Just Keep [Teaching] Swimming

Or alternatively: "How to Have Someone Puke Down Your Swim Suit and Come Back for More!"

This summer, just like the past hundred six, I am teaching swim lessons. Typically, I'll spend 6 hours a day in the pool, and potentially do 96 individual week long sessions a season. That's a lot!

When I was a sophomore on the high school swim team, our special ed peers would come in on spring days to learn to swim. This was something set up within the school, I don't think with the highest of swimming expectations, but rather social. Despite this, Coach saw my potential and asked me to work for him that summer, starting over minimum wage.

And I turned him down!

And then realized, "Oh, it's more money and closer to my house, And I don't have to wear pants!"

"And I'll fall in love and meet my future husband there!"

Well, I didn't think that would happen.  But it did and that's a story for another time!

Learning to dive. Check out those nose bubbles!

As I approach my first year of teaching, I've been comparing how I want my classroom to run and feel and if that is a reflection of my swim lessons.

The major difference is the lack of true lesson planning. I have always felt that teaching was more intuitive, and this may be why. I've always had to decide on the spot, watch how it progressed and and then make another decision.

Next I would say that direct instruction definitely takes the front seat in the pool. I feel like I'm always forcing orders:

"Kick, Kick, Kick!!" 

"Put your face in!"

"Use big arms!"

"Don't drink the water!!"

I didn't realize this until I had a little girl come in who was already very comfortable in the water. So instead of giving her a play by play for how to do backstroke, I instead used guided questions. This allowed her to explore the effect she had on the water, and quickly she had "figured out" how to swim a new stroke!

This is something I saw my peers do so often in the classroom, so implementing it in the pool was a huge "Duh" moment for me, and I feel like I've opened up a new bag of tricks.

The biggest struggle for me, in and out of the water, is when the students simply refuse. I hear No, I don't want to" a lot, but I get it, swimming can be scary at first (and its more often the babies just saying their new favorite word). A big part of this comes down to trust and confidence. This is why I spend a lot of time making inside jokes with three year olds. The sillier I am, the less they think about water accidentally going up their nose It happens all the time, no big deal, just blow like a bull *cue laughter*

I'm hoping to instill that same culture in the classroom this year with Morning Meeting routines. Hopefully by building deeper relationships head on, the No's will be no more.


Do you find yourself using teaching methods in other aspects of your life?
I am guilty of sometimes using my teaching voice on my husband...it's not his favorite :)

Alright, time to go. Anyone guess where I'm headed? Here's a hint: it rhymes with swinning pessons