Greater Sacramento Area
(916) 652 - 7709
Graduation day
Somewhere between 16-30 lessons graduation generally occurs.
This varies with each child’s ability and temperament.
On Graduation Day the child is placed off the side, fully clothed, and has to be able
to go under, surface, (face-up), get their mouth and nose out of the water,
and maintain a back float for 5-15 minutes, or a length of time
determined by the instructor, without being assisted in any way.
If assistance is needed then we try graduation on another day.
An instructor is within arms reach of child at all times.
The last part of lesson is running the child through all of the rolls and flips
with additional parent training, if necessary.
Older toddlers may kick to side/steps and pull themselves out,
if that has been part of their training.
We don’t keep a child submerged for an extended period of time
Our goal is to keep a child’s mouth out of the water,
as much as possible.
There is a great difference from other infant swim programs,
where the emphasis is placed on underwater swimming.
Our belief is that underwater swimming comes "in it’s own time".
Positive reinforcement
With continual positive reinforcement a child works for approval.
We praise positive behaviors and ignore negative or inappropriate ones. Attention to negative behavior creates more of the same.
Daily record
We keep a daily record of child's progress.
When working with lots of children
it helps knowing what they accomplished the previous day.
It also helps another instructor know a child's capabilities and progress. Continuity is important,
but sometimes instructors may switch children during a lesson.
We work as a team: instructors, child and parents.
Eye contact
It goes without saying that as humans we connect with our eyes,
so we also communicate with the child through eye contact.
A child needs to know that we are with them 100%.
WE SPEAK IN A SOFT, GENTLE, LOVING, VOICE
It is vitally important to the success of a child that they learn to trust us. Trust takes time and is built in a loving and reassuring way.
We speak in a calm, soothing tone, always maintaining a positive attitude.
Our Goal
It is to create a "positive experience" for both parent and child.
The use of stars, stickers and happy faces are used as incentive.
Upon graduation, T-shirts are given for a job well done.
Tee shirts help give the child a greater sense of accomplishment
and are worn with great pride.
We have our hands on a child all the time
Until a child able to sustain a free back float by themselves
our hands are always touching them.
A gentle tapping, on the back of the head,
as assistance to keep their mouths and nose out of the water,
is used while they are in the learning process.
A gentle stroking of their faces is also used as a calming reassurance.
We handle a child with secure, patient, gentle firmness
Our approach is to create a sense of security and safety.
Children can feel that in the way that we handle them.
Patience is paramount!
If we are secure they feel that sense of security.
All lessons are private
A session consists of an initial (minimum)16 - (15-min) lessons
over four weeks.
After the 16 lessons we then continue on a per lesson basis
until child successfully graduates.
Why only 15 minutes?
It is very tiring work, especially for an infant or toddler.
Why 16 lessons in four weeks?
We have found greater success in graduation by lesson 16,
if done as an intensive over four weeks.
We keep our eyes on the childs faces at all time
Should we need to look up or away
our hand is securely under the back of the child’s head
insuring their nose and mouth stay out of the water.
We don’t throw children in
This is a common fear of parents,
and has been done in some infant programs.
This is where tremendous trauma can occur.
Our approach is actually quite the opposite.
We adopt a hands-on approach
as we gradually guide them through the process.
Only near the end of all the lessons,
when they have been sufficiently prepared,
are they put off of the side of the pool, fully clothed,
as a part of the Graduation Day process.
A sequence of steps
Steps build one upon the other.
In a slow, gentle, loving way
a child is conditioned to flip to their back and float,
when placed in water.
The BEGINNING is same,
the MIDDLE is individualized,
and the END Graduation Day is the same.
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