DD's swimming lesson didn't go so well. Have I misunderstood Stage 1?

[Eastie77]

DD (just turned 5) had her first swimming lesson today, a Stage 1 class. I spoke with the leisure centre before booking and explained that she is a non-swimmer who is nervous in water and was told that is fine - Stage 1 is the right level for her. There were 4 other children so a nice small size. At the start of the lesson the teacher told everyone to get in. All 4 children turned around and slid in. DD sat on the side, very scared, and wouldn't get in. The teacher clicked her fingers and said "come on, in you get". When DD didn't comply the teacher carried on teaching the other 4 and I spent the best part of 40mins coaxing DD to get in. I managed to get her kind of halfway down the stairs leading into the pool and just before the lesson ended she finally stood up and let go of the side. Meanwhile the class continued with the other kids using Doodle's, going underwater etc. The teacher did not acknowledge DD during this time except on one occasions when she looked over and said "You need to get in the pool".

So firstly: in no way did I expect the teacher to devote time to just helping DD when she had 4 other pupils but am I BU in expecting a little bit more encouragement from her?

Secondly, it feels as if I need to get DD confident in the water otherwise these classes are not going to work so I'm looking at a booking a couple of private lessons to help with that. But I'm wondering if I've misunderstood Stage 1 since the kids in the class today were already able to jump/slide in, float on their bag with the Doodle and dive under water to pick up objects. I understand they may have already had a few lessons but wondering if in fact I should bother continuing until she overcomes her fear of water? It doesn't feel as if this 'Stage 1' class is geared up to help her with that.

The brusque teacher today announced it is her final week and a new teacher is starting next week so I will also try and see if DD gets more help with him/her.

What a crap teacher! That’s not usual. Stage 1 teachers often have to work with nervous and reluctant swimmers. She was in the wrong job so it’s good she is leaving.

If I was you I would try again next week and if the teacher is not making a good effort to engage your daughter I would raise hell with the leisure centre manager for mis selling and get a refund. Try somewhere else.

I think by 5, they expect a child to be used to getting in the pool without a fuss. Have you taken her before? No I would not expect the teacher to have to coax your DD in, time is short and other children want to learn.

I would see how the new teacher is/ When my dd started swimming lessons she screamed and the teacher just carried her around the pool with her but the next week she was much better. I would have expected the teacher to put more effort in but she also needs to teach the others.

Stage 1 is about getting them into the water and comfy with it, smoke she’s in the rIggy place. It can be hard to convince them to get in, but it sounds like she should have spent a little more time on it. However, she does have to ensure all the other kids ‘get their (parents) money’s worth).

I suspect that with it being her last time taking the class, and her brusque approach, that you had her just not wanting to get involved anymore being added to the mix.

It’ll hopefully be better with a new teacher next week.

My son couldn’t swim a stroke and was also very nervous in the water when he started stage 1 - we could never get him into the pre-school groups as they were always too full. His teacher was great though and one time actually got abother staff member to get in the pool with him (and this was a council run pool too so very impressed) It took him quite a while to get to the stage 1 certificate level but he got there.

So fingers crossed next weeks teacher is more experienced

Hmmm, my leisure centre would have advised private lessons for a child who is nervous in water. The teachers will try to cajole a nervous child in but will not spend much time doing it in a group environment iyswim. Ducklings 1 may be better for her but if she is at school they may not take her in that group.

Stage 1 is for total beginners but you have to be able to swim independently to move up so swimming confidently with a noodle is also Stage 1.
The teacher should be helping more. Is there another time/teacher you can choose?
My DCs did preschool swimming but others had never been in the water. They did things like water on your head/arms/legs, splash on the side etc.

Sounds like a standard stage 1 class to me.
He teacheright have thought you would have been better to convince her in than her.
But dd's classes cary on regardless of incidents etc.
Have you taken you dc swimming before?
Maybe just some time with you in the pool will help dc feel more confident.

