Water Safety Instructor & Fundamentals of Instructor Training
~American Red Cross Courses

Water Safety Instructor's Course (WSI)

This course is designed for those who would like to teach children and adults how to swim.   You will earn an American Red Cross certification and authorization to teach swimming.  This course is required to earn your authorization.

The American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor Course provides instructor candidates the training needed to teach courses in the American Red Cross Swimming and Water Safety Program by developing their understanding of how to use the course materials, how to conduct training sessions and how to evaluate participants' progress.

Concepts and features of the Water Safety Instructor course include:

■ Minimum age prerequisite of 16 years of age to enter the course.
■ Shortened course time of approximately 32 hours (not including pre-course session).
■ Clearly describe and apply teaching strategies, including:

▫ Explain, demonstrate and practice;
▫ Task setting;
▫ Station teaching; and
▫ Guided discovery.

■ Instructor manual provides tools and information needed to plan and conduct courses. A CD-Rom will be packaged with the instructor's manual with information and tools for individuals managing a swim program, as well as conducting and administering learn-to-swim courses.
■ Video segments that bring to life the realities of what to expect from your students throughout the levels for the brand new instructor.
■ Video segments that focus on effective class management and effective teaching strategies in the aquatic setting.
■ Various video segments show typical examples of basic skills and common progressions including breath control, swimming on the front and swimming on the back.
■ Video segments show some typical performance of the strokes as they progress through the levels. This video depiction helps instructor candidates visualize the description of the strokes in the written skills performance criteria charts that they will then be able to use when evaluating their students' performance.
■ The instructor candidates work to develop their ability to observe and assess, often referred to as having a photographic eye, which will help them to identify weaknesses and determine how to intervene to move their students to the next level.
■ Learning activities, games and drills are built in throughout the course; some are led by the instructor trainer while others are led by instructor candidates. This helps instructor candidates improve their strokes and understand how to integrate activities, games and drills effectively into their teaching.
■ Multiple opportunities for instructor candidates to practice their teaching skills through formal practice teaching assignments as well as leading mini-lessons.

Additional Details (how we operate this course)...

We are now offering a blended-learning option which consists of the candidate doing all the reading and written work on their own with email and telephone support, and then working with our Instructor Trainer for all the teach-backs (student teaching) other hands-on activities, and the final exam.  Please be sure to indicate this option on the registration form.

Wondering why there are so many hours scheduled for a 32+ hour Course?
We allot extra hours so:

▪ We can take breaks.
▪ If folks have something to do and will miss, we don't have to scramble to find additional hours.
• We would rather end early than keep folks later than scheduled.
▪ The County may tell us we cannot be at the facility the whole time thus having to adjust the schedule accordingly.

What's the deal with the "Co-Teaching &/or Look-See"?

▪ It is optional.
▪ It is for folks who:

▪ are interested in taking the class but are not sure they want to teach swimming.
▪ who go through the course and feel like they need additional time co-teaching before teaching on their own, this way it gives folks a chance to do that, if they so desire.
▪ considering teaching with us. *This way it gives both them and us a chance to check things out without a major commitment on either side, and if either decides it’s not a match, it’s no big deal.

How do we reduce class time to meet the 32+ hours?

▪ On the first day of class everyone pulls out their calendars to see if there are any conflicts that may have arisen, have come up last minute, or didn't realize was a conflict.  We review this information and adjust the schedule accordingly.
▪ As the class gets closer to finishing, we see where we are and how much we have left, then determine if we can drop additional hours or even end a day early.
▪ We leave wiggle room so that if a particular topic is challenging, we have the time to spend on it rather than glossing over it and hoping instructor-candidates get it.
▪ We prefer to have the option to cut folks loose early if a particular day has been tiring.
▪ We schedule homework time within the class rather than have instructor-candidates put in the time needed to completed the assignments at home.  If these assignments are not done prior to class we get behind, have to wait for folks to catch-up, and have to spend class time doing the homework since we cannot move forward until it is done.   Additionally, if the instructor-candidate has any questions, we are right there to help answer them rather than you being stuck and cannot finish. *(We may allow folks who are responsible to leave during this time and do it on their own at home, however you must meet the criteria to do this).

The Pre-Session Skill Practice and Skills Test

▪ Do not count towards the number of hours for this course.
▪ These are required prior to the course.

What are included in the fees?

▪ The $25.00 per card processing fee from ARC.
▪$1 Million-dollar insurance liability policy.
▪ Taxes.
▪ Facilities.
▪ Equipment & Supplies.
▪ Materials (i.e. printing, paper, ink, posters, hand-outs, binding, etc.).
▪ Instructor's time and expertise.

Why don't you include the materials for this course in the fees?

▪ We use to include the materials but have run into a few problems so we no longer include the books & materials.
▪ We have had people enroll last minute so we don’t have materials for them.
▪ Maui Chapter is now charging us upfront rather than after the course for materials.
▪ We have purchased materials for folks, who then drop the course, which requires a refund, but we cannot get our money back for the materials from the Maui Chapter.
▪ We have, in good faith, purchased folks’ materials and then they never paid us, so we’re out the money.

**We crunched the numbers to get them as low as possible just to break even, and not lose money.

*You are responsible for ordering and purchasing all the materials and books for this course from the Maui Red Cross Branch, Water Safety Instructor's Kit ($51.95).  The ARC is now offering the material in electronic format; you'd have to contact them for this information.