ACA L1/L2 SUP Instructor Certification Course

What is this? This is the American Canoe Association (ACA) Instructor Certification Course for Level 1 & Level 2. The 32 hour course is a blend of the Instructor Development Workshop (IDW) and the Instructor Certification Exam (ICE). The course will take place on the Hudson River in a highly urbanized, but truly beautiful waterway. 8 hours of the 32 total will be asynchronous online assignments. There will be wind, waves and currents throughout the course. As such, we will review and follow local operating procedures for this busy, Coastguard-regulated waterway. The Course Curriculum can be found on the ACA website.

Why take this course? "For almost 50 years, the ACA has been the leader in paddlesports education. The ACA’s National Paddlesports Instruction Program is widely considered the “Gold Standard” in the U.S. and abroad. The reasons to pursue certification are vastly different for each Instructor Candidate; however, what every student takes away from the certification workshop can be remarkably similar. First, there is simply the experience gained and knowledge shared by fellow candidates throughout the class.

A lot of participants say they come to be a “sponge” and absorb teaching ideas, paddling information, and skill feedback. Second, through the certification process you will learn a specific and proven set of paddlesports instructional best practices. Instructor Trainers who conduct instructor certification workshops will demonstrate and teach a central model to which you can add your own creativity and personality.

With a dedicated Safety Education & Instruction Department and the oversight of the Safety Education & Instruction Council, the ACA is able to systematically maintain, review, and improve the National Paddlesports Instruction Program to continually provide relevant tools and resources for ACA instructors in every discipline."

General Requirements for all Instructor Candidates: Be a full ACA member Be at least 18 years of age Meet the appropriate Essential Eligibility Criteria (EEC) Successfully complete an Instructor Certification Workshop (IDW & ICE) Upon successful completion of an Instructor Certification Workshop (IDW/ICE), register with the Safety Education & Instruction Council Have and maintain First Aid and age-appropriate CPR Demonstrate a general knowledge of paddlesports and the ACA Instructors are expected to be able to demonstrate, teach, and model everything on the official ACA skills course and assessment course outlines which correspond to their level/craft and in the appropriate venue