Beginnings: The Learning Curve

December 1996 - January 1997

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.

by Lilian Alessa

Whether you have been paddling for 18 years or 3 months, you fall somewhere along a variable line called the Learning Curve. For some, this curve is steep and the plateau arrives quickly, while for others it is a slow, gradual climb. In all cases, there are good and bad days and days when the frustration just doesn't seem worth the effort. For those of us who have reached our plateaus, it is incorrect to think that we will never be students again.

In a sport where kayak instruction is being offered by more and more outfits, it is important to define the qualities that separate a good instructor/student relationship from a bad one.

The Instructor's Responsibilities

If you are thinking of becoming an instructor with the idea that adoring crowds will flock to hear your accounts of landing in 87 foot surf, then go join the Gnarly-but-not-so-Bright Club of North America. When you accept the position of guiding another person's learning you accept the responsibilities of leadership. These are big shoes to fill and, contrary to popular belief, they're not your comfy Birks. The best instructors are really facilitators who are skilled or gifted enough to give their students useful learning tools, with clarity and precision. This allows for some flexibility in the student's knowledge and understanding so that they can adapt a single concept or skill to a variety of situations. Telling everyone in a group to hold their paddles "just so" because "that's the way it's done" does not qualify as useful.

As an instructor you must be confident in your hard skills and leadership abilities, and possess the capabilities which justify that self-assuredness. There is no excuse for not having the hard skills if you're at the point where you are acting in a teaching capacity. Go and learn them first.

If you're working with a co-instructor, establish the fact that you are a team. Cohesion and respect strengthens the student's perception of you as a capable leader, makes both your jobs easier and raises the quality of instruction the student receives.

Be observant and attentive, learn your students' names and anything of note on their medical forms. Keep these in mind. Watch their body language and expressions as you speak during the introduction. Often, you can tell which qualities a student will possess during the course within 15 minutes of meeting them. Encourage feedback early on. Inform them that you expect them to consider you as a non-judgmental, accessible and friendly resource. If you can manage the time, cultivate discussion among your students, let them explore their knowledge. Enthusiasm is contagious, encouragement is nurturing and reassurance is calming

During the course and especially on the water, focus on the skill level of the group. If you're teaching a beginner strokes class don't attempt to "dazzle" them with a flawless hand-roll and a "someday you'll be like me" look. Many novices find the task of maneuvering their kayak 360 degrees daunting enough. Exacerbating the gap does nothing for their confidence and often effectively alienates them. Try and remember your very first time in a boat; empathy allows you to understand some of the behaviour you see in your students. Never, EVER lose patience with a slower student or focus preferential attention on one or two students whose learning curves are clearly steeper than the others. If you find the group has a very diverse skill level, you can split the curriculum focus between instructors.

One of the most efficient ways of acquiring skills is to learn from our mistakes. As an instructor you should develop techniques of offering constructive criticism-"Oh my God! What the HELL was THAT?!" isn't one of them. Tied up within this is the ability to be objective. We are all human and suffer from bias regardless of our best intentions.

Unfortunately, as an instructor, you should learn to suffer less and, as a professional, put aside any subjective bias until the course is over.

Ultimately, your effectiveness as an instructor depends on how well you can interact with a group whose abilities may range from well below to just slightly below yours. You will need to be so comfortable with the technical and more experiential material that you can break it down into its components (if it has them), put them into steps or perspective for the student and relate it to the situation at hand.

You are also responsible for their physical and mental well being. Group control on the water must never be compromised by ANYTHING. There are no exceptions to this rule. Conflicts, distractions, poor planning or thoughts of your dog must not interfere with safety. Scaring your students or putting them in situations where they are uncomfortable is also unacceptable.

There is a depth to instructing that I have not even touched here. You will find that groups have as much personality as the people who comprise them. There will be tears and laughter, anger and rejoicing. Just remember that enthusiasm is contagious, encouragement is nurturing and reassurance is calming. Although you should work toward empowering your students with the skills and confidence to take care of themselves, you will always retain the ultimate role of Leader, Teacher, Therapist, Mother and Friend.

The Student's Responsibilities

If you should find yourself on the other side, do not think this relieves you of responsibility. In as much as strict demands are placed on your instructor so do they apply to you. Even though good instructors can assess your skills and attitude, they aren't mind readers. You need to communicate your fears, strengths, expectations-and your confusion should it ever arise. Remember though, if you have unrealistic expectations of yourself, no instructor can fulfill them. Be patient with your progress, and honest about your existing abilities. Observe others who are skilled and pay attention to the constructive criticism offered by your leaders. Enrolling in a course means that you have to work as hard and be as focused as your instructor. Accept the tools and build with them.

The Goal

Instructing is something you do out of love. When I see a student's face light up during a Natural History session or with the triumph of their first roll, or when I receive a silent hug at the end of a course, I feel as if I have found my place on earth: it is to teach them the Truth of wilderness, to show them the unending beauty of our earth, to heal them, to give them hope and to remind them that they are alive.

Lilian Alessa is a botanist, a kayak guide and a regular contributor to Wave-Length