Speed with Style: Why no Swimming Levels?
Everything we do at SWS is in being as effective as possible. However, we believe that swimming levels may actually be preventing optimal progress!
The main arguments for having swimming levels/certificates are:
Children are motivated by them to achieve a higher level.
It makes the children’s swimming ability easy to classify.
Makes writing lesson plans easier.
Our arguments against these levels are:
If a child needs to be ‘motivated’ by these certificates they are not that motivated anyway!
Levels/Certificates are an EXTRINSIC form of motivation (doing something for a separate reward), this is much LOWER than what we try and achieve, which is INTRINSIC motivation (doing something because they love it).
At Speed with Style we facilitate INTRINSIC motivation. We have never had any child ask us about getting a certificate; they just love their lessons and love their swimming (although some parents do ask us about them!).
Levels/Certificates actually PREVENT optimal progress as they are very rigid. You generally cannot progress a level until you meet ALL the criteria.
A child may be excellent at 3 strokes but struggle with 1 stroke. Thus, they stay down and cannot be taught higher level skills for the 3 strokes, until they can do the 1 stroke to a particular standard.
Our Individualised Custom Approach (ICT), and only a max of 4 students per lesson, means we can adjust our teaching to the needs of the individual child, we can teach the 3 strokes at a higher level while helping them with the 1 stroke that they are struggling with.
Other swim schools cannot do this as they have a different approach that has to be geared to teaching a large group. There is no flexibility for individual adjustment.
Even if other swim schools have 4 or less in a group their system tend to be geared around the group not the individual.
Speed with Style programs have been designed SPECIFICALLY for individuals in a class of 4 or less.
We don’t have lesson plans!
Lesson plans may work for the industrialised factory system of teaching children, as they have to be taught as a group, irrespective of the child’s individual strengths and weaknesses. Thus, they may be teaching a skill that most of the group can do, but has to be taught to all the children, at the same time. A one size fits all approach!
With ICT we adjust the teaching to the individual needs of the child on that particular day.
We do something called Formative Assessment this is a recognised educational concept, where we constantly assess what the child can do throughout the lesson and adjust our teaching to meet the needs of the child at that particular time.
Children (and adults) do not learn in a uniform manner, they may have forgotten some things from the previous lesson or they may learn a particular skill very quickly. We want to make sure that the child progresses at an optimal rate for them, not at a slower group rate.
Rigid lesson plans only slow progress, but are necessary for group lessons that are designed for lesson plans; our instructors are flexible and teach the child as they need to be taught on that day.
But what about School Swimming? What level should I put them in?
Just ask us and we can give you an indication of the level they should be in.
Please be aware that, although we support school swimming, their program has a different objective, essentially to try and ensure the child doesn’t drown (and obviously that is important). However, Speed with Style is trying to help your child become a really good swimmer who can swim fast, with little effort, with the correct technique and style. Essentially developing SPEED WITH STYLE!
A metaphor may be that ‘normal’ swim schools or school swimming is to try and keep the child alive if they fall into a pool of water, perhaps off a boat near Rottnest. If a Speed with Style swimmer falls off that boat we want that child to be able to swim to Rottnest!
Since school swimming processes are generally similar to the ‘normal’ swim school you may notice your child’s progress go backwards. In our experience they are often taught things that are not optimal, and correct technique is often not understood or implemented. Unfortunately, in our experience this is normal after being in a school program; however, we will try and get them back to where they were as quickly as possible.
Have Fun, Learn Fast, Swim Fast
Definitely one of the best swim schools in Perth , don't miss it !