Understandable action - or physical assault on a 5yo?

[Orinoco]

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No, you're most certainly not!

did the teacher tell them she was going to do it?

I would have had to be restrained from dunking the swimming teacher under the water, sorry! I think you're right to complain.

My gran does not swim and it's due to being thrown into the water when she was little, and she refused to ever get back in again.

Not on, absolutley unacceptable, I can imagine it must have been terrifying, poor dd. Stupid woman, I'd be complaining if it was me.

No you are not overeacting - that is appalling. as if they were going to come up and say - oh well it's not that bad after all! Poor teaching style, I too would go elsewhere

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Oh lordy - a teacher did that to me when I was learning and it took me years to get over the fear

Totally, totally inexcusable behaviour - a really stupid thing to do! What's the first thing you do when taken by surprise? A big intake of breath - therefore a lungful of chlorinated water. I'm furious on your behalf!!!

When you take her to her new lessons, explain to the new teacher what happened and how upset your dd is so that she can tread gently round this issue.

cruel, ineffective and throroughly unprofessional.
I would have been furious.
This could set your dd back ages - how completely outrageous.

was just wondering if she warned them (at least to take a breath) iyswim

it is ridiculous and she shouldn't be teaching children of that age if she doesn't know how to deal with children who are frightened

Were you there, and did you see it happen? Do you think it was done out of frustration or, as someone said earlier, a misguided attempt to show your dd that putting her face in the water is not a big deal? Had you had previous conversation with the teacher about your dd's progress? How did the teacher explain the action?

Don't think it was the right thing for the teacher to do, but also think calling it "physical assault" is OTT. Think you need to look for another teacher, because this one obviously isn't getting through to your dd.

Actually I don't think calling it physical assault is OTT at all, if you were in a swimming pool and someone came and dunked your head under water that would be assault, i don't think it's different just because its a child.
I can't believe a proffesional swimming teacher would do this, surely she would know that it would terrify the child into hating water more than helping her learn to swim!!
I would definitely complain and keep complaining until you're happy with the response you get. xx

Totally unacceptable. My ds is still struggling with his confidence in water at 7, and if one of his teachers had finally lost patience with him and done this, I would have been very angry indeed.
So sorry she did this to your dd

I'm sorry earlybird but I feel this is inexcusable. If this had been done to my dds neither would go near a swimming pool again. I'd also be expecting nightmares and I think Orinoco is probably going to have to do a lot to rectify the fear imposed on these girls. This teacher was paid to teach them to swim not to be terrified of the water!

Totally unacceptable. Find out from the leisure centre which swimming teachers association she is a member of and complain to the association directly.

I agree with soapbox

I absolutely agree that the teacher shouldn't have done it. I am not in any way defending her action - especially if she was lashing out at the children.

Orinoco - how often does your dd swim? Do you ever go in with her? Every child is different obviously, but what seemed to help my dd immeasurably was when I went in the water with her. I carried her around, gradually getting into deeper and deeper water. Eventually we played the game of both dunking under water at the same time for a quick second (I held her nose so she didn't get water up it) - still while she was safe in my arms. She blinked and spluttered and didn't like it much. It then became something we did everytime we went swimming. Eventually she was ready/able to do it herself. Would something like that help your dd?

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A swimming teacher did this to a mate of mine when we were in a lesson (we were about 8). Didn't know that the girl had terrible asthma. She panicked of course and ended up in hospital. Unfortunately he didn't get fired but then this was a pool that left chlorine spilled on the side during a swimming gala with lots of kids sitting on floor (hospital trips again and burnt out uniforms/costumes).

Surely what the teacher has done is put your child off swimming rather than encouraging them.

Yes I think this is a serious assult and I would contact the police. It is a very dangerous thing to do.

I'm totally stunned. Ds1 and ds2's teacher would never do this - she's very mindful of how easy it is to knock confidence (well, she is a swimming teacher!). What I'm saying is, I can't think of any justification for it at all - it's disgraceful and I've gone right to town there and then. She'd have felt my wrath in a BIG way!

it's a hard one really, when i was at school, the teacher used to push us in! but i know my ds(4) is still nervous of getting his face wet, i really don't know where i stand on this one!

this has to be one of the scariest things I've heard. How horrendous for your dd to have such treatment. No-one should ever do that to a child in water. Not only is it incredibly dangerous even if they are a swimming instructor but as others have said, it can frighten her so much that she will never ever want to learn to swim. Quite right for complaining. I think i would have completely lost it with the intructor and probably as Elf1981 said would have dunked them. I hope you receive a satisfactory explanation from the leisure centre.

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i'm not saying it's right or wrong, i don't know anything about teaching swimming