How important is your body language when it comes to teaching? I expect that you may find these research-based facts and findings in the next few paragraphs quite interesting. In fact, it’s my hope that you will not only find them interesting, but that you and your learn-to-swim staff embrace them—potentially improving the perception of your teaching staff teaching overnight.

Communication occurs in three dimensions. Body language represents close to 60 percent. The noise that comes out of our mouths accounts for about 30 percent, leaving barely 10 percent to the words we use!  If most swimming instructors were given those three dimensions on one side of a page, and those percentages on the other side of the page, it is my guess that very few would have matched them up correctly.

Body language is capable of sending out all kinds of messages that can enhance or damage our students’ parents’ perception on us as swimming teachers. It is so critical that we are aware of these signals. People tend to have much less conscious control over their non-verbal messages than of what they’re actually saying. This is partly because non-verbal communication is much more emotional in nature, and therefore much more instinctive. If there is a mismatch between the two, THEREFORE, non-verbal messages are trusted rather than the words actually used.

Here are several examples of non-verbal messages:

• Body Movements, for example, hand gestures or nodding or shaking the head;
• Posture, or how you stand or sit, whether your arms are crossed, and so on;
• Eye Contact, where the amount of eye contact often determines the level of trust and trustworthiness;
• Para-language, or aspects of the voice apart from speech, such as pitch, tone, and speed of speaking;
• Closeness or Personal Space, which determines the level of intimacy;
• Facial Expressions, including smiling, frowning and even blinking.

Changingminds.org lists a number of body language clusters with a breakdown of their individual signals. Emotions like joy, anger, sadness and surprise are fairly easy to recognize, while others may take a little thought to figure out. Disinterest, for example, is expressed by looking away, fidgeting, or repeatedly glancing at your watch or a clock!

Other negative non-verbal cues swimming instructors need to avoid are communicated through your BODY POSTURE, often unintentionally communicating that you don’t care.

Here are several more examples Body Posture issues in particular:

• Teaching with your arms crossed.
• Yawning.
• Floating around on a noodle.
• Resting an arm on a lane line or back against the wall.

What can Swimming Instructors do to Portray that we Care?

• Use proximity and be “hands-on.”
• Lower yourself in the water so that your student and their parents see your eyes focused on the child. The “eyes” possess the loudest voice!
• Tilt your head toward your student.
• Raise an eyebrow to acknowledge a student’s question or response.
• Look straight at your student to show that he/she has your attention.
• If you need to disapprove of your student’s behavior, you can look straight at him/her with a prolonged, stare.

Practice Presenting Dynamically when You Teach!

In addition to non-verbal behavior and body language, swimming instructors can and should still strive to use assets like voice inflection to enhance communication. Remember, 30 percent of communication came not from the words that we speak, but simply from the noise. So if you can combine strong verbal cues with the voice inflection, your message will come across stronger and more effective.

Here are Three Proven Strategies:

1. Loudness contrasted with softness.
2. High-Pitched contrasted with low-pitch.
3. Quick delivery contrasted with slow delivery

While you don’t have to be a public speaker, swimming instructors should know how to use voice dynamics when needed to make communication clearer (Rink, 1993).

FINAL THOUGHTS

Non-verbal communication is a complex yet integral part of overall communication skills for swimming instructors. However, far too often–teachers are often totally unaware of their non-verbal behavior.  I hope that this basic awareness of these non-verbal communication strategies, over and above what you actually say when you teach, will help you and your swim staff be even more successful in the near future!

The International Swimming Hall of Fame has named Jim Reiser the recipient of the 2015 Virginia Hunt Newman Award for his curriculum and approach in teaching infants, toddlers, and children to swim.  Jim is the first American to win the award in 10 years.

If you would like to learn more about the Swim Lessons University certification program and curriculum, make sure to visit us at www.SwimLessonsUniversity.com 

We have training and certification programs designed for both private instructors as well as organizations like YMCAs, Recreation Departments, Athletic Clubs, and more.

Swim Lessons University is currently being utilized by recreation departments, YMCAs, America Camp Association swim lessons programs, as well as by private swimming instructors in 45 states and over 30 countries!

You can also call us toll free at 1-866-498-SWIM (7946).

Do you find that after training your swim school staff and getting into your swim lessons that you or your instructors start having new questions on how or what to do in different situations?  

Do you even notice that certain techniques and strategies that were addressed in the original swim instructor training are still lacking by new instructors?

