Instructors are the most important part of a swim school program, so we’d like to point out the difference between experienced instructors and inexperienced instructors. Instructors will be working with your children in the pool teaching them a very important skill, so we’d suggest doing your research when looking into a program.
Our first suggestion to look for would be experience in the water. Now, this is not always the case, but we’d suggest looking for someone that has a background in competitive swimming, as well as collegiate. These instructors have put in plenty of time into the sport of swimming and will be able to teach from their knowledge. Inexperienced swimmers who teach swim lessons, can be just as effective, but they would have to have a few years behind them teaching lessons.
Second, we’d suggest looking for instructors who have plenty of experience with kids. Whether they be mothers, with kids of their own, or have teaching experience, babysitting experience, caretaking etc. Instructors who do not have experience with kids can mishandle situations that they are not comfortable in.
Thirdly, instructors who are experienced in safety training are key. When an instructor is up to date on their First Aid, Lifeguarding courses, and water safety, they are more likely to be able to handle larger classes while keeping each child safe. Instructors with little training and safety resources can be untrustworthy.
At the Crimson Swim School, we strive to protect kids while they are learning the life saving lesson of swimming, and we hope to equip parents with the proper resources to research their instructors before they sign their children up!