Over the spring and summer months you may notice your classes fill up, and for those who choose to teach VacSwim the class sizes may be much larger than you're used to — possibly even with children in different stages!
This can sometimes make lessons more difficult to instruct, but if you remember a few key strategies the increased numbers shouldn't have an impact on your lessons.
Our top 4 tips to handle larger class sizes are:
- Set rules and expectations for the lesson at the start
- Understand each swimmer's ability and stage
- Use chain or wave swimming techniques to keep students swimming as much as possible (more on these below)
- Set up a circuit with skills that students can work on without your direct assistance
Wave Swimming
Split the students into two groups using numbers or fun names such as mermaids and sharks, for example. Then call up one group at a time. This eliminates the long wait times that are evident in one on one swimming and allows you to review the technique and skill level of a smaller group of students and make corrections as needed.
Chain Swimming
This technique involves setting out a point in your lane that the swimmer has to get to before the next swimmer can start. You should set out the lane so they will be swimming up and back to allow the chain to work efficiently and without chaos. This will help you to have one-on-one time with students, but keep them all swimming. You should stand at the deepest point of the lane allowing you to correct them as they swim up and back past you.
Ensuring students are active for a majority of the class assists them in practising the skills they need to pass their level, keeps them warm, and keeps parents happy as they see their child practising a variety of skills throughout the lesson.
For more information to assist you in your swimming lessons check out the range of books and manuals available at the link below.