We do!  So at Swim Lessons University, we decided that the perfect solution to address these problems would be to hold an In-Service Staff Training session!  AND NOW–without traveling one mile—YOU AND YOUR STAFF can be a part of our amazing session!

In this brand new video—SLU Executive Director Jim Reiser answers 25 EXCELLENT QUESTIONS from his local staff, and he provides 25 simple and practical techniques to help every instructor improve their classes!

Here is a Small Sampling of the 25 Questions:

1. How do I correct parents in my Parent & Toddler classes without appearing confrontational?
2. How do I put the parent at ease about taking an infant or toddler underwater?
3. What do you do in situations where you have a child who refuses to get in the water?
4. What do you say to a parent who sends their child to the pool with goggles and they aren’t even putting their face in the water yet?
5. Do you ever tell kids to close their mouth when breath holding?
6. Do you let kids Doggie Paddle if they aren’t putting their face in the water?
7. Do you have any tips on how to help students pick up the Freestyle Side Breathing easier?
8. How do you get a child to flex both feet in breaststroke?

Again, these are just some examples of the 25 common questions asked by SLU swimming instructors….  As always, you will find this In-Service Swim Instructor Training Video to be information-packed, high energy and fast paced. You and your staff will be new and improved in 90 minutes or less–guaranteed!

Here is a 12-minute highlight video of the In-Service Training Poolside Seminar:

Order your copy today at www.SwimLessonsUniversity.com

The International Swimming Hall of Fame has named Jim Reiser the recipient of the 2015 Virginia Hunt Newman Award for his curriculum and approach in teaching infants, toddlers, and children to swim.  Jim is the first American to win the award in 10 years.

If you would like to learn more about the Swim Lessons University certification program and curriculum, make sure to visit us at www.SwimLessonsUniversity.com  We have training and certification programs designed for both private instructors as well as organizations like YMCAs, Recreation Departments, Athletic Clubs, and more.

The Swim Lessons University Instructor certification is an internationally recognized alternative to the Red Cross WSI.  AND when you utilize SLU, instructors can SPECIALIZE to teach specific classes and age groups OR they  can certify to teach them all!  Best of all, when you choose Swim Lessons University you can do all your training at your own facility or in the comfort of your own home, at your pace, and at a fraction of the cost!

Swim Lessons University is currently being utilized by recreation departments, YMCAs, America Camp Association swim lessons programs, as well as by private swimming instructors in 45 states and over 30 countries!

You can also call us toll free at 1-866-498-SWIM (7946).

As the American Red Cross raises it’s fees for swim lesson programs and it’s Water Safety Instructor certification, the interest in an alternative swim instructor certification is on the rise.   One of those alternatives is the Swim Lessons University Swimming Instructor training program.

Barb Limbo, Aquatic Director for the Rapid City Aquatics Recreation Department in South Dakota comments, “We have adapted the Swim Lesson University program. The ease of training staff is great. The videos show the instructors how to interact with children, not just show the progressions of the strokes.   Swim Lessons University is wonderful and has been great to work with on the switch at our facility–making our transition much easier.”

There are several real advantages, in addition to it being more cost effective solution for recreation departments, YMCA’s, and swim schools.   To name a few, all training can be done in-house.  SLU training features video-based courses so swim instructor candidates get to learn from watching real learn-to-swim classes and expert instructors vs. the traditional textbook approach.  Swim Lessons University training is also very convenient as swim teachers do all their testing online.

Former USA Olympian, 1988 Silver Medalist, and swim school owner Beth Barr speaks of Jim Reiser and Swim Lessons University:

“Your appreciation and knowledge of the sport, your business sense and your understanding of children and how they learn is revolutionizing the swim lesson industry.   Your efforts have not only given me the confidence to start BARRacuda Swim Works, they have also reminded me of the critical importance of our profession. Your passion is apparent and catching – it is important to teach children and their parents how to enjoy the water, safely, and to help them develop a skill they can enjoy their entire life.”

The International Swimming Hall of Fame has named Jim Reiser the recipient of the 2015 Virginia Hunt Newman Award for his curriculum and approach in teaching infants, toddlers, and children to swim.  Jim is the first American to win the award in 10 years.

If you would like to learn more about the Swim Lessons University Online Swim Instructor Certification  and curriculum, make sure to visit us at www.SwimLessonsUniversity.com

Swim Lessons University is currently being utilized by recreation departments, YMCAs, America Camp Association swim lessons programs, as well as by private swimming instructors in 45 states and over 30 countries!

You can also call us toll free at 1-866-498-SWIM (7946).

