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Original poster

Swim teacher correcting daughter's stroke more than other children's

32 replies

Maiasaurax · 08/01/2025 11:07

I recently moved my daughter to a different swim school. She had nearly completed stage 6 at the previous swim school. She also swims with a swimming club. She had an assessment to see which level she would be at the new school and was assessed as Stage 7. Teacher commented at the assessment that she is a very good swimmer for her age (8 at the time of assessment and has just turned 9). She also said as Stage 6 still swim widths and my daughter is lane swimming with swimming club she didn't think there was much point putting her there. She has the teacher that did the assessment for her lessons. She is younger than the others in her lesson and is a fair bit smaller both in height and build. Despite this she manages to keep up with them. I have noticed though, the teacher pulls her to one side and corrects her stroke much more than the other children. I know her strokes aren't perfect and I am not complaining about this at all, as it is after all why I pay for lessons. Some of the other children aren't being corrected at all though, while my daughter is a number of times a lesson. I am wondering if it's a simple matter of my daughter has more flaws in her strokes and that is why she is being corrected more? Or if there is something else. I know nobody but her swimming teacher can definitively answer that. Just wondered what other people's thoughts on this would be.

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Original poster
Maiasaurax · 16/01/2025 22:13

Thanks for everyone's comments. It's good to hear different view points. To answer some comments. She does both swimming club and lessons because that's what she wants to do. I think she enjoys swimming club more, but wants to continue working through the stages and getting her certificates and badges.

The pools in the area all seem to have stage 6 still swimming widths. I very much think it's about pool space. There used to be 3 swimming pools in the town I live, now only 1. My youngest is Stage 4 and can swim lengths, certainly by stage 5 and 6 the kids can. They can get more different lessons in the pool at the same time if swimming widths.

@Ireallywantadoughnut36 Thank you for the solidarity on the worrying front. I wasn't having sleepless nights over it or anything, but yeah I just want the best for my daughter. I don't expect her to be the next olympic champion or anything. I am also short, though she seems to be taking after my husband for height. She is a tiny build though and is unlikely to have the power. Plus her problems with her knees is likely to rule her out, even in the unlikely event she was that good. Swimming clubs seem to vary a lot. There is one in the area that has it's own learn to swim program. I know someone who daughter started swimming with the squad at 6. Which to me is too young, no matter how good they are.

Anyway, I seem to have been worrying about nothing. Her teacher actually pulled me over at the end of last lesson and said she was progressing very quickly. She said how much she wants to learn and how hard she tries. So I guess the amount of advice was all about my daughter's willingness to learn. I thanked the teacher for all the help she was giving her.

OP posts:
Ireallywantadoughnut36 · 16/01/2025 16:16

I wouldn't worry, I understand why you are (I'm like this too) but it's probably one of the below;
Your daughter is in between the levels so needs a bit more help to be fully up to stage 7 standard
Teachers all have their own take on strokes, even though there's a standard, there will be things they're more particular about - the other kids will have picked up and focussed on those
She thinks your daughter must want the extra notes because she's working hard and doing swim club so she's focusing on the one who has a special interest, rather than the ones dragged along

I'd only say something or ask about it if at any point it upsets your daughter or if she worries about it.

Interestingly, our swim clubs won't take them till they've finished all their stages, my 6 yr old is a very good swimmer for her age (stage 6 although here thats lengths) and my 9 yr old is too (also stage 7) but neither of them are welcome till they're out of stage 9 - they don't like multiple teachers involved as they learn slightly different things in different groups - so possibly this is something the swim teacher is worried about and is asserting her own teachings!? Sadly my children are destined to be short like my husband and I, so I'm not worried about it really, they'll never be able to keep up past puberty bless em!

GGee123 · 15/01/2025 19:20

There is a very talented boy in my sons swim class who gets a lot more attention & feedback than my son as the teacher sees he has potential. I'll bet the other Mums in the class are jealous of the attention your daughter is getting 😁

stanleypops66 · 13/01/2025 08:56

Why is she having lessons and attending a swim club? I agree that corrections are good. My dd is a competitive swimmer and loves it when she gets corrections (obviously constructive ones) as it means the coach has been watching her.

YenSon · 13/01/2025 08:46

Just ask the teacher? Sounds great to me.

Sjh15 · 13/01/2025 07:46

savvy7 · 08/01/2025 11:48

In this case I'd be moving to 1-2-1 lessons

Show quote history

Please go to 1-1 lessons. Short term expense for long term gain

Sjh15 · 13/01/2025 07:44

Bunnycat101 · 09/01/2025 13:56

Corrections are good. What I would say though is that I withdrew my daughter from leisure centre lessons when she joined a swim club as it was confusing having two different styles of teaching. She was getting frustrated that the leisure centre was teaching her stuff the swimming club absolutely did not want her to be doing eg swim club wanted a bent elbow for front crawl, leisure centre teacher wanted straight arms. Leisure centre were doing activities with head out of the water, swim club was trying to break that.

I’d also question why a stage 6 class was still doing widths and what that means re the level of the stage 7 class. At my pool, stage 4 are swimming half lengths from the deep end and stage 5 lengths.

I’m a swim teacher. Straight arm front crawl is incorrect
swim England stage 5s are still widths. I think it’s 6 (without checking) they should be doing 25m. Most places will have to juggle their pool space

Sjh15 · 13/01/2025 07:43

She’s prob in between a 6 and 7, and being younger maybe she simply does need more support. Appreciate all the attention, that’s why you pay for lessons

Bunnycat101 · 09/01/2025 13:56

Corrections are good. What I would say though is that I withdrew my daughter from leisure centre lessons when she joined a swim club as it was confusing having two different styles of teaching. She was getting frustrated that the leisure centre was teaching her stuff the swimming club absolutely did not want her to be doing eg swim club wanted a bent elbow for front crawl, leisure centre teacher wanted straight arms. Leisure centre were doing activities with head out of the water, swim club was trying to break that.

