Teaching Private Swim Lessons...?

Question

So, I'm going to teach private swim lessons for the first time. The girl is 5 years old. She doesn't fear the water and can doggy paddle. Basically I'm just teaching her technique. Any tips on how to run my 40min session. Maybe a schedule I can follow. I've already worked with her a few times at the public pool. The girls has an active imagination and loses focus quickly. Any tips? What should I work on? How much should I charge? How long shouldI give the lessons? Games? Workouts? I need all the advice I can get.

Answer 1

Get some underwater diving sticks, These are for the end of practice.

First have her float on her back. It depends on in she can do this or not. But teach her. Then have her kick a little ways. Then pretend race her in doggie paddle for a bit. Let her win.

For the rest use the underwater diving sticks in the three feet to help her breathing skills and have it seem fun at the same time!!!

Keep doing the second to parts I mentioned, but teach her somehting new every day for the 1st part.

Answer 2

Always remember the term, "K-I-S-S" which stand for "Keep It Simple & Secure".   Always make the client feel safe.  If you say, "swim to me here" then do not walk backwards when they reach you ... let them know in advance when you're going to do something (like letting go of their hands or belly) and what to expect.

Assuming (based on your paragraph your client can put her face in the water) teach breath holding by counting.  Face totally submerged ... and count to 3 ... then to 5 ... then to 8, then to 10 and then ask, how long can you stay underwater WHILE HOLDING MY HANDS?

Once total confidence is achieved, then teach streamline position ... fingers interlaced, chin on chest.  Do this above the water.  

Then ... while in streamline position teach floating.  You should always be between the open water and the client so they know you'll not let them float away.  

Hold their 'clenched' hands in one hand and support their belly with your other hand.  Hold them prone in front of you ... face in water count to 12 (or whatever) ... do this until you know they are confident.  When they put their face in the water DO NOT LET GO and have them put their ears down below their biceps (biceps should be behind ears).

THEN ... tell them to NOT move ... and "I'm going to let go of your belly and continue to hold onto your hands.  You'll feel yourself sink slightly but, my hand will be right there to catch you and I won't let you go down more than a few inches.   Just don't move and I'll catch you with my hand."  Once they are comfortable with that then do the same with their hands ... but warn them, "DO NOT move your hands and keep your  arms squeezing your head behind your ears ... if you move your hands it will make it more difficult for me to catch your hands so don't move your arms or hands."   Let them know that you're going to count to two and I'll get your hands when I get to two ... then to four ... then to eight ... get the picture?

Then ... tell them, "I'm going to let go of your hands and your belly but, only until I count to two.  Keep your hands together ... keep squeezing your head with your arms and DON"T MOVE and I'll catch you.  You'll feel yourself sink a little, but that is OK as I'm going to catch you."  Then ... do the same until you count to 4 and then to 6, etc.  

Once you've got the basics of floating, the rest is easy and you should already know how to teach floating and kicking ... then floating, kicking and arm strokes ... then add breathing.  

I always had them keep straight arms and almost straight legs as it is easier for them to learn that and change it later than to have them flailing in the water.

If it were me (literally me) I'd charge $80/hour BUT, I also guarantee that I'll be able to teach the kid to swim in two hours or less or all further lessons are free.  You, as a rookie, might charge $30/hour.

40 years ago (gas was only 30 cents - you could buy a new house for $27,000)!  I charged $20 for a 1/2 hour private lesson in the client's backyard ... I worked my way through college on that money.    

Good luck!