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BSAC Open Water Snorkel Instructor
Both scuba diving and snorkelling share similar interests and both have the same attractions. Part of the snorkel-training courses will cover some of the theory lessons, dive skills together with the same diving practices as scuba diving. However, the two sports are considered totally different to each other. For example; In the case of scuba diving, whether the diver is breathing compressed air, has some different physiological effects on the diver and requires different safeguards and training, whether as, the snorkeler will be breathing air from the atmosphere that doesn’t require as much in depth knowledge on the same subject as the physiological effects differ.
To be a snorkeler or a snorkel Instructor, you therefore, do not need any prior experience or training as a scuba diver nor do you need to be a qualified scuba instructor to teach this subject.
The BSAC teaching methodology is however identical to the way we teach our scuba diving course and snorkeling. Trainee BSAC scuba diving instructors will have normally completed an Instructor Foundation Courses, received training in teaching in open water and will have been examined on their teaching abilities in all of theses areas.
This Snorkel Instructor exam follows exactly the same syllabus. Obviously all-theoretical and practical lessons within the exam will be based around snorkeling topics.
The aims of the this course is to,
· Teach students how to teach basic practical snorkelling skills and theoretical knowledge associated with snorkelling · Give students experience of teaching practical snorkelling skills and theoretical knowledge · Give students constructive feedback
The entry - level entry for this course is as follows,
· Must hold a minimum rating as a BSAC Snorkel Diver Marshall · Have logged a minimum 8 hours snorkel diving where you have actively been engaged in snorkeling marshalling and dive leading activities. · Must be a minimum age of 18 years of age. · The student must have completed a self - declaration ‘Fitness to Snorkel’.
The duration of this course is 3 – days.
We start the course by taking a look at what personal attributes a snorkeling instructor should have and what we would expect from a snorkeling instructor, if we were the students. Being a good instructor is not just about being a good teacher! A good instructor needs to have the right qualities and attitude. The instructor must be, Experienced, Reliable, Enthusiastic, Sympathetic to students learning difficulties, Open-minded, Friendly and Approachable, Safe, a Skilled snorkel diver, a Good organizer, Flexible, Patient and an Effective communicator. These are just a few of the attributes the snorkelling instructor must possess. Once we have established what kind of an instructor we would like to see teaching us. We then move on and take a look at how is the best way to teach snorkel diving as well as how the students will be able to understand the theory been taught and master the practical skills being demonstrated. We do this by using the “five senses”. 75% of effective learning is achieved through sight. So with the use of visual aids and progressive demonstrations makes it easy for the student to learn to snorkel.
The Classroom Presentation section will show you how to plan, prepare and present a classroom presentation. Within this section, you will be shown how to breakdown the lesson content into small logical and progressive steps in order that the students can grasp the information being presented more easily. On the evening of day 1 of the course, you will prepare your own presentation, which you will then present to the other students the next day. Within this lesson we will plan your lesson in order to meet the teaching criteria and achievement targets.
The course instructor will then run you through a Practical Pool Demonstration. The skill that will be demonstrated to you, will be one of the skills taken from the Snorkel Diver programs. Skills such as, Mask or snorkel clearing, surface dives, surface recue towing, surfacing procedures etc. The instructor will once again show you how to break down these skills into simple steps with each correct step building on the previous one. Following the demonstration, you will have the chance to teach the student your own snorkeling skill. At the end of day 1, you and your group will also be asked to plan an open water lesson. On completion of your plan, a spoke person from each group will then present this plan to the rest of the class. The course finishes with an open forum with your Instructor about the course and what you have learnt. This session is aimed at giving you useful feedback on your performance.
On the last day you will be examined on these skills learnt over the last two days. You will have already been given an additional theory presentation topic on day 1 in which you will now present on this exam. In this assessment, you will need to have met the standard criteria’s in order to pass this section of the exam. The second part of the exam takes place in open water or sheltered water. In this practical assessment you will have 40 minutes in which to teach the class a snorkeling skill. Again, on this part of the assessment you will need to meet the standards and criteria in your practical teaching, in order to be successful. Successful completion of this exam will result in the candidate being awarded the Open Water Snorkel Instructor qualification.
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Overview