I’d also question why a stage 6 class was still doing widths and what that means re the level of the stage 7 class. At my pool, stage 4 are swimming half lengths from the deep end and stage 5 lengths.

Original poster
Maiasaurax · 08/01/2025 13:57

@LostittoBostik I am sorry your child is struggling to learn to swim. I have seen other children have this problem with group lessons. I think they are good for teaching strokes, but children often need more 1 to 1 attention to initially get swimming, so I agree with @savvy7

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Original poster
Maiasaurax · 08/01/2025 13:43

@1apenny2apenny Nothing wrong at all on what she is being corrected on in the lessons. Things like she over rotates when breathing in front crawl. Something I know she does and swimming club have also worked with her on. It is more the amount of advice she is being given. I am used to much more balance between the kids.

She started swimming club after having to give up football due to knee problems. It was very much her choice to do and they have been really good with her. She loves it. She just does the one (1 and a half hour) session with them and her half hour lesson. She would be in the water more if we'd let her. Swimming club do correct her technique, but equally they correct other children's. Her coach can be strict, but also recognises they are kids and they do have fun. One week they were practicing swimming against a bungee cord. For some reason my daughter found this hysterical (which makes it very hard to swim when your laughing so much). Her coach was very amused by this and was laughing along with her to the amusement of most the parents watching. It also costs not much more for her hour and a half session than her half hour lesson. I am sure clubs vary, but I'd say she's in a good one.

OP posts:
pikkumyy77 · 08/01/2025 12:40

You really need to work on your anxiety because you need to be able to model a healthier approach to your daughter. The amount of overthinking and worry you put into this—what if the teacher had put her in the wrong cohort? So what?—is astonishing. Practice realizing that your child’s stroke instructions are not life or death issues.

Original poster
Maiasaurax · 08/01/2025 12:34

Thanks for all the replies, especially constructive ones.

For those that have asked, her teacher is nice and friendly with the corrections. My DD was a bit upset about it after her first lesson. I told her it was a good thing and that's why we pay for lessons, so that she can improve. She has been ok since.

I am a bit of a worrier and do tend to overdo think things though. I guess I was worried her teacher was thinking she had put her in the wrong level and she should be a level down. Then my mind went through the full multitude of reasons people have given here as to why she was receiving more correction on technique. Her previous teachers have all been pretty even with the attention they gave each kid. Her coach at swimming club, might focus one week on something with one child, but the next week something with another. People are right though, whatever the reason she is being given the extra help, it will help her improve her swimming, which is a good thing (so long as she isn't being put off by it). As long as my daughter keeps being happy, I will try and relax and stop worrying as to why she is receiving the extra advice.

OP posts:
1apenny2apenny · 08/01/2025 11:57

So how much correction is she getting at the swim club? Personally I would say this is a good thing, can you give an example of what she is being told?

Bear in mind that if the swim club is not correcting then all she is doing by doing lengths is embedding poor technique. My experience is that swim clubs are keen to get members as cash cows, don't start her too young OP, get the joy of swimming and stroke technique first.

savvy7 · 08/01/2025 11:48

LostittoBostik · 08/01/2025 11:36

My child is 7 has had three years of lessons and still can't swim 5 metres.

Stop looking for problems where there are none.

In this case I'd be moving to 1-2-1 lessons

savvy7 · 08/01/2025 11:47

One of my biggest gripes with group lessons was my son's technique not being corrected. So agree with other posters that this is very positive!

HPandthelastwish · 08/01/2025 11:46

When she starts competing her strokes need to be perfect, especially with regards to turns or she'll be disqualified. If the other students are only recreational swimmers then they won't need to hit every mark.

CluelessAsFuck · 08/01/2025 11:44

She's learning to swim, not trying for the Olympics. Let the instructor do her thing - you'll be thanking her later.

FrogsLoveRain · 08/01/2025 11:42

LostittoBostik · 08/01/2025 11:36

My child is 7 has had three years of lessons and still can't swim 5 metres.

Stop looking for problems where there are none.

This.

ByQuaintAzureWasp · 08/01/2025 11:39

If she's new they've likely already gone through this stage with kids who have been in club for a while

LostittoBostik · 08/01/2025 11:36

DaisyChain505 · 08/01/2025 11:30

Swimming teacher teaches child to swim….shocking.

Innit

LostittoBostik · 08/01/2025 11:36

My child is 7 has had three years of lessons and still can't swim 5 metres.

Stop looking for problems where there are none.

museumum · 08/01/2025 11:35

I would see it as getting more 'teaching' not more 'correction'. She could be not quite at the level so getting more for that reason, or she could be showing high potential and getting more for that reason. Or it could just be that she's new so doesn't have the same history with the same teacher and they're establishing principles the others have already heard repeatedly.

Nextyearhopes · 08/01/2025 11:34

This is definitely a good thing. She is a good swimmer and the teacher wants her to be even better. What’s the point in leaving her do it wrong?

Comefromaway · 08/01/2025 11:33

I know nothing about swimming but I used to run kids performing arts classes. A girl joined our musical theatre classes who also took ballet elsewhere. She was very talented. When they did cornerwork I noticed the teacher being very picky with this girl, correcting the smallest details. It was because she was capable. The other children, that level of detail would have been too much/confusing for them at that stage.

In dance you always want to be the student who gets corrections. I would imagine that this translates to swimming.

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