Teaching

This morning my car lock was frozen. Luckily my husband had a can of SUPER LUBE and I was able to open the lock and get to the pool in time to swim and teach. 

I love my students. They are eager to learn to swim and we break down the elements. We start with and often return to bobbing. "Take air into your mouth then blow it out of your nose in the water. Try this, I demonstrate, dunking and breathing five times. I'm holding up my fingers counting. Okay five more, and five more. Everything else is added to this. Breathing is the most important, most basic element. 

I work with my students individually and give each of them something to focus on and then I come back around to check on how they are doing. "Whoops, you're holding your breath! Let's bob again. Do five. Great. Five more! Okay back to the breast stroke." 

"Excellent, much better!"

One student said, "the water is going in my mouth." I advised him, "Close your mouth just before you hit the water." It's these little details that need to get worked out if the student is to lose the natural fear. The details seem obvious, but are not to the beginner!