Program Planning and Class Management Techniques

Program Planning and Class Management Techniques Judy Aprile Gretchen Vurbeff

All content in this presentation appears in Chapter 11 of FallProof: A Comprehensive Balanceand Mobility Training Programby Dr. Debra J. Rose

OBJECTIVES • Effectively plan and implement group-based lessons • Effectively manage participants in group-based programs to ensure optimal activity levels and safety • Communicate effectively with participants

Following Assessments • Identify and list the types of balance and mobility problems observed • Lists the problems that may be temporary and those known to be more permanent

Following Assessments • Not all your participants will be able to begin at the same level of difficulty • Participants will progress through the exercises at varying speeds • Progress will be influenced by previous level of motor skill experience and current level of physical activity Know your participants’ impairments and program accordingly!

Before Each Class Session • Professional approach and organization will optimize class flow and increase the participants’ confidence in you as their instructor • Devote an adequate amount of time selecting the sets of exercises to be presented for each class

Be Prepared for the Unexpected • Incomplete equipment kit • Facility (non-dedicated) • Unexpected room arrangement or furniture configuration • Last minute change in room assignment • Staffing • Absence of one or all mentors !!!

Be Prepared for the Unexpected • Know the emergency procedures for your facilities • Medical emergency • Keep copies of medical histories on-site • Fire or earthquake procedures !!!

Planning the Lesson • Early classes will have fewer exercises and more practice time than later classes • All classes should include: • Warm Up (10 minutes) • Skills Section (40 minutes) • Cool Down (10 minutes)

Planning the Lesson • Organize exercises to: • Optimize equipment set-up • Transition logically and smoothly • Minimize fatigue

Module Focus Time Activity Cues Equip Planning the Lesson • Every class should include exercises from all skill modules • Be clear about your objective in each section of the class Know why!

Planning the Lesson • Determine which activities will be performed with the entire group and which will be done in small groups • Determine which activities can safely be insructed by assistant • Select activities that will be good “waiting exercises”

Planning the Lesson Sample Lesson Plan

Planning the Lesson • Floor Plan • Preparing a floor plan can improve your time efficiency • A floor plan can be used by your mentors or participants to help set-up

Planning the Lesson Sample Floor Plan Multisensory training Seated Center of Gravity Training chairs & airex pads tape Standing warm-up Gait pattern enhancement and variation Upper Body Strength and Flexibility stations Postural Strategy Training

The Warm-Up • Elevates the heart rate and prepares the muscles and joints for activity • Shorter than a more traditional fitness class (10 minutes) • Participants should not be fatigued after warm-up

The Warm-Up • Select exercises that target specific muscle groups later involved in skills sections • Include heel and toe raises to prepare for GPEV walking with reduced base of support • Include lateral step touches to prepare for COG lateral weight shifts or GPEV Grapevines

The Warm-Up • Each class does not need a new warm-up. Repetition from class to class will allow participants to focus more on performing the exercise rather than thinking about what they have to do. • Progressively adding new movements also challenges the working memory skills of your program participants.

The Warm-Up • Different formations can be used to adjust for levels of safety and class progress Lines Half circle Circle Pairs Seated Standing Standing with chairs

The Warm -Up • Warm-ups can include exercises from: • COG • Seated Balance Activities • GPEV • Starts & Stops • Walking with Reduced Base of Support • Strength & Flexibility • Upper & Lower Body Strength • Dynamic Stretches

The Warm Up • Positioning of instructor should ensure that: • Participants can see and hear you • Be mindful of those with visual or auditory impairments • Instructor is facing participants • Music should be age appropriate with moderate tempo (100-120 beats per minute) with volume that does not interfere with hearing of instructions

Safety First !!!

Program Assistants & Break-Out Groups • Use your assistants efficiently to: • Set up equipment • Assist higher risk participants • Lead small groups

Program Assistants & Break-Out Groups • Use an assistant or a higher functioning participant to lead a break-out group • Provide written instructions for exercises complete with cues and instructions

Program Assistants & Break-Out Groups • Combine a lower risk activity for one group while another does a higher risk activity with closer supervision • Create exercise stations • Organize the participants into pairs matching a lower functioning person with a higher functioning person

Skills Section Level of safety will be greatly affected by how well you match the demands of the exercise to the capabilities of the participants • Safety Factors • Placement & Spacing • Space between participants • Proximity to mentor • Participant to support • (wall or chair) • Equipment selection • Choice of individuals for break-out groups

Task Demands Environment Individual Capabilities Skills Section • Use the programming triad to guide individualization by • Manipulating the demands of the exercise • Changing the environmental demands

Cool Down • Lower the heart rate and anxiety level of participants • Relaxation • Gentle stretching • Rhythmic breathing to music • Inspirational readings • Self- or partner massage • Postural awareness activity • Provide closure • Class review • Exchange feedback • Recognize individual efforts • Assign homework

Between Classes • Evaluate your effectiveness in matching participants with appropriate difficulty level • Measure your class management skills to estimate how much time your participants were actually engaged in exercise during the time spent in class • Maintain a log of exercise components to better track the flow and progress of your program (will assist with multiple class planning)

After Each Follow-Up Assessment • Regular assessments will assist you to: • Measure individual performance • Evaluate your instructional effectiveness • Demonstrate progress and motivate participants • When performing assessments, remember to: • Review participants’ file for test modifications on previous assessments and repeat the same conditions • Share the results with the participants in a timely fashion • Use the results to select the next set of progressive exercises

Communicating With Class Participants • Good communication skills, both verbal and nonverbal, are essential • Quality of feedback to participants will often determine performance on subsequent practice attempts • Express a genuine professional interest and concern for each individual • Be prepared to discuss how class activities relate to daily life

Communicating With Class Participants • Use professional and respectful language (no slang) • Learn participant names as soon as possible • Tailor your communication to individual personalities • Allow time after class to talk with participants and answer questions

Instructor Tips • Your success will depend on: • Careful planning and organization • Good communication skills • Patience • Be on time or even early to class • Encourage participants to be on time and emphasize the importance of attending every class • Keep medical histories up to date with changes in medications, recent falls

The more confidence and trust your participants have in you, the more they will challenge themselves • Remember, for some participants, many of the exercises will make them fearful • Remind them that they need to venture beyond their comfort zone in order to improve • Be reassuring but not overprotective Instructor Tips

Program Planning and Class Management Techniques