A 2014 grant from the American Canoe Association (ACA) reduces the cost per participant to $200, which includes ACA membership, manual, lodging and meals. To register visit the Outdoor Leader Trainers of America webpage, click on “How to register” and follow the instructions on the website. Participants are required to complete a registration form and medical form, and return each to OLTOA with payment.
“This is an uncommonly exceptional deal,” noted Kate Gilbert, Unity College Events Manager. “Thanks to the generous grant by the ACA, the cost has been reduced from a much more common comprehensive fee of $650.00. This is a special opportunity to save over $400 on the cost for participation in an ACA Instructor Certification Workshop.”
Gilbert says that the ACA and US Coast Guard are working together with Unity College, the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, and Outdoor Leader Trainers of America to bring this opportunity to Maine.
The goals of this workshop are to help student instructors learn how to enhance their on water teaching techniques, offer effective feedback, and improve their group management skills. Participants will learn how to teach ACA Canoe Workshops and receive the information they need to achieve certification in the ACA. Successful candidates will receive ACA certification as a Level 1 or Level 2 Canoe Instructor upon completion of the workshop at Unity College.
The criteria for an ACA Level 1 canoe Instructor is available on the ACA registration page here. The web page also describes the skills that will be developed during the workshop.
Participants can expect a rigorous experience.
Instructor is Bob Myron has over 30 years of experience in outdoor recreation, including over 20 years as an outdoor educator. His past experiences include owning and operating his own retail/guide business in northern Maine, serving as lead paddlesport instructor for L.L. Bean’s Outdoor Discovery Schools, and teaching courses in colleges and universities.
“One has to effectively demonstrate the skills listed on the ACA web site in order to be certified,” noted Myron. “Participation alone does not guarantee certification, but there is an outstanding support system in place to ensure that all participants achieve their personal best.”
Myron has taken special interest in everything that might enhance his abilities as a teacher, and has adapted those skills and theories into outdoor education programs. Recognizing that it can be difficult for outdoor leaders to find adequate training and resources, he became convinced of the need for Outdoor Leadership Education and OLTOA was born.
“We started with the belief that resources for outdoor leaders should be accessible, offered in a supportive and positive learning environment, kept up-to-date on industry practices, and include instruction in teaching and leadership skills, in addition to ‘hard skills’,” noted Myron. “We also wanted to create a place to find those “a- ha!” tips for both common and uncommon questions.”
Monday, April 21, 2014
