1. Systemizing Your Swim School:
Successful swim schools have created different systems so their school runs smoothly. One system that can help your school run more efficiently is lesson planning and staff training! Swimagine is an all in one platform that provides you with a library of over 250 activities, skills, drills, songs and games for all ages and levels! The resources provided give you detail on how to perform the skills for the teachers you are training, as well as different ways of performing those skills. You have access to the library provided, as well as, the option of adding your own curriculum! One of the many benefits of this system is to ensure your teaching philosophies remain consistent across your staff members!
2. Daily & Weekly Lesson Themes:
Create daily or weekly themes depending on your lesson structure and curriculum progressions.
Here’s an example for a Preschool/School Age checklist:
1. Assessment – establish strengths and weaknesses of the student so that you are able to plan your lesson according to your student’s skills and abilities. Make sure to focus on each individual’s need.
2. Back to Basics – review breath control/proper breathing and body position/alignment.
3. Balance, Buoyancy and Breathing – can be incorporated in every lesson.
4. Games with aims – diving for rings is an example of practicing breath control and weight transfer in the water.
5. Propulsion – Kicks.
6. Propulsion – Arms – do progression drills specific to the level.
7. Coordination – putting it all together! Now that you practiced all the skills individually, the children should be able to put it all together!
8. Personal Safety and Survival Skills – general water safety (jumping in and turning around to the point of entry, rolling on back, etc.) is practiced in every lesson. During safety week children will get exposed to additional safety such as boating safety, rescues, pfd’s/lifejackets etc. The goal is to expose the kids to be prepared to cope with an unexpected situation while they are away from lessons.
