How long will it take for a child to learn how to
swim at Reno Swim?
This is the most common
question parents ask. The truth is, all children learn
at a different pace so it is very hard to answer that
question definitively. Reno Swim looks at learning to
swim in three stages. The first stage usually takes
the longest (depending on a student's comfort level) and is
the foundation stage. Students must first learn to
relax in the new aquatic environment, then they need to find
their buoyancy (or balance) and proper breathing pattern.
The second stage of learning is independent moving. In
this stage students learn to move through the water and take
a breath. Students with a strong foundation tend to
move quickly through this stage. The third and final
stage is learning the proper stroke techniques. This
stage can last a lifetime as there is always something new
to learn with swimming.
What are the benefits of twenty minute
instruction time?
Our twenty minute curriculum
was developed after years of teaching and observing how
children learn. The goal of Reno Swim was to take
these observations and create a program that was successful
at instructing children as well as affordable for parents.
During my many years of teaching thirty minute lessons I
found that the first five minutes were spent acclimating
students to the water while the last five minutes were spent
trying to maintain the students attention. By
shortening the instruction time to twenty minutes and
allowing for five minutes before and after class for
independent practice time, students receive thirty minutes
of water time, while insuring parents are paying only for
productive instruction time. Students are able to
maintain focus for the full class resulting in quicker
learning and higher retention of skills. Studies also
show that children who have time to practice independently
progress more quickly than those who don't. Another
advantage of Reno Swim's curriculum is our twice per week
schedule. This gives students 40 minutes of
instruction per week and a total of 60 minutes of water
time.
What level is your child?
Reno Swim does not have
levels. We believe that a student should feel that
they have progressed every class according to their personal
abilities, not a level guide line. Each student at
Reno Swim is seen as an individual and is taught to their
personal abilities. Removing "levels" from our
curriculum takes away the stress of "not passing" and
replaces it with personal goals. Our unique approach
to swim instruction allows friends and siblings to take
class together even if they are in different phases of
learning. Parents are encourage to discuss their
child's abilities with their instructor before or after
class. Parents can also send an email to
learn2swim@renoswim.com. Please include student's name,
instructor and day/time of class.
What age should a child start swim lessons?
Children who start swim
lessons early in life are more aware of the need for safety
around water. Early education helps create safe water
habits throughout their lives. Children who start
lessons before two are less afraid and learn to swim at a
quicker rate. Reno Swim starts lessons as young as 3
months in our Early Swimmers Program. At this age an
infant is still familiar with a water environment and parents
are able to learn proper holds and water safety information
to start safe water habits early.
When is a child water safe?
While no one is ever
completely water safe, we teach a variety of safety skills
and reinforce them in every lesson to help make children
water aware. The goal of the safety skills are to
first teach a student basic safety rules in order to avoid a
drowning situation, then to teach a child how to save
themselves if they should ever get into trouble.
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