instructor training process can be broken down into the following components:
· A strokes workshop: A daylong session to go over the core set of strokes in kayaking.
· A coaching workshop: A daylong session to cover how to introduce strokes and how to actively coach them. We’ll also cover the “impromptu talk” used to cover the fundamental background knowledge kayakers should have.
· A video analysis session to verify mastery of strokes but also to discuss how to assess strokes.
· A rescues session focusing on how to teach the basic rescues (T, scramble, and paddle-float) but also how to carry the more advanced techniques a leader should know (scoop and hand-of-god).
· At least one mentored class taught by the candidate. Additional mentored classes as needed until the candidate is deemed ready to teach on his or her own.
In the ACA system, this material was covered in a pair of intense, exhausting, three day weekends. We believe it is better to do these as single day sessions spread out over a number of months so candidates can practice in between sessions.
We will do this as a community effort. That means, this is not driven by one or two “instructor trainers.” Instead, our lead trainers will be supported by a team of mentors. The mentors are experienced OOPS instructors who will work through the instructor series with the candidates and then teach with them during the final session to confirm that they are ready to lead classes on their own. Over time, the mentors will become instructor trainers and we will find new mentors. This process will refresh itself over time creating the self-sustaining pipeline of kayak instructors in OOPS.
We have selected the following dates for this program in 2019:
· March 9. Stroke workshop for future instructors. Saturday 9 to 4 at Sauvie Island Boat Ramp
· May 11. Instructor Development workshop. Saturday 9 to 5 at Sauvie Island Boat Ramp.
· June 15. Video stroke analysis, 9 AM Sauvie Island boat ramp. Videotaping at Pat’s house and viewing over lunch on Pat’s TV
· June 16. Mentor session: to talk about evaluation criteria and make sure all the mentors are all on the same page.
· July 13. Rescues session, location to be determined. We’ll find warm, clean water and cover the essential set of rescues every instructor should master. Then we’ll work on how to teach the basic T-rescue, the scramble rescue, and the paddle float rescue.
Then we’d have the rest of the summer and fall for the mentored classes.
Notice that the instructor candidates must show up for all the session (except for the June 16 “mentor paddling session”). The mentors, however, will split up the sessions between them. I want a couple mentors at each session, so they get to know all of the candidates. The group-size on the water, however, would be unwieldy if all the mentors showed up for every session. Therefore, before the first session in March, the mentors will coordinate with Chris Mayou, OOPS Education Director, and work out a schedule of attendance with two mentors at each session. That should get everyone lots of time with the students.
The current set of mentors are Moulton Avery, Greg Clopton, Charles Congdon, Alan Fisher, Marlene Fisher, Chris Mayou, and Mel Wishan.
~ Tim Mattson and Pat Welle
Meeting Time: 8:15:00 AM
Launch Time: 9:00:00 AM
Type of activity: Class
Put in: Sauvie Island Boat Ramp
Take out: Same
Route Alternative for bad weather: TBD
Required equipment:
Minimum Immersion protection: Drysuit or TBD (watch for pre-class email)
Primary Organizer: Tim Mattson
Assistant Organizer(s): Pat Welle
Has organizer paddled here before? Yes
Has organizer led an OOPS paddle here before? Yes
Organizer's first aid and CPR current? Yes
First Aid /CPR Person:
Maximum number of paddlers: 8 plus Class Organizer(s) and Mentors
I certify that I understand and will conduct this activity in accordance with the OOPS Activity Policy: Yes
Estimated Air Temperature: approx. 50-60 F
Estimated Water Temperature: approx. 50-60 F
Estimated Water Time: 6 hours
Tide times & heights: Will vary, no impact on class
Current information: Minimal, no impact on class
Hazards:
Wind strength: Level 1: 0-7 knots (8 mph)
Swell/Surf size: Level 1: Under 1' waves, no breaking waves
Sea state: Level 1: Waves up to the deck seam; water glassy to rippled, no whitecaps
Landing types: Level 1: Frequent easy landing opportunities including gently sloping, sand, gravel or grass
Currents: Level 1: None or mild (less than 1 knot)
Total distance: Level 1: Up to 6 miles
Open crossing: Level 1: No open crossing
Overall rating: Level 1
Rating Comments:
Location (Optional): Sauvie Island Boat Ramp; 15475 NW Ferry Rd., Portland, OR 97231
