I teach this class very similar to a private lesson progression.If kids are coming from my parent tot class for 2 and under, they will already know crab walking, climbing out of the pool, backfloat kicking to the wall and face in bubbles. We are always working toward independent swimming. When we start it is always at the stairs going down holding the wall. Then crab walking as far as they can go ,around the whole pool back to the steps, bubbles blowing,keeping their legs straight so they can feel the steps. followed by a kicking and bubbles progression with kick boards, marsh mellow sticks or the wall. work on swim ,swim,roll for a breathe.
Next is climbing out and jumping in , working on bouncing off the bottom and scoops to the wall. Progression are moving to deeper and deeper water. teach students to swim to wall instead of a person is very important. Where are we going ? To the Wall or steps if they are on the wall already.
Backstroke practice starts at the wall hands on the wall ear’s in and eyes up. Holding their head lightly for support, kicking toes under and up to the top, using scooping on the side of their bodies like a snow angel arms. ears in ,eyes up ,scoop the ice cream to your butt.
Beginner swimmers respond positively to routines and familiar surrounds and situations. Following a similar lesson plan, from week to week, will gradually build on skills and help to progress the student faster. Missjeanswimming instructors are serious about attend all teaching shifts, and come back year after year.
Children need success in the lesson so that they feel good about themselves, and become eager to learn. The most powerful tool a instructor has is positive reinforcement. Giving genuine praise for attempts and triumphs will keep children interested in the lesson, and encourage them to continue to improve. When a student is struggling with a more difficult skill, we ask them to perform something simple that you know they can do, and then praise their work. This will help to build confidence, and make them willing to try a more difficult task again. Remember, the instructor’s influence on their students, will make sure they are influenced in a positive way. As a swimming mentor, our instructors expertise will influence a child’s love of, and enjoyment, of the water for life. Which is why my motto is “Love 2 Swim 4 Life.”
Exploratory learning, is vital for beginners. The more exposure children get to the water, the more relaxed and confident they will become. Swim Instructors must advise parents that they must understand the important role they play. They should regularly take their child to the pool outside of the swimming lesson, for exploratory play always under adult/lifeguard supervision. Children need a variety of different situations, and depths of water, to learn their capabilities, boundaries and have fun. Parents will also see a faster progression for their child if they are given an opportunity to play in the water outside of the lessons. Therefore, they often perceive the lesson to be more value for money. They must become willing partners in their child’s swimming progress. It’s very important to be patient with beginner swimmers in my Swim Program, and encourage them with their lessons.
I do my best to follow through with things that I tell my students. As a instructor trust is something that is earned. We stick to constant skills sets and time frames. I use very clear instructions over and over so the students will know what they are working on at their lesson. All students know they are working on 3 sets of 10 , they count each one and know how many they have left. I use positive language and encouragement to achieve the goal of improving their ability to swim and be confident.
Children are often reluctant to swim to an adult. This can sometimes be remedied by having the child swim to the pool’s edge, or a ledge. They are more relaxed swimming to a solid object because they know it won’t move. Once you develop trust with your beginner swimmers, they will progress quickly.
I know frequently changing teachers is also detrimental for beginner swimmers; just as they gain trust in one teacher, another one is thrust upon them. This is one of the main reasons I started my own business. In my previous employment ,I would be teaching students for a few weeks and just when I built a trust, they would be moved to another instructor and I would be given someone new. The kids would look at me like I was picking someone else instead of them. It was very frustrating , which is why my swim school does everything possible to keep the same students with the same instructor. Returning students get contacted months before the season to have first dibs on their previous instructor.
Leading with positive language is my first step with students.
My own father encouraged me with such language, calling me “Jean, The Great” again and again during our “competitions.” This was his way of inspiring me to race to the car, the ski-lift, or to the end of the pool. My goal was always to impress my Dad (and maybe show off a bit, too.) His use of positive language also caused me to really feel proud of myself.
Seeking a parent’s approval is the goal of most children.
The first step to take ,teaching your kids how 2 love 2 swim 4 life, is owning their power.
Having your students have their own swim stuff. My students start in infant or parent tot class and stay with my program 3-4 years and then around 6 and 7 they join swim teams. My program is more like a frat. Meaning everyone goes thru water get poured on their head and they survived. So if you want your kids to be water safer pour water on their head till they go from afraid to loving it . Just make it fun. Always tell them it’s happening, I use the trigger words , 1,2,3,mmmmmmmm. Have goggles on them and have a toy on the over side works wonders.
A day in the life of a Miss Jean swimming lessons. Excuse video doesn’t follow the student but the conversation is adorable,with Miss Kaitlyne.
