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Original poster

Why swim coaches don’t teach in water?

32 replies

CCLOVE2014 · 10/10/2022 07:56

I am not professional in teaching swim but it just doesn’t make sense to me that the swim coaches in our gym(David Lloyd) teach from the poolside and the child is clearly not understanding the correct techniques.
They have tried to push us ever since a year ago when my son was a beginner and barely was comfortable in water, they kept saying he doesn’t need to be taught in water, I insisted and they finally found a coach that was able to teach in water, my son benefited a lot from learning with the teacher in the water and he’s now confident in water. But his techniques are still very rough, they have now told me he’s too good to be taught in water. The coach is now teaching on the poolside and constantly asks my son to climb in and out of water just so he can show him the arm works on the poolside, the child gets really cold from climbing in and out of the water multiple times. My son is a DL level 4(it’s lower than the national swim level, I think it would be equivalent to a level 3), and I know at least another child at the same level is being taught in water, I think they are just pushing me because I’m nice.

I also have other friends saying their kids are learning swimming elsewhere and the teachers teach in water. I have seen the friends’ children swimming, they are at least the same level as my son if not better.

Is it just me over worrying maybe it is normal for swimming coaches to teach from poolside? Or is it them pushing me?

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sanityisamyth · 12/10/2022 06:34

MsInsomniac · 10/10/2022 08:56

There’s no need for lessons at all. Teach them to swim yourself. It’s easy. The lesson thing is a giant swizz. If you can swim, you can show them how, in the water, with them.

That's like saying if you can drive a car, teach your kids to drive. Many people can get from A to B in a car, but a lot have forgotten how to do it properly, to the standard to pass their test again. To pass the driving test you need to drive correctly!

My DS(8) has lessons as he competes in swimming competitions. I don't want him to just splash about and be able to get from one end to the other.

MrsTuxedo · 12/10/2022 06:06

I think it might be more for the teacher's safety. A teacher in the water means contact, and manipulating the child to show the correct movement. Sometimes that contact can be misinterpret and some teachers feel safer if they are out of the water.
There are a ton of rules on how you should place hands, what you should and should not touch (only hand, feet and head), always teacher's hands out of the water, and so on. In the end it is easier to do it from poolside.

Teachers can be in water, but they don't have to.

TeenDivided · 11/10/2022 09:54

There is a difference between 5yos who can't swim, and 7yos who are doing lengths. At some point the teacher stops being in the water and starts teaching from the sides. From the side they can see the stroke better and see more than 1 child swim at a time.

Blondeshavemorefun · 11/10/2022 09:43

Never heard of this. Teacher is always in water

we do lessons. Dd is 5 and just swimming

she is in 5/1 ratio with private swimming school for £15 a 30m lesson

she gets loads of 121 and best money we have spent tbh

we did an intensive 5 day course in the summer and learnt to swim then as day after day after day and sunk in - no pun intended 😂

council lesson s usually have 10 in class and tbh teacher doesn’t have enough time for them all

FindingMeno · 10/10/2022 18:02

I taught for years.
I wouldn't pay for lessons when the teacher is in the pool unless it's 1:1.
I absolutely wouldn't have my dc's in a group lesson with the teacher in the pool unless the session was lifeguarded.

Ponderingwindow · 10/10/2022 14:26

My dc took lessons for years and I have never seen an instructor out of the water for any significant length of time.

TeenDivided · 10/10/2022 14:21

My DDs both learned to swim with DLL a mixture of 1-1 and group lessons over the years. I don't remember there being a teacher in the water after Ducklings level. Occasionally they would need to get children landside to adjust stroke methods but not often.

puffyisgood · 10/10/2022 14:15

As others have said, the bigger the group and the higher the standard/ages, the more likely you are to see poolside supervision.

unfortunateevents · 10/10/2022 09:57

If you know other parents personally in the same gym whose kids are being taught in the water, why don't you just ask them for the name of their teacher?

Changechangychange · 10/10/2022 09:51

Our local authority pool has teachers on the side from level 2 for group classes, but has a teacher in the pool for 1:1.

We did some weekly 1:1s over summer holidays (same teacher) and DS made much more progress in five weeks than he had in about six months of group class.

