What Makes A Great Swim Teacher

Do you remember learning how to swim? Many people remember achieving this milestone, and well they should! When you reminisce about splashing in the water, are your memories good or not-so-good? How you recall your swim lessons, whether formal or informal, largely depend on your swim instructor.

At Emler Swim School, we want learning to swim to be one of your child’s fondest memories. Attracting and hiring instructors to teach our award-winning curriculum has been key to our success and growth. Why? Because we only hire the best! We look for the following qualities when we search for outstanding swim instructors.

Must love kids above everything

“We love kids” is our first and foremost core value throughout the Emler family. Our comprehensive training program successfully teaches instructors how to teach the swim lessons, but loving children is a quality that all employees must naturally bring with them.

Ideally, we want to hire instructors who light up when talking about or interacting with children. If you’re evaluating a swim school, notice how a teacher interacts with students and whether they command the little fishes’ attention while providing instruction. Do they celebrate the students’ successes? Are they cheering a child on as they work toward the next goal? These are the qualities that all of our instructors must possess, and our instructors add their own personal splashes of love to their lessons!

Must be responsible, dependable, and consistent

More than anything else, instructors and lifeguards must understand that their job is a matter of life and death and it must be taken seriously. Great swim teachers know they are there for the kids and to keep them safe, now and down the line as the kids grow. The skills they teach are lifesaving.

Part of developing skills relies on consistency, which is true regardless of whether it’s swim class or an algebra test. Great teachers show up class after class and are fully present when the students are – daily, weekly, and monthly. Consistency is also important because bonding with an instructor accelerates learning, especially for beginning swimmers.

Being responsible, dependable, and consistent helps make instructors the best at teaching your kids how to swim and stay safe in any body of water.

Must have a passion for safety

All-star swim teachers must have and demonstrate a strong passion for safety as they teach little fishes to swim and play in the water, especially at Emler. Instructors who derive joy and meaning in providing children with a skill that could save their lives are the ones you want interacting with your kids. Our instructors have as much of a passion for safety as they do for working with kids.

Must be confident and adaptable

An instructor who is confident can provide structure to help kids learn a skill, but they must also be adaptable when there is a need to be creative and empathetic. Sometimes a child may be having a particularly hard time with learning a certain skill, so the instructor must know when to be silly or make things fun to lighten the mood.

Sometimes kids can be challenging, so teachers need to be unflappable. An easygoing personality and someone who can go with the flow is critical, since kids can be laughing one minute and then crying the next.

Must be able to communicate clearly

Outstanding swim instructors are also communication experts. They must be able to talk to kids in one breath, then turn and talk to adults in the next. We strive to have swim instructors who can deliver clear, consistent messages with conviction and warmth. This skill is quite handy in dealing with a variety of situations with students and parents alike.

What makes a great swim teacher?

Besides all of the traits we’ve already explored, Emler Swim School excels in swim instruction because most of our instructors stay with us for the long haul. Our staff members are dedicated, love their jobs, and love to share their knowledge with children of all ages. This sets Emler apart since we try to maintain as much consistency as possible.

Our proven curriculum also provides a solid foundation for our instructors to succeed. The syllabus combined with hand-picked stellar instructors allow us to offer our 100% swimmer guarantee. Give our outstanding teachers a try so we can start creating great memories for your kiddos today!