RE: [Paddlewise] Greenland skills

Ray,

I am concerned about the instructor certification for all these new classes
the ACA is planning. Could you comment about the discussions the ACA is
having on this topic? 

I am hoping to begin acquiring ACA instructor certifications this spring.
I'll start with the white water certification this spring but will
eventually get the coastal certification as well.   That's two
certiffications at around  600 dollars each.  Will I have to get an
additional certification for each of the courses the ACA is thinking of
adding?  Or will there be a single "advanced certification" that will
certify a kayaker to teach the full range of sea kayaking courses.

I am getting my instructor certifications because I like teaching and I am
eager to share my love of this sport with others.  Its not going to be a
business.  Hence, large outlays of cash to fund certifcations is not
something I relish.  What is the ACA planning on this front? 

--Tim

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	KayaKillen_at_aol.com [SMTP:KayaKillen_at_aol.com]
> Sent:	Thursday, December 10, 1998 4:00 PM
> To:	kwhilden_at_u.washington.edu
> Cc:	paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
> Subject:	Re: [Paddlewise] Greenland skills
> 
> In a message dated 12/9/98 3:36:55 AM Eastern Standard Time,
> kwhilden_at_u.washington.edu writes:
> 
> << I would say that if you don't emphasize teaching the roll, then your
>  course has completely missed the boat!! (so to speak :)  What good
>  Greenland kayaker cannot roll?? And rolling with a proper Greenland
> paddle
>  is so easy! Your course sounds too good to settle for mediocrity in this
>  way. >>
> 
> Of course rolling should and will be emphasized.  I always encourage
> people to
> learn to roll.  Unfortunately some people can't, won't or don't want to
> learn
> but there's nothing I can do about that.  Many people who will sign up are
> not
> 'Good Greenland kayakers' yet but are interested enough to find out what
> it's
> all about.  Anyway in an 8 hour class there is so much to cover and if you
> get
> the maximum ratio of 1 instructor to 5 students, it is almost impossible
> to
> cover a lot about rolling.
> 
> As I said in my previous statement "For those students with a solid roll,
> a
> different Greenland roll can be taught depending on time and what the
> make-up
> of each class is."  At least the rolling demonstration should get them
> interested enough to learn to roll and also to want to learn more advanced
> rolls.  I would love to get an advanced rolling class approved but
> realistically it probably wouldn't sell.  It is hard to get enough people
> interested in signing up so that there is a reasonable number of students
> to
> make the class worthwhile.
>  
> << This brings up another point. Is the ability to roll expected in the
> five
>  classes above? (except for the rolling one of course)!  In my mind,
>  rolling is a fundamental skill, and any advanced level of instruction
>  should expect eager kayakers to roll. There are very few reasonable
>  physical reasons why someone cannot learn to roll, and again, we should
>  not settle for mediocrity in this way.  >>
> 
> The other courses are not requiring one to know how to roll but are
> recommending the rolling class as a prerequisite. We are not settling for
> mediocrity.  Not everyone thinks as we do.  In the surf clinic, picture
> someone getting trashed and swimming to shore a dozen times.  They will
> quickly see the value of a good roll after watching others go down then
> pop
> up.
> 
> The classes are not for the elite but for the masses.  After all very few
> people with good skills rarely take classes.
> 
> I think this is a big step for the ACA and they have opened up to new
> ideas
> after getting an earful from instructors.  Probably mainly from me.
> 
> Ray
> **************************************************************************
> *
> PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
> Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
> Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
> Website:         http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/
> **************************************************************************
> *
***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/
***************************************************************************