Why swim coaches don’t teach in water?

[CCLOVE2014]

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?

DS is on the national swim scheme he's 3, teacher in the water, when he goes up a level teacher will be poolside, at this age it's more about getting them to follow instructions and safety to have someone in the water, it's not about technique.

It's to do with having a good overview of the whole class.
You can see their technique and correct it and ensure safety.

Having taught my own child to swim i would guess its because you cant teach 5 kids while they all hang off you.

Telling the swim teacher how to teach your ds is PFB behaviour

if you dont like their classes then change. You dont get to make the change their established successful system to suit what you think would be best foe your little darling. If you want it done your way then you need to do it

It depends on the stage the kids are at. IME younger children learning techniques need someone in the water to help them do the movements. But you do still find that lots of swimming lessons programmes will have a teacher on the poolside ineffectively trying to communicate with a group of small children in a shallow pool.

As they progress up it becomes more useful for the teacher to be on the poolside because they can see their technique better from there. if they’re at club level, no coach is going to be getting in the water with them!

I’d switch lesson providers. It is very variable.

If you want a teacher in the pool, look for private lessons on a 1:1 basis.

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.

Just to add information: It is one to one lessons that we have, sorry I didn't make it clear that it's not group lessons. I would have trusted if they keep the same standard but it is just very bizarre to me that they wanted to teach out of water ever since my child was a beginner level while there are clearly children of the same level and above are being taught in water(I personally know the parents so I know what level the kids are) . When I told them I actually know other parents in the same gym, they immediately found me a coach who teach in water, left me wondering if they were just pushing me because they thought I was new to the gym and didn't know anyone. It is because of what happened back then, I don't have much trust in what they are saying now. But you are right, if I don't like the lessons I should just change. Any recommendations please for alternative swimming lessons?

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.

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

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.

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

Thank you for your understanding 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.

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 🤷‍♀️

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.

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?

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 😂

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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).

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?

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