For this reason, I“ use lots of toys and equipment for success. When you have a high achieving child, it can be challenging, as it should be. After all, no one wants just anyone “walk’n over their kid!” But, as you know, when a child doesn’t want to do something, it may get tiring. I have students that when they say no thank you they don’t have to do it. Not in swimming lessons, When I tell my student they are getting water pour on their head ,it happens, even when you say “no thank you.” Then water get pour over their head 10 times a lesson, or until they say “Can I get my own hair wet first ? I say “please do” and hand them their swim cap. Another “no thank you” moment comes with the water on your head moment. Pick a swim cap the wear, or my favorite….. you have one already on when they get to practice.
They know 1,2,3,mmm
means water on your head,
but more important they know how to :
take a big breath,
close their mouth
and water over their heads and faces.
Once they learn that water is their friend. They want to be underwater the whole time. The best part about all of it . Life in water means : When you fall in water ,it’s better than falling on the ground. To understand floating is easy in water than trying to float in the air. Having something you throw underwater goes slower. It like the song said It a how new world. .
To find that world we need to teach ASAP how to jump in turn around and swim back.
Jumping in and swimming back, plus letting Miss Lyra know her mom with be back after going to the bathroom.
.How to kick on our back with scooping hands and kicking fish feet. They need to do this to the wall. They need to crabwalk around the pool and learn about the deep and shallow ends. They need to understand a lifeguard keeps you safe , be making everyone follows rules. When we past a lifeguard all students and parents know the position of the guard is enforce rules by using his whistle. I act out using the students name pretend they their running and the guard would blow their whistle “Tweet,tweet, Walk please .” Then we continue to crabwalk to the rules board ,if they have one. Read the rules. Most kids think a lifeguards only job to jumping and saving you when your drowning. That’s a tough job to sell to a 2 year old. First of all ,drowning and lifeguarding are sonamse. I once complained to parent saying “the lifeguarding at the pool was terrible”‘. The next time the student showed up he was afraid of the guard. It took weeks of introducing him over and over till they could be friends. The next time the student showed up he was afraid of the guard. It took weeks of introducing him over and over till they could be friends. Lesson learned for Miss Jean. Who’s learning method is 50% doing. I make mistakes like everyone does. My students know that making mistakes and trying again to the purpose of practice. Lots of parents are trained to clap / cheer for every accomplishment. I usually say “Hold all the applauds for the end of the show.” It slows down the learning happening when we stop to take a bow. But when a big progression happens like diving in the deep end or rolling on their back without help that when Miss Jean brings out the high five. At the end of most lessons ,students says “thank you Miss Jean” and I always say “Thank you for your hard work.”
The student becomes the master before your eyes.
Dad smiled when I was the strongest, fastest, bravest, but he never let me win. I had to earn it. In the same way, using a lot of racing or getting tagged with younger students. It makes the lesson more fun and structured at the same time. They enjoy being in competition with me… their teacher. I also talk to them about swim team, a possible competition in their future. Reverse psychology is fun at this age. The “you can’t get me game” in the pool is a great workout for the whole body. Any task big or small with your kids and doing everything 10 times. Chew your food ten times. Take 10 steps and stop over and over for fun. Bounce ten times and stop. The most common question “I get is how many more.” Which I say, “I thought you were counting” with a little smile for the parents. Once a student has done one of the skill sets 10 times for 10 minutes. We move to the next skill, So when a students says I just want to one backstroke, I say “fine, wall to wall counts as one backstroke,( in missjeanswimming), so we backstroke in a circle for 8 minutes. These are my life’s little joys. Think of it like bronco riders. Someone has to be the one that loves the animal enough to not get bucked off.
Using positive language about all the fun they will have in water, before they even put their faces in, works wonders. There are some competitive-by-nature children, for whom the will to improve and be stronger than everyone else will be all the motivation they need. There are other children that simply want to improve. Then of course, there are those children who fall in between these two types. No matter. When children focus on improving, there is no stopping them. This is my goal in class: to coach and guide each child to be their best, whatever that looks like.
And, actually, I do have swim therapy for some students who have extra fear or blocks since these students just need extra time. After decades of teaching, I have honed my methods to work with every type of student. These methods include only reinforcing good behavior, and the tried-and-true method that a student can get out of the pool when the 3 skill sets are finished. For a reward, a student can stay and play, but only, “if it’s ok with your parents.” I also use to rewards to reinforce a positive experience. They get a treat or pop cycle after earning points for completing the skill sets…..and to borrow a toy to bring home and talk to about the lesson. Every time they see that toy it reminds them of the lesson. Sleep with it under your pillow and you will have dreams about swimming.
These in my reward based classes they learn to swim and have fun. Kids do cry in my lessons, but I’m ok with that. I tell them to cry loader, so everyone can hear you. It’s likely the toughest part of the lesson for family members. It’s built into us to save someone crying, in this case breath deeply instead. Stopping a lesson because of crying slows the progress. Keeping students focused, like toddlers or special needs is a skill I have in spades.