Swim Lessons University will offer its’ second annual Learn to Swim Instructor conference in Las Vegas, New Orleans, Orlando, and New York for the 2011-2012 year.

Jim Reiser, “the Swim Professor,” will give four presentations at the one-day event.  The 2011-2012 topic agenda is as follows:

• 10:00 AM  – 11:15 AM My Favorite “Learn-to-Swim” Progressions: From Infant Swimming to Breaststroke.

• 11:30 AM – 12:45 PM Marketing YOU! How to Most Effectively Promote You and/or Your Swim School

• 12:45 PM – 2:15 PM    LUNCH BREAK

• 2:15PM – 3:30 PM   Picture Perfect Teaching Techniques …or NOT! Do’s and Don’ts for Swimming Instructors.

• 3:45 PM – 5:00 PM  HOT TOPICS:  From programming to curriculum, this talk covers it all!

Michelle Smith, an instructor from Orlando, Florida, comments on last year’s event:  “Today I have been blessed. I am here at Jim’s Orlando Conference. I have already learned so much. Anyone who follows Jim on his website and through facebook gets to see great clips and I have always appreciated that, but to meet with him in a class you get to see that the love for kids and swim lessons he speaks about is very sincere. Thanks Jim for the inspiration and confidence to be the “BEST” instructors. You have made me a better instructor and for that I will forever be grateful. What an awesome day! Thank you so much Jim for offering a “wealth” of information.”

Enroll now and get the early bird rate of just $85.00!   Special room rates are also available for SLU Conference attendees.

Last but not least, there is also an optional post conference “Certified Pool Operator Course” for the Las Vegas  and Orlando  Conference which will be held on the Sunday following the conference.

This blog is meant to serve as a big thank you to Kristin Newman, who wrote the poem below for our wedding day, 11 years ago yesterday. My wife and I celebrated 11 years last night, and before we went out, I shared this poem with her.

At our wedding, my former USS club team, Team NCS, helped make our reception one to remember. They were such a big part of my life. During the reception, the kids took turns reading a poem that one of my swimmers, Kristin Newman wrote for us. Ironically, Kristin is now married and I just got a wedding invitation from her younger sister Elise. Elise not only swam for me then, she teachers for me now.

At any rate, I want to thank Kristin and all my former swimmers for helping make our wedding day a special one, and making 1994-2005 such an incredible time in my life. For old times sake, I am going to post the poem she wrote for 11 years ago:

THE DREAM
by Kristen Newman

There are lots of things we’d like to say
On this very special day
We’d like to say you are the best
We know this is true because we’ve definately put you up to the test
We don’t mean to, but sometimes we complain
Until we nearly drive you insane
But we’ve learned that quarters add up real quick
So looks like that move was pretty slick
You make us work our tails off week after week
But in the end it has helped us reach the goals we seek
We swim, we sprint, we do VO2 Max
We’re trying to figure out why we don’t all have six packs

Do you remember the day, it was the end of the season
We pushed you in the pool, we had a good reason
You were kinda mad ’cause you had a hot date
We apologize to you, Heather, for making him late
We think she ended up like you just a little bit
Because when she met us she didn’t throw in the towel and quit
We are your job, your work, your team
If you think about it you’re accomplishing your dream
You have a growing swim team and today a wonderful wife
Who will be your friend and companion for life
We pray that God will bless you as your start your lives together
And we, Team NCS, love you both, Jim and Heather!

Signed by many of my swimmers who shared that special day with us:
Kristen Newman, Diana Marino, Laura Stoudenmire, Shannon Luckie, Emily Niehaus, Tyler Nixon, Amy Starin, Jessie King, Kristin Willoughby, Kate Niehaus, ManyAnn Pascuitti, David Pascuitti, Molly Starin, Catherine Wood, Virginia Roach, Elise Newman, Stephanie Johnson, Libbi Nixon, Shane Spraker, Amy Green, Raymond Balint, Jeremy Newman, Don Bunch, and Steven Luckie (by the way, I sang in Steven’s wedding this past summer, who married another former swimmer of mine, Nicholle Guess). How cool is that!

I miss all you guys and the hundreds of swimmers who I coached at NCS from 1994-2003, and then our state champion Team Carolina swimmers from 2003 – 2005. I miss you all, and you’ll always be like family to me. Thank you! And of course, like Elise Newman, Rachel Drafts, Blair Francis, Catherine Wood, Alyssa Smith, and I’m sure some others, I hope more and more of you will become Swim Lessons University Swim Instructors and teach for The Swim Lessons Company someday soon!