Teaching Teenage Girls To Swim

I would like advice on teaching teenage girls to swim. I have volunteered to teach some teenage girls at my school how to swim. I am an English teacher...) The problem is that most people in South Africa learn to swim as children, and I am not sure how best to teach teens. Any tips? Thanks!

The most important point to keep in mind at all times is the safety and control of your class. Especially as an English teacher, you probably have limited experience teaching swimming.

If possible, I would strongly recommend having a lifeguard present on the poolside throughout your swimming lessons. If that is not possible, at least have another responsible adult with you as a backup because you will not be able to leave the poolside in an emergency.

If they are non-swimmers, they must be taught in water depth that they can stand in, and the maximum number you should have in one class is about six pupils. That is a safe number to manage and teach.

If they can swim, even with very poor technique, you may get away with a larger number of pupils. Possibly up to 10 in the class, but only if they are swimmers and strong enough to swim out of their depth.

As for the difference between teaching teens and teaching children, it is the same no matter what subject you teach.

It is all down to your language and the words you choose. How you explain things and how you put your teaching points across. You can explain stuff more maturely and with more details to teens compared to the simplified way you teach children. I guess teaching English is very much the same.

My book How To Be A Swimming Teacher contains everything you need from lesson planning, communication skills, and health and safety.

It also contains a reference section for all the basic swimming exercises and practices you could need for teaching your swimming classes.

Each exercise contains a photograph and diagram with all the relevant teaching points you need to communicate to your pupils and ensure they actually learn from what you are teaching them.

You can download it instantly, print out the parts you need, and keep them on the poolside with you to refer to during your lessons.

Parents Interfering With Swimming Lessons

I have a problem with parents interfering with swimming lessons. I teach at the local YMCA in my town. I have 2-3-year-olds. Some of the students are progressing beautifully, while others are not. Is it possible that the parents could be the problem?

There is one student in particular that has both parents there with her, and she just screams the whole time, and has total control over the parents this. She is completely resistant, but at times chooses on her own to suddenly get her hair wet (in the baby pool) or attempt to use a floating device. But if the parent/s get involved, she screams.

Even while seeing all the other kids making progress with their parents. What would be the best advice for this family? I'd really like to see this child shift to a more positive response, but I feel like the parents are holding her back by being over-sensitive to her fake crying.

I have encountered this problem many times before, so I am with you on this one!

There is nothing worse than a stubborn child attempting to control your class. Especially when she is perfectly capable of doing what you are asking of her but chooses not to.

If the parents are the problem or contributing factor, they must be removed. As a swimming teacher, you are ultimately responsible for ensuring your pupils learn. If you were a school teacher or college lecturer and an outside influence was hindering the progress of your pupils, then it would be removed.

A polite yet professional conversation needs to be had with the parents of this child. Explain that their presence on the poolside is a distraction to their daughter, possibly holding back her progress. You are the professional here, and the parents should respect you and respect your wishes. After all,, their daughter’s future water safety is ultimately on the line here.

Maybe suggest a trial period of 2 or 3 lessons without them on the poolside to see how she and you get on. She may scream the first time but go with it and persevere.

If, for any reason, the parents can't leave the poolside (maybe there is a health and safety requirement for the parents to be there at all times), then see if they can sit out of sight of their daughter. If that is a problem, then they must understand that they should ignore her during the lesson and allow you to be in control.

Once again, a polite and professional conversation will ensure they understand and respect your wishes.

Then maybe refocus her with some games or demonstrations from other pupils. The lack of someone sympathetic to scream at might get her progressing nicely.

I hope you find this information helpful and I wish you every success with your swimming lessons.

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