Program Planning and Class Management Techniques Judy Aprile Gretchen Vurbeff

All content in this presentation appears in Chapter 11 of FallProof: A Comprehensive Balance and Mobility Training Program by 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

Know your participants’ impairments and program accordingly!  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 Following Assessments

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

Planning the Lesson  Every class should include exercises from all skill modules  Be clear about your objective in each section of the class EquipModuleFocusTimeActivityCues 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 ModuleFocusTimeActivityVerbal CuesEquipment Warm-Up Skill Section: Activity 1 Skill Section: Activity 2 Skill Section: Activity 3 Skill Section: Activity 4 Culminating Activity Cool-Down

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

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 Seated Standing Standing with chairs Seated Standing Standing with chairs Lines Half circle Circle Pairs Lines Half circle Circle Pairs

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 ( 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  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 Level of safety will be greatly affected by how well you match the demands of the exercise to the capabilities of the participants

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

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

 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

Instructor Tips  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