Using positive language and creating a positive environment are two of the keys to success. It is these that provide the foundation to the trust built over the course of the lessons. I’m blessed to see the same students week after week, year after year. These relationships of trust are built when students are at a very young age. Many children haven’t yet been told what to do by someone besides their parents. They may think that if they cry or run away or throw a tantrum, they will not have to do something that they have never done before. This belief may lead to surprise “Miss Jean is in charge.” By the next lesson, we are best friends, I ask them how the sleepover was with the toy they took home. When anyone is talking about themselves they are happy. The student now know what going to happen “No surprises” . Consistency and practice create stability for the student and parents. With these children (who say the darndest things), I’ve heard it all. These funny conversations provide me with great joy. Asking a student” who their favorite parent is?”She said ” Daddy” of course . 2-4 year olds are honest to a fault. When they don’t want to do something they let you know. I always have a question or story, no room for crying. Little trick,talk or sing when crying is about to start.
So the first thing we work on is what is being taught and they need to use all their learning skills, hearing, watching and doing.
Explaining to a student they everyone learns in different ways helps them feel connected to the lessons. All life lessons are learned this way. Everyone is mix of all 3 ways, but there is always a best way. I’m personally 50% doing, 35% watching and 15% listening. When I teach, I show them ,tell them and let them do it by themselves. Some students will ask “how was that?” after every skill. “Keep going” is what i usually say, or “your last one is your best one”. Needing to be perfect is a tough road for both parent and child. Using language like “room for improvement” instead of “wrong” works better.
This may be why the first lesson may be the hardest.
This is when habits to “get out of something,” simply don’t work. However, by keeping the lesson positive and reminding them they can pick which skill they want to do first, students learn that I am on their team. They can ask for “a moment” or “wiggle time.” And, of course, I also give lots of breaks. But we always complete the skill sets. Earning points toward their reward.
“I joke with parents that their children will be working as instructors and lifeguards for me someday, so parents will get all the swim lesson money back when their child turns 16. “
In my own experience, my children were lifeguards and I took great pride in being able to point out to my students: “My son is the lifeguard working over there.” Lifeguarding, a first job of serving those in one’s own community, may lead people to become first responders, like doctors, police officers or firemen or firewomen. I have parents tell me they were swim instructors, camp counselors and lifeguards themselves. It is both in understanding this, and in the knowledge that a child that swims is a child that is safer around water. I consider myself very blessed that I teach children- and adults- to swim.
Steven R. Covey, famed author of “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,” said it best:
“The key is in not spending time, but in investing it.” —Stephen R. Covey.
I love investing my time into swimmers and making them better. Investing time in new families and their young treasures is a honor. Bring new instructors and lifeguards to the industry thru mentoring and lifestyle role modeling is a sweet side effect. Being able to swim and calling yourself a swimmer are very different. Swimmers Love 2 swim 4 life. Living my best life with a swimming pool as an office. My dad always said “Love what you do and you never work a day in your life.”
I get asked all the time, “do you recommend puddle jumpers?” As a lifeguard first ,”yes” and as a mother of 4 kids, “yes”, as a master instructor “no.” Safety being my first priority , puddle jumpers that are approved by the coast guard are safe. Meaning I would rather see and pool full of puddle jumpers, instead of Noodles or inflatable anything. Inflatables can stop working or get away from the non swimmer. Life vests are prefered when on a boat or in a lake or ocean, any open water setting.
Why Swim instructors don’t want your kids to wear them.
Why swim instructors think they are dangerous. Puddle jumpers are crutches to help keep your kids safer. They may give your kid confidence that they can swim. That is the main danger of puddle jumpers or any life preserver used all the time. That is the students reality they can float, swim. If your kids have been jumping to someone who catches them over and over, that’s a false sense of security too. Let your kids jump to the bottom of the pool shallow(3 ft deep) end,not your arms. Otherwise , they can be set up to fail and we don’t want that.
Puddle jumpers had just come out when my kids were little(1995-2000 ).
Now I had the choice to use puddle jumpers to going to a swimming pool . Puddle jumpers became my friend. Because it allows kids more freedom of movement on their backs and thru the shoulders. Life vests keep the person in a upright position keeping them from getting the faces in the water, in case the wearer becomes unconscious. Puddle jumpers are made to be worn with a adult around. Puddle jumpers are not going to keep a kid in a rip current or going down a river as safe as a life preserver.
To keep my kids safe around water.
I would work with each of my children one at a time on jumping and climbing out. Building the strength and creating muscle memory so they would know where the bottom and the side of the pool is. Bounce a scoop and also be done with or with aids. “Mommy me catch me” happened over and over. But catching happens after they pop off the bottom and help them back to the wall.