My DS is stage 3 and it sounds more like his class! Stage 1 is much more hands on from the teacher and more fun games to get confident in the water. I would definitely take her swimming yourself a few times just to get used to the water. Then when she’s happy going in try again, but another teacher. Even better, some 1-2-1 lessons. Good luck!

*teacher might

Yes the teacher was poor but group lessons only ever give each child a short time with the teacher. I gave up after a couple of years of DC making progress at a snail's pace and booked private lessons.
They learned more in one hour of one to one than in two years of group lessons. So it worked out cheaper actually.
Having said that I'd defer lessons altogether until you have worked on getting her into the water. Go in with her and make it fun.

I would be annoyed if payed my child to have a swimming lesson and they missed out on that lesson because another child wouldnt get in the water and wouldnt have signed mine up untill they were confident being in water. Also it would be much quicker to get her into the water and over her fear on your own rather than in front of 4 other kids and another adult who shes never met before.

My recollection is that stage 1 was for starting to learn strokes, but we had done 'Ducklings' before that which was about water confidence etc.

Can you take the DC yourself to get them confident with the water?

Other parents paying ££ for lessons really don't want the lesson focussed on trying to get 1 child into the water.

Can you go a bit early and take dd into the water with you so she is already wet and comfortable. Or go with her during the week and practice slipping into the water.

Instructors at my pool would have lifted her into the water but they tend to ignore crying (within reason) if the parents will support this

Would you be able to take her swimming yourself? With absolutely no pressure to get in? My dd was terrified to get in so I used to just take her and we’d both sit on the side of the pool and chat. My dd only lasted 15 mins before getting in (not deep) and we just splashed about for a few weeks to get her confidence up before even attempting any sort of lesssons.

We also did water confidence in the bath! So every night head underwater blowing bubbles. Ideally without goggles.

Can you not take her a few times yourself to get her used to going in the water, and just playing around? I'm not an expert but my DD started the first stage when I felt she was ready to actually learn to swim, I wouldn't think there would be much point if she wasn't yet ready to get in the water? Perhaps she just needs more time to get used to it with you there with her, then start her lessons. Like surely you'd teach your child to walk before enrolling them in a running class, that was my understanding anyway.

At my leisure centre, Stage is not really for total beginners. DD did a " Stage 0" class as a baby and began Stage 1 aged 3, which is what they recommended.

To qualify for Stage 1 she had to have 6 key skills. I forget what they all were but it was something like able to jump in, use a noodle, get out safely and a couple of others. No way could a total beginner do it.

As she is a late starter, booming private lessons might be the way to go at first?

My son was very nervous when he started his swimming lessons and his teacher at the time took his time to convince him to get in.
He's in stage 3 now and we are switching to private lessons ;)
I would recommend you do the same as your child will benefit from one 1:1 lessons and they will progress a lot quicker.

I think your child really should be able to get in the water for a group lesson. Maybe work on getting her 'water happy' yourself or with a 1-on- lesson?

Stage 1 curriculum

So, it says to complete Stage 1 you will need to enter and exit the water safely. Lots about learning to swim. I think confidence of being in water is implied. Swimming lessons are normally preceded by some kind of water confidence, whether a formal class or splashing about with family.

I'll be honest: if I was the parent of one of the other 4 children, I would have been very cross if the teacher had dedicated more than a couple of minutes trying to coax your DD into the pool. Swimming lessons are short (30 minutes usually) and expensive, and her attention is already divided by the other students in the class ... if she's not ready to get in the water, she's not ready for swimming lessons.

At my DDs swimming lessons, there are helpers in the water at stage 1, who can stay with someone who is nervous.

It sounds like you need to take her a lot yourself to get her used to the water. If she can’t get in the water she can’t really have a swimming lesson.

Agree with PP- take her regularly yourself until she's not scared of the water. That will save you a lot of money.

There might be a leisure centre round you somewhere that has a 'beach' entry rather than steps. They are easier to face than straight into waist deep water.