Affiliates may implement the updated National Lifeguard program at their convenience in 2023, so instructors and examiners need to be ready for the new curriculum. Check with your employer about when they plan to start using the updated program and get updated through one or more of the options below.
Don’t forget to get the new National Lifeguard Award Guide and update your core and lesson plans. You’ll also need the award guide for any of the update options.
Option 1: Synchronous Update Clinic
The synchronous National Lifeguard Instructor Update is a “live” clinic led by a National Lifeguard Instructor Trainer over a minimum of 2.5 hr. This clinic may be delivered in online, blended learning or in-person formats. This option requires active participation and provides lots of opportunity to ask questions and explore content. Cameras and microphones must be available in online or blended formats.
Register for a Branch-coordinated Update Clinic or register with an Affiliate running an Update Clinic in your area.
Option 2: Pre-recorded Video
The 50-minute Instructor Update Video is presented by Adrian Wong, the Society’s Lifeguard Services Chair who walks through the program changes with commentary and rationale. The video option provides opportunity to go back and review if there is something you missed or want to hear again.
Option 3: Self-guided PowerPoint
The self-guided PowerPoint is based on the video presentation in Option 2. The PowerPoint delivers key messages on each slide accompanied by additional context copy in the Notes section below. If you print hard copy, select “Notes Pages.”
We encourage instructors to participate in a National Lifeguard Instructor Update Clinic. This is the most robust option because it provides opportunity for dialogue, information sharing and Q&A exchanges on specific aspects of the new curriculum. Also, this is the only option that provides a (1) leadership recertification credit (when participation is recorded on a master sheet and submitted to the Society’s office).
Please note that these options are not mutually exclusive. Instructors can explore more than one. Screening the video or following the self-guided PowerPoint might be excellent preparation for the live Update Clinic or for quick review afterwards.
Current National Lifeguard Instructors may teach the updated program only after they have updated and consulted with the Affiliate to confirm their transition to the updated program. Use the updated (2022) National Lifeguard Award Guide to plan and deliver the course and record and submit results on the corresponding (2022) National Lifeguard test sheets.