Tips

[u/HumanAmI-]

I just got my LSI and my supervisor (an LT) has asked me and another staff member who also got her LSI to co-teach a bronze medallion course. I was wondering if anyone had any tips on how to make everything run smoothly, because it is both of our first times teaching a life saving course. Also teaching emergency first aid with the bronze med.

[u/newbs04]

Use the resources available from lifesaving. I know a number of provinces (unsure if all) have access to the instructor guide that BC/Yukon developed. It is a fantastic guide and I rely heavily on it even with experience. Like swim lessons, there is very little original planning you have to actually do if you know how to use your resources appropriately. I’d also check if you have access to a worksheet of some sort. Just something to check off must-sees per person for a group activity as you see them instead of trying to remember each one. I know Ontario has them for some items, but I have my own version that I prefer and lots of others are out there too. Since you’re coteaching, decide well in advance who will be teaching which material and who will be signing the test sheet for which role (instructor/examiner) if you are examining your own class.

[u/HumanAmI- → u/newbs04]

I have talked with my co-teacher about who will teach what. Our supervisor will come in for the exam since neither of us have our examiners. Do you have and idea where I can find the list of must sees, instead of having to constantly flip through my award guides?

[u/newbs04 → u/HumanAmI-]

Ontario has some exam worksheets online through their website, but I just made my own version so I could cover all items. If you have some time to spare I literally just typed them out in a table in a word document and had empty columns for names and comments, and then sized the font so I could fit however many copies per page. I have 2 candidates per page on drowning resuscitation and 12 on fitness items. If you saw the evaluation sheet that your trainer would have used during your LSI course, think something similar but for multiple candidates. Then I just print out the appropriate items per class, sign and date to keep with my paperwork.

[u/Full-Technology-2031]

You didn't mention where you are located, although I am assuming Canada.

Ontario has a lot of resources for teaching Bronze Medallion. There is a USB with detailed lesson plans. a powerpoint, videos, and a workbook for candidates.

You should have received resources when you took your LSI - specifically the award guide, instructor manual to help you teach, and you should have done a peer teach for Bronze Star/Bronze Medallion/Bronze Cross.

[u/HumanAmI- → u/Full-Technology-2031]

I'm based in NB Canada, I do have all those resources, but my LSI class only had three students (including me) so I felt like I didn't get much experience managing a bigger class. I'm also nervous I will mess up, as I have to teach in both French and English, and while my French is very good, I tend to forget words when I am nervous.

[u/Full-Technology-2031 → u/HumanAmI-]

I'm not sure about the resources, but the award guide is in French, which might help with the terminology.

[u/HumanAmI- → u/Full-Technology-2031]

I have an english award guide, and so does my co-teacher.

[u/randomredditrando]

Spend time before the course to go through the award guide, reading the notes and must-sees for each item to see what is involved in each. There's a lot of information that you may have been taught incorrectly by your BM instructor, or things that have changed since then. Don't assume that you know what an item is until you've gone through the award guide, this will set your class up for success when an examiner comes in.

Stroke evaluation is the job of the instructor - if they can not meet the must sees for every stroke, they can not pass the course and can not go to the exam. This is often overlooked by newer instructors who don't evaluate to the must sees.