Inclusion and adaptive aquatics are popular topics in the industry, and many instructors hope they are providing a positive learning environment for all their students, especially when teaching inclusive aquatics. We know every person learns differently. But teaching an individual who needs additional attention or guidance can be intimidating for any instructor, especially in the water.
Help prepare your team for situations outside their comfort zone with this small group exercise. This exercise will challenge your team to think outside the box when teaching different learning methods.
An Exercise for Teaching Inclusive Aquatics
Collect three or more items you would not typically use in the water, such as a stuffed animal, a bowling ball and a balloon. These items are interchangeable with other items, as long as they all float in the water differently.
Have your swim instructors form a circle. Your team will decide on a method and body part to move the first object around the circle from person to person, such as pushing with your hands.
After the item is passed from one team member to the next, you will move on to the next item. The team must decide on a new method and body part to move each object; the previous method and body part may not be used. This will make moving each item more challenging. In addition, it will encourage your team to think outside the box in a fun and creative learning environment.
Talk with your team about how we all think differently, and sometimes one approach doesn’t work for everyone. Encourage an open dialogue on different ways to approach this exercise. The more your team participates and keeps communication open, the more confident they will feel.
Offer Complimentary and Inclusive Swim Lessons
Another way to prepare your team to work with participants who need special accommodations is to offer a complimentary, inclusive swim lesson. Most families are excited to participate in building inclusive programming. Have your team go through the motions of beginning a new swim lesson: talking with parents, getting down on the child’s level to get them more comfortable, teaching the lesson and following up with the parent afterward to discuss progress. This builds both the instructor’s confidence and the families that participate in the training. They may even find an instructor they connect with.
Once word gets out you are making accommodations for a fully inclusive swim program, you will have an enthusiastic group of students ready to learn. Have your team prepare lesson plans and talk about alternative teaching approaches to each swim skill. Remember the goal of all swim lessons is to ensure participants are safer in and around the water.
Stevie Weeks offers the unique perspective of inclusion training from the background of an aquatics program director, swim lessons instructor and proud mom to a son with autism. Weeks is the customer relationship manager with HydroApps, part of Counsilman-Hunsaker’s circle of expertise.