If you are paying 1:1 prices I’d honestly suggest you look at your local authority pool - we are with Everyone Active, but Better also definitely do in-pool teaching (I’ve seen lessons taking place in the pool down the road when we go for fun swimming).

Twizbe · 10/10/2022 09:41

My kids are doing swimming lessons with DL and both are taught in the water.

They are technically group sessions but DD class only has 4 kids and DS' regularly just has him.

knittingaddict · 10/10/2022 09:39

At my grandchildren's classes the very beginner child swimmers have an instructor in the pool. The classes after that have poolside teachers. I've watched the classes and it seems to work fine.

Pebblebeach15 · 10/10/2022 09:32

My son has lessons at the council pool , not 1-1. The teacher has always been in the water with the class .

tealandteal · 10/10/2022 09:30

My DS is 5 and level 2, the teacher is in the water with the class for levels 1 and 2 but out of the water from 3 up. I take my baby to baby swimming and the swimming teacher also teaches 3/4 year olds with the parents out of the water and the teacher in the water. Younger children are in the water with their parents and the teacher.

Newuser82 · 10/10/2022 09:26

My sons swimming teacher is in the water with him. He is level 6!

PauliesWalnuts · 10/10/2022 09:11

I swam at national level many years ago and learned very early as my mum never learned to swim. I was always taught from the poolside - our swimming teacher told us when we were very little that he couldn’t actually swim! We were so gullible we actually believed him 😂

Original poster
CCLOVE2014 · 10/10/2022 09:06

RoachTheHorse · 10/10/2022 09:00

My son does 1:1 lessons near us and the teacher is in the pool with him. I think I'd very much expect that in a 1:1 session. Is there another provider near you?

I really want to find another place but I don't know any. I'm in Fulham. I am happy to travel some distance. Does anyone have any recommendations please?

OP posts:
RoachTheHorse · 10/10/2022 09:00

My son does 1:1 lessons near us and the teacher is in the pool with him. I think I'd very much expect that in a 1:1 session. Is there another provider near you?

MsInsomniac · 10/10/2022 08:56

There’s no need for lessons at all. Teach them to swim yourself. It’s easy. The lesson thing is a giant swizz. If you can swim, you can show them how, in the water, with them.

Drywhitefruitycidergin · 10/10/2022 08:53

My daughter is deaf, so I had to look specially for a swim school where instructors were in the water. She's ina small geoup of 8 with 2 teachers & now that she's at a higher level 1 in the water & 1 out.
I still have to remind them periodically that shouting from the side while she's swimming is a complete waste of their energy!
Take your money elsewhere if you are not getting the service you want 🤷‍♀️

Original poster
CCLOVE2014 · 10/10/2022 08:49

SudocremOnEverything · 10/10/2022 08:44

Loads of people teach classes of children in a pool. Not just 1:1. The OP can find a school that better suits her. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Thank you for your understandingBlush It's actually 1 to 1 lessons I was talking about. I think because I mentioned other children that confused people thinking I was having group lessons, sorry about the confusion. I know other kids because I can see them being taught in water during their 1 to 1 lessons, and also they are from the same school my son goes to so I know the parents.

OP posts:
Hopingforhomebirth · 10/10/2022 08:47

I’ve never heard of this. How bizarre. My son’s class are taught by a teacher in the water

lickenchugget · 10/10/2022 08:46

DC’s swimming lessons are part of swim club which hires out a local school pool at the weekends. Instructors are in the pool for all levels.

SudocremOnEverything · 10/10/2022 08:44

Loads of people teach classes of children in a pool. Not just 1:1. The OP can find a school that better suits her. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Original poster
CCLOVE2014 · 10/10/2022 08:42

badbaduncle · 10/10/2022 08:22

I used to teach swimming 1:1 in the water - that is the only way you can do it. You can't teach a class and be in the pool. If you want 1 to 1 book it and pay for it.

Yes I understand it's impossible to teach a class that way. We've never had group lessons but I've seen them being done, it's not easy. We have been doing one to one lessons, the only part that confuses me is they teach my child differently from other children of the same level. I say other children not because they learn with us in a group lesson, it's just that I know the parents(they are from the same school with us) and when I saw their kids having one to one lessons they were being taught in water, so I asked what level they are, they said level 4 going up to 5.

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