Monday, June 20, 2011

Inland Sea Kayak symposium
Instructors' Update

The folks at Living Adventures put on the finest update I have ever attended. I cannot wait to do pics to share the event. This update used the most basic teaching tool along with modern technology.

To begin, we (instructors) were divided into groups of 5. All gathered at the shore of Lake Superior while an IT (instructor trainer...who were all excellent) demonstrated a skill set. For instance, one set consisted of a forward stroke, stop, pivoting the boat with alternate side forward/reverse sweeps, backing out and doing a hanging draw stroke in reverse. Onto the water went the pods of instructors where each had their own videographer (the modern stuff). As soon as we had all done our demo we immediately went ashore, watched the video on a TV screen and got immediate feedback (the most basic and useful tool in teaching). Then it was back onto the water to repeat the entire process and to see where we had improved and what still needed to be worked on.

I picked  up some fine pearls and more. I saw good teaching and leadership modeled by the IT's and will certainly (and without shame) copy a lot of what I saw.

Now, how could I have come home without my Greenland stick?

Paddle safe...
DS

6 comments:

JohnB said...

Adapt what you experienced and make it yours. It was good for us (the ITs) too ;-0)))

Find your spray deck? Bet it's with your stick (your stick and skirt are hanging out together) on the shores of Lake Superior. Nose clips show up yet? What else can't you find?

Silbs said...

If I go out onto a lake and do a scullling draw stroke and there is not IT (or JB) there: Is my paddle still not vertical enough?

JohnB said...

most likely ;-)

dickroles said...

Silbs,
Please describe the stick you are missing.
Dick droles52@hotmail.com

Silbs said...

It says "Mitchel" on it (the brand) Rather lightly stained.

dickroles said...

The one I had in mind was a carbon fiber stick that my wife borrowed for the traditional paddling class and then could find the lender afterwards. That apparently wasn't yours. Sorry.
Dick