In April and May 2022, the “Swim Safely” association, in cooperation with the State Education Content Centre, held free courses for the improvement of professional competence for the sports teachers of general education schools “Learning proficiency by implementing the curriculum in the field of health and physical activity – swimming”, 2nd level. The teachers had the opportunity to improve their knowledge by implementing the learnt content in the field of health and physical activity – swimming.
The 2nd level of the course for sports teachers of general education schools “How to teach kids to swim so they feel safe in the water” was held in person in Liepāja, Ventspils, Riga, Rēzekne and Valmiera.
The purpose of implementation of the programme is to deepen the professional competence of sports teachers in the subject “Sports and Health” under the module “Swimming” in the formation of swimming skills and safe behaviour skills in students in order to fully implement the content module of the subject “Sports and Health” under the module “Swimming”. As a result of mastering the programme, the participants will expand their understanding of what the learning process should be like in order for the students to get competence in matters of safety on and near water (knows, analyses and assesses risks in various life situations, makes informed decisions about safe behaviour and takes responsibility for them) and how to incorporate such a process into the “Swimming” training module; as well as how to expand water safety knowledge, swimming skills and safe behaviour skills in possible dangerous situations on the water.
Target audience of the courses: educators – sports teachers of secondary schools, teachers of the general education course “Sport and Health” of vocational education, who have completed the 1st level of the programme “Training for proficiency, learnt content in the field of health and physical activity – swimming”, 1st level in 2020 or 2021.
COURSE CURRICULUM:
Theoretical classes representing a method of teaching swimming skills in accordance with one’s abilities and health. The need to learn swimming techniques, the development of the ability to swim for a long time, the classic mistakes in learning such. Practical recommendations for conducting lessons and basic principles for creating a lesson plan. Basic principles for safe behaviour on/around the water, development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Survival skills in the water, actions in an emergency situation, helping someone in trouble, the ability to assess the possibilities of providing help.
Practical lessons in the swimming pool — actualisation of three swimming styles – breaststroke, breaststroke (crawl) and backstroke, explanatory work on the need to learn the elements through personal experience, understanding the complexity of the task and the need for adaptation according to the age and abilities of the students; identification of problems and errors during the performance of tasks, correction. Development of safe behaviour skills – acting out accidents and actions in various situations – falling out of a water vehicle (boat, SUP-board, canoe, etc.) and a watercraft to get to a safe place; assistance to those in distress, actions in an emergency situation on the water. Performing a complex task in order to assess one’s capabilities and actions when getting into life-threatening situations in the water.
Various physical activities in water, recommendations for maintaining children’s interest in acquiring water competence – games, toys.
LECTURERS:
Pāvels Murāns, swimming coach, sports and swimming teacher, Latvian swimming record holder, participant in the 2004 Summer Olympics.
Agnese Gedrovica, swimming coach for children and adults of all ages, lifeguard certified by the International Beach Lifeguard Association.
Toms Jēkabsons, swimming and sailing coach for children and adults, water sports enthusiast, manager of “Liepāja Olympic Centre” swimming pool and SPA, president of the Latvian Windsurfing Association.
Kristaps Vaģelis, swimming coach and interest education teacher for children from the age of 5. Organiser of the open water swimming competition “Ciecernieks”.
Emīls Spulle, undergraduate student in “Sports Science”, PII Sports Instructor, “Safe Swimming” camp coach, certified swimming pool lifeguard.
Ventspils
Valmiera
Rīga
Rēzekne
Liepāja
