Swimming teacher

Swimming teachers train and advise groups or individuals on swimming. They plan trainings and teach different swimming styles such as front crawl, breaststroke and butterfly. They help to improve their students performance.

The duties of a swimming teacher typically include, but are not limited to:

• Teaching swimming techniques, swimming strokes, and water safety rules to students with varying swimming abilities.
• Assisting more experienced swimmers to enhance their swimming abilities.
• Assessing the progress of students and adjusting teaching programs accordingly.
• Monitoring students to prevent accidents and injuries.
• Implementing ground rules for each swim session.
• Planning swimming lessons that take into account students’ abilities and progressive development.
• Identifying incorrect swimming techniques and correcting students accordingly.
• Ensuring that the swimming pool and locker rooms are kept clean and tidy.

The following job titles also refer to swimming teacher:

senior swimming teacher
baby swimming teacher
swimming coach
education swimming teacher
swimming and diving teacher
swimming instructor
swimming and diving coach
swimming and diving instructor
shaw method swimming teacher

Swimming teachers work indoors in a pool environment, with exposure to chlorine and other pool chemicals. They spend most of their workday in or near the pool, which can be physically demanding. Work schedules can vary widely depending on the facility and season, with many instructors working evenings and weekends.

To become a swimming teacher, a high school diploma or equivalent is typically required, although some facilities may require a college degree in a related field. Certification by a recognized swimming teacher organization, such as the Red Cross, is also typically required. Teachers must have excellent swimming skills and experience swimming in a variety of conditions. Strong communication and interpersonal skills are necessary to effectively teach and interact with students. Many facilities offer on-the-job training and may require additional certifications in first aid and CPR.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Swimming teacher is a Skill level 3 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to swimming teacher.

boxing instructor
ice-skating coach
golf instructor
ski instructor
snowboard instructor

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of swimming teacher. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of swimming teacher with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

physical education vocational teacher
physical education teacher secondary school
recreation policy officer
public speaking coach
corporate trainer

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of swimming teacher.

• Swimming styles: The different styles and techniques of swimming such as front crawl, breaststroke and backstroke.
• Swimming pool safety guidelines: The rules and guidelines related to swimming pool safety, such as rules related to child safety, running, diving, waterslides, electrical appliances, food and drinks, water hygiene, and inflatables.

These skills are necessary for the role of swimming teacher.

• Personalise sports programme: Observe and evaluate individual performance and determine personal needs and motivation to tailor programmes accordingly and in conjunction with the participant
• Work with different target groups: Work with a variety of target groups based on age, gender and disability.
• Plan sports instruction programme: Provide participants with an appropriate programme of activities to support progression to the required level of expertise in the specified time taking into account relevant scientific and sport-specific knowledge.
• Give swimming lessons: Instruct children, adults, beginners and advanced students on swimming techniques and water safety.
• Execute sports training programme: Supervise a sports training programme for individuals or groups by following the training plan, giving instructions on how to execute exercises, providing feedback on the performance on a technical and tactical level.
• Apply risk management in sports: Manage the environment and athletes or participants to minimise their chances of suffering any harm. This includes checking appropriateness of venue and equipment and gathering relevant sport and health history from athletes or participants. It also includes ensuring appropriate insurance cover is in place at all times
• Adapt teaching to target group: Instruct students in the most fitting manner in regards to the teaching context or the age group, such as a formal versus an informal teaching context, and teaching peers as opposed to children.
• Demonstrate when teaching: Present to others examples of your experience, skills, and competences that are appropriate to specific learning content to help students in their learning.
• Instruct in sport: Provide appropriate technical and tactical instruction related to the given sport using varied and sound pedagogical approaches to meet the needs of the participants and achieve the desired objectives. This requires skills such as communication, explanation, demonstration, modelling, feedback, questioning and correction.
• Swim: Move through water by means of the limbs.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of swimming teacher. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Sport and exercise medicine: Prevention and treatment of injuries or conditions resulted from a physical activity or sport.
• Sports nutrition: Nutritional information such as vitamins and energy pills related to a specific sporting activity.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of swimming teacher. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Attend sports training: Attend scheduled practice or training sessions.
• Apply latest sport science findings: Identify and apply the latest findings of sport science in the area.
• Develop sports programmes: Develop plans and policies for the inclusion of sporting activities and organisations in a community, and for the development of sporting activities for specific target groups.
• Coach during a sports competition: Support individuals or groups during a sports competition, advise them on how to improve their performance and support them as much as possible increasing their chances to perform successfully in the competition. This includes conducting substitutions in team sports.
• Follow trends in sporting equipment: Follow material developments and trends within a specific sport. Keep up-to-date about athletes, gear and equipment manufacturers.
• Exercise sports: Exercise or practice under the direction of sports and athletic trainers or professional coaches to develop skills, improve physical condition, or prepare for competitions.
• Motivate in sports: Positively foster athletes and participants’ intrinsic desire to carry out the required tasks to fulfill their goals and to push themselves beyond their current levels of skill and understanding.

3422 – Sports coaches, instructors and officials

---

References

1. Swimming teacher – ESCO
2. Swimming teacher | Explore careers – National Careers Service
3. How To Become a Swim Instructor | Indeed.com
4. Swim Instructor Job Description – Betterteam
5. Featured image: By Photo by Daniel Cernero, Fort Hood Sentinel Sports Editor – https://www.dvidshub.net/image/1423654, Public Domain