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Telephone the recommended swimming teacher. Ask about the method used. Ask if you may watch a swimming lesson.

There are many different methods and techniques used to teach swimming.
At any given lesson you are observing the qualities and personality of the teacher as well as the manner in which the swimming lesson is being conducted.

• Qualities to look for in a swimming teacher
• In short - the qualities to look out for
• Teaching facilities
• To learn to swim we must progressively

 

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Qualities to look for in a swimming teacher

Use the following suggestions to guide you in your choice of qualities to look for in a swimming teacher:

• Is the teacher professional, reassuring, patient, understanding of all the parent's enquiries?
• Are swimming lessons conducted privately or in a public facility? The noisier the facility the greater the distraction to the learner, the greater the frustration for the teacher, the slower the child/children learn to swim. Distracted children cannot be expected to learn.
• Is the swimming pool indoors and heated or outdoors exposed to the discomfort of the sun, wind and cold? A heated pool with the water temperature at minimum 32°C is the ideal environment for learning.
• Are swimming lessons carried out on a Course basis guaranteeing quick results? Guaranteed quick learning programmes are cruel and abusive. At least one year of continuous tuition is required to ensure a confident, safe swimmer.
• Do swimming lessons continue throughout the year, seasonally or only during the school term? Seasonal teaching is detrimental to small children putting their safety in and around water at risk. Children develop continuously. Gained confidence and fitness is lost with long breaks. Each new teaching season begins with fear and apprehension instead of excitement. This is not fair to the child/children. They will take longer to learn to swim at a greater cost of safety and money.
• Are swimming aids used or is 'free swimming' taught? Swimming aids become a 'crutch'. A child's safety cannot be taken for granted when using them. When used in open water children will drift away from safety. Swimming aids which are attached to the body prevents independence, learning to submerge with breath control, stimulates 'doggie paddle' which is not functional swimming and prevents progress to advanced swimming skills.
  
  
• What is the youngest age group the teacher accepts children into the swim school? Most teachers only start teaching children from 4 years old as this age group is considered to be more manageable.
• Are Infant Programmes interrupted until they are older? Their learning especially should be continuous until they are four years old.
  Drown Proofing does not exist. An infant can slip and fall bumping their heads preventing the trained reaction of turning onto the back. Infants and toddlers should not be taught skills under pressure or with trauma. This is cruel and abusive. Water Safety is learned through the education of discipline, routine and safety rules which should also be exercised by the parent at all times.
• How long is each swimming lesson? Does the Teacher teach individually or in groups?
  Each child should start their introduction and orientation programme individually to become familiar and comfortable with their teacher, their new environment, routine and discipline. When they are more capable they need the stimulation and participation of a group.
  A group of three or four is fun, stimulating and safe. Small groups experience individual attention and more concentrated education. 15 minutes for an individual lesson is accepted internationally while 30 minutes for a group of 3-4.
• Does the teacher have an 'achievement plan' for each child as an individual?
• Are parents allowed to watch swimming lessons all the time or is watching lessons limited? The presence of parents is distracting and disruptive. When you choose a teacher for your child/children your trust of her/him is necessary for a good relationship between the parent the teacher and the pupil. A busy, noisy pool area distracts children preventing efficient, safe learning.
• Is entry and exit to the pool area, entry and exit into and out of the swimming pool managed by the teacher, or does chaos reign? Are the children allowed to scream, move around freely during swimming lessons? Does the teacher need to shout to be heard? Does the teacher have visual contact of the pool environment and pupils at all times to maintain safety?
  
  
  
• Is etiquette and good manners practiced by the Teacher as a 'role model' by example to child/children/parent and taught to the child/children? Is 'please' and 'thank you', general recognition and respect shown towards each other?
• Do children look happy, responding positively during their swimming lesson?
• Does the Teacher stand in the water with the child/children or out of the water at the side of the pool talking down or shouting instructions to be heard? Direct and level eye contact assures the child/children can hear when spoken to, encourages concentration, focus and emphasizes individual communication. Eyes become ears. The Teacher maintains her dignity and respects the dignity of the pupil.
• Is there physical contact with the child/children showing affection, warmth and reassurance?
• Is teaching according to what the Parent expects of the Teacher or according to what is necessary for the child/children?
• Does the Teacher have a 'big ego' expecting children to achieve and progress at her/his rate and pace? If so, this will cause personality clashes between the Teacher and the child/children. The love and trust which should bond them will never develop. Swimming lessons will be traumatic.
  
  
• Does the Teacher treat each child equally as an individual making allowance for individual differences and abilities, or is favour shown to the more competent child/children? Individuality is shown to a child by using the child's name, maintaining eye contact when spoken to.
• Does the Teacher teach disabled/special needs children? If so, are they taught in the same way and socially integrated with able-bodied children?
• Is the Teacher knowledgeable of the developmental stages of infants/children? Is teaching according to their age/ability/inability/disability? Children develop at different rates. An intuitive experienced Teacher will anticipate these stages.
• If the child/children are crying would you consider them to be traumatized, cold, feeling strange to their new environment, temperamental or just being wilful?
• Does the Teacher use simple, correct language to explain the skills required to attempt, using words which are associated with the physical activity which in turn are demonstrated by the Teacher? Swimming like any other sport has its own universal language.
  If the correct language is taught from the beginning they will not need to re learn the correct language when progressing to advanced or competitive swimming. Baby language is not acceptable.
• Are the instructions and skills simple to understand, follow, fun, varied, interesting and progressive? Can the basic confidence skills for 'little people' be adapted to other water facilities e.g. the bath, paddling pool?
  