Backstroke and freestyle can be worked on with the jumper, to start and then weaned off. It’s very important to take the floating aids off at least once an hour every time your going in the swimming pool. Reality and life lessons can be learned in safe setting. Using language about how the puddle jumpers or swim muscles help them stay on top of the water. Telling/showing your kids that without the puddle jumpers they would have to bounce and scoop or backstroke back to the wall. I always show kids how deep the water is without the jumper on. In most of the drownings that happen with kids and puddle jumpers, the kids do not have their jumpers on, but they had them on within the last 24-36 hours. It’s a sad situation when anyone drowns, preventable drowning are most challenging because everyone thinks their was something they could have done. All anyone can do is the best they can. So use puddle jumpers as a tool for safety, always keep kids in arm’s length when they don’t have the jumpers on. Think of puddle jumpers like training wheels they don’t stay on forever.
Of course taking lessons in swimming and play with your family in the pool is the best way to become a swim independant.
When teaching new students I alway’s lead with positive language. The moments of youth I remember clearly was competition with my Dad. He called me Jean The great, over and over. It was his way to inspire me to race to the car, the chairlift ,or the end of the pool. The goal was to win/impress Dad and show off. It also helped me really feel proud of myself. Seeking a parents approval, is most kids goal. I use lots of toys and equiptment for success. When you have a high achiever child, it can be challenging, as it should be no one walk’n over your kid! But when they don’t want to do something you know it. Tiring doesn’t even describe it. Does your sweet angel look like these brothers?
Dad’s smiled when I was the strongest, fastest, bravest even rebellious. He never let me win, I had to earn it. One of my best tips is if your kid doesn’t sit still, I can work with that.I only ask questions that I know I’m going to get “yes” as the answer. I’m working with the caveman brain, save yourself , skillsets. I do a lot of racing with younger kids. It makes the lesson more fun and structured at the same time. They’re in competition with me… their teacher, someone 2 x 3 times their height, weight, and experiences in racing. I’m always talking about swim team in their future. Using a positive mindset of talking about all the fun they will have in water, before they even put their faces in, works wonders.They rise to the top, on their willpower to improve and be stronger than everyone else. When they focus on training and winning, there is no stopping them. This is my goal in class to coach and guide each child to be their best.
My lessons sometimes sound like therapy, and I do have swim therapy for some students who have extra fear or blocks that need a warm up point before the lesson starts. Some kids need more time. This is not all kids, this is probably 50% with DNA<parenting. But 20% no matter their situation, they are braver, stronger, more rebellious, or shy, scared and fearful. Basically everyone is different, and we have control of very little. I help kids be aware of the things they do have control of, making a plan before they start running for the pool.
As a master swim instructor ,I’m a tough cookie, no rhetorical questions, “crying is healthy”, and practice is super fun. When a kid is losing his or her mind, I’ll change the subject’What are you having for lunch or dinner?, is one of my favorites. I really do talk to everyone as If I’m their mother, sister, grandmother. But either way, I’m saying the same thing, which is I only reinforce good behavior, and you can get out when the 3 skill sets are finished. As a reward you can stay and play, if it’s ok with your parents. Keeping toddlers on point is a skill I have in spades. After teaching swimming for 30+ years, I have heard it all. These funny conversations , provide me with great joy. Kids say what on their minds at this age. Here are a couple of my favorite student video’s. They’re working on various skills and all beginner lessons.
Creating a positive environment and mindset are key to success, in swimming lessons and in life. I consider myself the first life coach of your kids. Teaching important skill’s that will be used outside the pool setting.I’m blessed to see the same students week after week, year after year. With relationships of trust at a very young age. Most kids haven’t been told what to do by someone besides their parents. Kids think that their parents are going to save them, if they cry run away are throw a tantrum. This is a rude awaking when they hear the words “Miss Jean is in charge.” The first lesson is the hardest for everyone. This is when habits to “get out of something,” doesn’t work. Keeping it positive and reminding them they can pick which skill they want to do first. They can ask for” a moment” or “wiggle time’. I give lots of breaks, but we always complete the skillsets.
I tell all my parents that their kids will be working as instructor and lifeguards for me some day. Teasing that they will get all their money back spent in lessons when their kids turn 16. You can become a lifeguard /swim instructor at 16. It gives them a chance to dream big. To think about their future, to visualize. All my children where lifeguards or swim instructor’s in their teens. I love pointing to the lifeguard chair and say”that’s my son lifeguarding over there. Lifeguards are hero’s like policemen ,or firemen someone you look up to and have to listen to. In fact most hero type jobs, start with teenagers who work for park and recreation jobs. I have some many parents tell me they where swim instructors, camp counselors and lifeguards themselves. I’m so blessed to do my life’s work right now, so proud of everyone out there trying to be themselves to the best of their ability at that moment.
Miss Jean
CEO of Missjeanswimming, in Marin, and Bay Area. Operates at Northbridge Recreation Center, San Rafael, Ca.
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