American Canoe Association Level 3-5 Coastal Instructor/Instructor Trainer/Instructor Trainer Educator Update

The focus of this weekend is to update current ACA Level 3-5 Coastal Instructors, Instructor Trainers and Instructor Trainer Educators and provide them with a continuing educational experience and a bit of fun on the Maine Coast. The course will focus on content beyond the scope of most ACA programs with the intent of improving individual Instructor/IT/ITE’s practice by exposing them to current adventure sport teaching, instructing and coaching theory and practice in context. As coastal kayak instructors we teach and instruct in the environment therefore, the majority of our time will be spent on the water in surf, rocks/ledges and tidal current. These on water sessions will be supported by off water sessions covering a variety of current topics. The weekend is intended to be a highly individualized experience, centered on your needs as an I/IT/ITE consequently, we will build a schedule around individual areas of interest and the instructional staff’s observations but here are some potential content areas:

• ACA Administrative and Organizational Update (What’s New in ACA)
• Observation and Analysis
• Session Planning
• Using the Environment to Drive Session Planning
• Developing Skill Versus Technique
• Instructional Frameworks
• Learning Through Gaming
• Facilitating Performance Assessments
• Developing Assessment Standards
• Developing an Instructional Philosophy
• Open Mindset versus Closed Mindset
• Developing Decision Makers
• Feedback and Action Planning
• Reflective Practice
• FUNdamentals
• Incident Avoidance and Mitigation

The mid coast of Maine provides us with a plethora of instructional environments and our diverse instructional staff will allow us to access venues appropriate to each level. Our hope is that this weekend will contribute to the development of a community of practice amongst I/IT/ITEs.

Dates: November 10th (Start Time 6 PM);  November 11-13, 2016

Course Fee: $375.00 Includes instruction and course materials.
Lodging: $115.00 Bunk style lodging with access to a self-cater kitchen.

For additional information please contact Todd A Johnstone-Wright at twright@synapticsport.com

Instructional Staff:

Todd A Johnstone-Wright

• BCU Level 5 Coach Sea
• ACA Level 5 Advanced Open Water ITE
• ACA Level 5 Whitewater IT
• ACA Level 4 Surf Kayak Instructor
• Currently enrolled in the UKCC Level 4 Post Graduate Program in Performance Coaching, University of Sterling Scotland.

John Carmody

• BCU Level 5 Coach Sea
• ACA Level 5 Advanced Open Water Instructor
• ACA Level 4 Surf Kayak Instructor
• Currently enrolled in the UKCC Level 4 Post Graduate Program in Performance Coaching, University of Sterling Scotland.

Nate Hanson

• ACA Level 3 Coastal Kayak Instructor Trainer
• ACA Level 5 Advanced Open Water Instructor
• ACA Level 3 River Kayak Instructor