It’s important to know that your swim instructor is the best possible choice for you and your children. Not everyone knows how to choose the best swim instructor. Follow our list of what to look for to make the right decision!
Here are AquaMobile’s tips for how to choose the best swim instructor for your family!
1) Find an Instructor Who Meets the Certification and Training Requirements
Make sure your instructor has the following training and qualifications:
- CPR Certification
- First Aid Certification
- Formal Swim Instructor Training/Certification
Each of these certifications is important in their way. CPR is needed in the event of an emergency. Knowing how to do it can make all the difference while waiting for professional medical help. First Aid can help with basic injuries such as cuts or scrapes and stop smaller problems from becoming bigger ones. The final certification is fairly straightforward. A swim teacher should be experienced and capable of showing you each skill step by step.
2) Make Sure the Instructor has Two or More Years of Formal Teaching Experience
To teach swimming lessons, an instructor needs to have formal teaching experience. For example, someone may be a competitive swimmer with 15 years of experience but has never taught swimming lessons. However, someone who excels on their own in the sport might not be the best teacher. In other cases, friends and family members with less experience may try to take on the role of a swim instructor.
When AquaMobile interviews potential swim instructors, we sometimes have to turn down candidates who look good on paper but have difficulty explaining how to teach. This is partially due to giving informal advice to fellow swimmers. In turn, they have trouble breaking skills down into simple steps required for proper learning. 
Having two or more years of formal teaching experience ensures swim instructors are confident and knowledgeable about a variety of skills. Students have different personalities and learning styles. So being able to adapt teaching techniques to each student is essential to being a great teacher!
3) Check that the Swim Instructor is Fully Insured
This is extremely important to keep in mind when choosing a swim instructor. Oftentimes independent swim teachers have no insurance coverage. This can leave you with liability costs if an incident occurs. AquaMobile has a multi-million dollar General Liability Insurance policy to ensure all of our instructors while they are teaching our clients.
Having a swim instructor that’s fully insured will save you money in the event of an accident. Risks that come with an uninsured swim instructor are costly. Some of the things that insurance can help cover are injury, illness and property damage. These are not things that you or a child want to deal with.
4) Look for Someone with Experience to Meet Your Specific Needs
Make sure the instructor you choose is experienced in teaching the age, swim level and specific needs of your child. In some cases, you may want to look for an instructor who teaches specialized skills.
Some of our areas of expertise include:
- Teaching children with special needs
- Parent and tot or infant lessons
- Specialization in certain skills (diving, synchro, etc.)
- Competitive swim coaching
- Endurance and fitness lessons
Determining your learning goals will help you find an instructor who can meet your individual needs.
5) Find Out if a Background Check is Available
Getting a background check done on your instructor is always a good idea, especially if they are coming to your own home. An instructor should be trustworthy and responsible. You should feel completely comfortable with the instructor teaching you or your children. All AquaMobile instructors must pass a background check as part of our hiring process.
Trust is one of the most important qualities to have in a swimming instructor. It not only makes sure they are safe, but lets you know their credentials are legitimate. If it’s your first time in the water, working with someone knowledgeable is essential. This is a given for the safety of you or your child.
6) Get a Sense of the Instructor’s Personality Fit with Your Child
Once you know that your instructor is qualified and experienced, make sure to look for a good personality fit between you and your instructor.
Take these aspects into account:
- Does your child respond better to high energy or calm instructor?
- Are you looking for someone who will be more firm or lenient?
- Do you want a more relaxed or strict lesson plan?
Everyone has a different personality type. This means an instructor who acts similarly can make a huge difference in how they learn. Some students prefer more structured lessons, while others like less restricted styles of teaching.
Choosing an instructor who your child will enjoy spending time in the water makes for more effective lessons. A strong bond between the instructor and child helps promote:
- Eagerness to participate in lessons
- More confidence in the water
- A more fun experience
Speak with the instructor before the first lesson to get a sense of their personality. This is especially important when searching for one on your own.
How Does AquaMobile Choose Its Swim Instructors?
When hiring swim instructors to join our team, we look for all of the qualities listed above. Additionally, we ensure they are covered with AquaMobile under our Insurance Policy. There are multiple steps to the hiring process. Video interviews allow us to get a sense of each candidate’s personality, energy level and how they present themselves. This helps determine whether they are capable instructors. By testing them with teaching scenarios, we get to see if their knowledge matches the information provided on their application.
Browse through AquaMobile instructor profiles to see pictures and bios written by instructors themselves. These can help you find the right fit for you or your child.
Calling 1-800-950-7946 will connect you with our office staff made up of current and past instructors. They can help you pick an instructor suitable for your needs!
