ISR Classes
One on One Lessons
All ISR lessons are one on one, student and instructor. This allows the instructor to focus fully on the individual needs of the student as all children are unique in their personalities and their cognitive learning abilities. ISR lessons are student directed lessons, tailored to the changing needs of the individual child throughout every moment of each lesson. Although lessons are one on one, they are not “closed” to other students and/ or parents poolside. It often helps children to stay engaged when other children are watching their progress and cheering them on.
Ten Minutes
Lessons are approximately ten minutes a day. ISR lessons are kept short to avoid muscle exhaustion. ISR students work hard to achieve their float and the swim-float-swim sequence and although they are given rests throughout the maximum ten minute lesson, their muscles can fatigue quickly while learning these new skills.
5 Days per Week – Monday thru Friday
Consistency and repetition are the foundation to successful and engaged students. Lessons are only ten minutes a day, but the consistency and repetition of five days a week is what builds the skills they need to survive an aquatic environment. The average student will take approximately four – six weeks to complete the ISR course. All children learn at different speeds, but consistency is a major factor in determining the amount of weeks a student’s lessons will last.
Parent Involved
Parents are instrumental in their child’s development. Infant Swimming Resource classes are no different. Children respond to their parents emotions and ISR knows what an important tool this can be when teaching a child to swim. We encourage parents to always stay upbeat and positive during the lessons as well as in discussions about swim classes at home. We also encourage parents to be active in their child’s swimming development by teaching parents ways to interact with their child in the water safely and in accordance with their development in their ISR lessons.
Once a child begins to show confident self-rescue skills Colleen will invite the parent to get into the pool on Friday lessons to teach them how to interact with their child in the water while still honoring their newly acquired aquatic skills.
Maintenance
Upon completion of lessons, you may see behaviors in the child’s swimming at home that is not consistent with what your child was doing during lessons. This is a natural progression for your child. As he becomes more comfortable and confident in the water, he will begin to experiment and explore the aquatic environment. It is important to know that this does not mean that your child has “forgotten” the skills learned during ISR lessons. However, it may be necessary to schedule a Maintenance Lesson.
Maintenance Lessons are designed to fine-tune your child’s skills or to prevent problems from developing in your child’s technique. A few months after completion of ISR lessons, your child may develop unwanted habits out of regular play time in the pool. For example, your child may begin to swim farther without rolling over for breath or may try swimming with her head out of water. Some habits formed from normal exploration in the water may begin to affect your child’s ability to swim and float.
During Maintenance Lessons, Colleen Haas will discuss with you different ways to swim with your child to reinforce the correct swimming behaviors and how to control the swimming environment to avoid negative behaviors. There are no set time frames for Maintenance Lessons. They are contingent upon the behaviors being exhibited by your child. In most cases, behaviors can be reinforced or corrected in one or two Maintenance Lessons. However, some parents choose to bring their children for maintenance Lessons once a week or every two weeks throughout the summer to consistently reinforce proper swimming behaviors.
Refresher Lessons
ISR recommends that all students, especially between the ages of 12 months and 4 years, return to an ISR instructor once every 6 months for a quick 1-3 week Refresher Lessons.
Children grow physically, emotionally, and mentally very quickly in the first six years of their lives. Their center of gravity will change as their limbs become longer and their concept of water changes as their brains become more advanced.
Refresher Lessons help our students assimilate their new bodies and minds to the skills they previously learned so they can continue to swim safely and effectively. It is important to remember that your child does not “forget” the skills acquired with ISR. However, most children are not regularly in the water in the winter and during this extended period of time your child will mature mentally and physically. Refresher Lessons are designed to help your child adjust her swim and float to her new more mature body and mind and to reinforce her confidence in the water.