  
• Does the Teacher set challenges or short term goals which result in short term achievements?
• Is the Teacher a good 'mirror image' for the child/children to copy when swimming skills are demonstrated?
• Does the Teacher teach skills automatically without apparent interest or is the Teacher really interested in the process at hand?
• Does the Teacher praise for achievement or attempt at achievement? Constant praise stimulates a positive attitude and sense of well being for infants and all children. They will sense and feel good because of the tone of voice used by the Teacher.
• Is the education your child/children gaining merely to help themselves in a swimming pool (small water facility) or does their education include the knowledge of their limit in open water (dams, lakes, rivers, tidal pools, the ocean) by learning progressive swimming skills?
  OR
  Is the Water used as a medium to teach the child/children awareness of water safety, stimulate physical development (balance, co-ordination), mental development (concentration, attitude, memory), emotional development (coping with ability/inability, peer pressure, challenges and achievement)?
• Are children rewarded for their efforts at the end of their swimming lesson in a way that stimulates a positive attitude to learning and striving to achieve? The most satisfying reward is a sucker at the end of a swimming lesson.
  
  
• Are the children taught the responsibility and pride of tidying their learning area to keep order and neatness by packing equipment and toys away at the end of their lesson in preparation for the next class?
• Consider the age of the Teacher, how long has he/she been teaching. Is his/her approach to teaching wise, positive and caring?
• Has the Teacher had formal Swim Teaching Training or qualified with a Preliminary/National Swimming Teaching Certificate?
• Is the Teacher trained in Lifesaving/ First Aid Skills?
• Is the Teacher capable of or experienced in identifying dysfunctions in children e.g. low-muscle tone, problems with concentration, hearing difficulties, borderline learning disabilities?

When choosing a swimming teacher for your child/children, trust the teacher you have chosen. Do not let your ego affect the relationship which should form between the parent, teacher and child. Changing from one teacher to another to suit you will affect the child/children. Consider the child/children's needs first.

In short - the qualities to look out for

• Is the Teacher you have chosen to teach your child/children consistent, disciplined, tolerant, firm, fair, kind, patient, calm, intuitive, stimulating, compassionate, generous with praise for achievement?
• Does the Teacher have a lovely personality, fun, smile?
• Is the Teacher adventurous in approach to the learning of skills, teach with a positive attitude, motivated, motivating, consistent in temperament?
• Does the Teacher look as though she/he is enjoying teaching, have a sense of humour, radiate affection and care, use an incentive for achievement, anticipate problems, have a good relationship with children and parents, anticipate changes in development, illness, tiredness, hangovers from medication or lack of sleep (teething etc)?

Teaching facilities

TEACHING FACILITIES SHOULD BE COMFORTABLE, CALM AND QUIET TO STIMULATE CONCENTRATION, LEARNING AND SAFETY.

• The water temperature should be at least 32°C throughout the year, out of the wind, preferably indoors. The Teacher who creates the ideal environment indicates their commitment to the importance of comfort, education and safety.
• If a swimming pool is used this should have a shallow and a deep end so that children can learn to swim in shallow and deep water. Unless children learn to physically experience swimming over or in deep water they are not aware of their ability to do so.
• The swimming pool water should be crystal clear at all times and the pool should be clean. The walk area around the pool should be hygienic and tidy. The toilet and change room should be hygienic, clean and tidy at all times.
• The swimming pool should have steps at the shallow end for safe entry and exit to and from the water. Teaching equipment should be neatly placed and accessible for the Teacher and the pupil. It is important for children to be aware of an organised, familiar, cheerful, bright learning environment.
• The pool area should be colourful, fun, interesting, uncluttered, well lit and well ventilated. Gentle background music creates a feeling of calm for the teacher, children and parents.
• The Teacher should manage use of swimming teaching aids and all play toys.
• The swimming aids used for learning to swim should be of a nature which the child learns to control rather than the aid control the child.
• Swim School rules should be issued to the parent at the first swimming lesson to set the group boundaries for teacher, parents and pupils. These rules should include safety and hygiene requirements.

To learn to swim we must progressively...

• Trust the teacher
• Learn to listen
• Learn to submerge in water
• Learn to use both sides of the body
• Through physical movement, feeling of movement, understanding the instructions and the function thereof ...
• Mentally visualise the instruction which must then be physically carried out
• Develop the feeling of the physical movement which must be repeated to develop the muscles of the body
• Develop confidence with each learned skill
• Develop confidence in a water environment in which we have not yet learned total free movement
• Learn to adapt to moving against the resistance of water
• Develop an attitude towards this learning process
• Enjoy the setting of short term goals, then realise the feeling of achievement
• Develop the rhythm of motion in the water
• Realise the floatation of water
• Have FUN!
• Then we must learn to co-ordinate the individual skills we have learned

To learn the above skills and life skills requires knowledge, care, patience, repetition, consistency, routine, discipline, kindness and fairness.