Welcome!

Hello fellow SwimPals, and welcome to our brand-new blog series! My name is Georgie, expert goggle-tightener, enthusiastic bubble-blower, specialist swimming-cap-putter-onner and most importantly . . . long-term swimming teacher.

I will be posting a weekly blog right here on the SwimPal website to share with you:

• my top teaching tips for creating a safe, fun and engaging swimming lesson;
• key business strategies for promoting your swim school and taking your enterprise from strength to strength; and
• some of the important (and, oftentimes, embarrassing) lessons I’ve learnt along the way, accumulating in over 10 years’ worth of ‘Tales from the deep end . . .’

So, without further ado, let’s dive into this week’s topic (apologies in advance – terrible swimming puns are an occupational hazard) . . .

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Teaching from the Poolside vs. Teaching in the Water

Having spoken to many swimming teachers over the years and worked for more than one swim school, I have found this topic can generate quite the debate with most teachers firmly planting themselves on one side of the deck.

The latest Covid-19 guidelines issued by Swim England and the STA (see next week’s blog) recommend that, as we gradually return to teaching, all swimming lessons should be delivered from the poolside (exceptions may apply). In light of these changes, many of us are going to have to adapt our preferred and well-established teaching strategies (myself included).

To explore this topic, I have placed a table below including some of the pros and cons of teaching from the poolside vs. teaching in the water. I have then outlined 5 top tips for teaching from the poolside to help those of us who are having to adjust the way we teach in order to promote a safe environment in our post-pandemic society.

Poolside

Water

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Personal Preference

Personally, I like to employ a mix of both teaching styles when delivering a swimming lesson. With my beginner classes (children or adults), I will spend almost the entire duration of the lesson in the water with my pupils. As my swimmers become more advanced (e.g. are able to swim 10 metres without the aid of a floatation device) I will start to deliver some of the lesson from the poolside. Once my swimmers are able to swim all four strokes and we start to progress to longer distances, I will deliver most of the lesson from the poolside, entering the water occasionally to provide demonstrations.

There are many reasons why a teacher might choose to teach from the poolside rather than in the water and vice versa, however . . .

. . . I have known teachers (two, to be exact) who delivered their swimming lessons from the poolside simply because they did not want to get wet.

I do not agree with this as a rationale.

As swimming teachers, we should not only be prepared to get wet and a bit cold (and deal with all the faff that comes along with that), we should be keen to! We are supposed to be fostering a love of swimming and water skills in our swimmers and one of the best ways to do this is to lead by example.

Other considerations may, of course, include whether or not you have a teaching assistant in the water. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference (or maybe your manager’s preference), comfort and available resources . . . (and sometimes the guidelines relating to a global pandemic).

You know how you teach best!

Finally, here are just a few tips for those of us not used to delivering the entirety of our swimming lessons from the poolside.

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Top Tips for Poolside Teaching

1. Water, clothing & footwear – It’s hot on poolside and it can be slippy. Make sure you’re wearing clothing that’s loose, cool and wouldn’t be a hinderance if you had to enter the water in an emergency. You might also want to wear indoor footwear suitable for poolside with a rubber grip on the sole. And water! Make sure you have a bottle of water with you. Hydrate hydrate hydrate.
   
2. Equipment – Think about how your need for equipment might differ. For example, I find bright orange cones really useful for clearly marking distances or parameters when teaching from the poolside. I also always keep a float or two handy for kneeling on.
   
3. Vocal hygiene – Look after your voice! It is one of your greatest tools as a teacher. Think carefully about how you’re using it. Do not strain to make yourself heard. Consider using other techniques to gain your swimmers’ attention. For example, you could hold up a colourful float when you want them to stop, look and listen. You could also consider the use of a handsfree microphone and speaker (often used by fitness class instructors). And again, drink plenty of water! It’s great for your voice box.
   
4. Ground rules – If teaching from the poolside is going to be new for both you and your class, take a minute to explain the changes at the start of the lesson. You could use this time to explain why it is you’re making this change and to field any questions your swimmers might have. You could also set a few ground rules. For example, “When I raise this yellow float in the air, I want you all to stop what you’re doing, hold on to the side and listen carefully”.
   
5. Visual learners – Don’t forget about your visual learners. Some swimmers will really miss your ‘in-water’ demonstrations. Consider other ways you can cater to their learning needs. For example:
   • it is still possible to provide movement demonstrations from the poolside;
   • you could bring pre-prepared, laminated pictures to poolside;
   • you could use a tablet to provide video demonstrations; or,
   • if you’re particularly handy with a pen, you could provide sketches on a whiteboard.

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So, what are your thoughts?

Do you prefer teaching from the poolside or teaching in the water?

Do you feel ready to return to the pools and teach in a Covid-19 secure way?

We’d love to hear from you!

Please share your opinions, personal experiences and advice in the comments below . . . and if you have any questions or if there are any topics you’d like us to cover in future blogs, let us know.

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