Instructor Foundation CourseI must admit I was feeling a bit nervous as I approached Rochester that morning. There I was, just qualified as a Sports Diver, and on my way to an Instructor Foundation Course. Was I going to be the least experienced there? Would everybody else have it all down pat already? Was I (and this was really the worry) going to end up looking silly? Sitting down with my assigned "Group" we exchanged nervous small talk as we waited for things to get going. That didn't take long, and from the point that Jeff started the introduction that Saturday morning to the point we left on Sunday afternoon there was hardly a moment spare to feel nervous again. Saturday was taken up with demonstrations and discussions, sometime with the complete group of about sixteen people but often in our smaller groups of four plus out own instructor trainer. That was a great opportunity to get to know a small number of people and as the course developed you could feel our "Group" becoming more of a "Team". We all got to know each other's strengths and weaknesses, and came to support each other when we had to perform together. We worked together all day in the classroom and in the pool, using different training techniques and, as well as being taught, stepping back and looking at how we were being taught. After all, if these guys are teaching the teachers, they must be pretty good teachers themselves so worth copying. After spending all day looking at teaching we all headed of to prepare for the next day - our chance to put our new knowledge into practice. The most relaxing thing about the course was the fact that we were not being assessed. There was plenty of review of our performance and lots of constructive criticism but when you know you cannot fail you are relaxed enough to do your best and maybe even experiment with how things could be taught differently. Even so we were a little nervous again the next morning. First we had to give a ten-minute classroom session on one of the subjects we had looked at on Saturday and prepared that evening. Luckily it was just to our group and our instructor trainer. Presenting is always easier if you know the people - especially if they have to present to you next. In the afternoon we went through the same routine. This time we were giving a twenty-minute pool lesson: presenting the brief, doing the exercise and debriefing. All the techniques we had studied for managing the group, keeping things safe and presenting the material is small steps worked a treat. We all felt we had done a passable job and the feedback sessions afterwards were as reassuring as ever. In some ways you could see the course as easy as there is no exam and no formal appraisal of your performance. In some ways it is quite tough as there is a lot of information to absorb and put in to practice in quite a short time. On balance it is just as it should be. It is presented as a "foundation" and is a solid first step towards becoming an instructor. It was also a good chance to meet people from other clubs and to see some of the things BSAC do outside of just "Our Club". After completing the IFC, you can call yourself an "Assistant Diving Instructor" and can teach in the pool and classroom as long as you are supervised by a "proper" instructor. I certainly am not ready to step onto the pool side next Wednesday and start teaching. After some time following our instructors around and picking up some of their techniques and experience I think I can give it a go (without looking too silly). |