What to Expect Before Lessons Begin:

  1. Clearance and Online Registration-

    You will book a swim lesson spot through my scheduling website. Afterwards, you will complete the initial clearance through the national ISR office online. Complete the registration forms and pay the $105 nonrefundable fee using the unique URL provided. If you are a returning student, this fee is only $40 if it has been 6 months or more since your last registration.

  2. Approval and Start of Lessons-

    Wait for confirmation from ISR. Once approved, your child has been cleared to begin lessons. *PLEASE* read the ISR parent handbook before beginning lessons.

  3. Pre- Lesson Communication-

    Before lessons, you will get an email with directions, BUDS sheets, ISR policies and a welcome letter with tips.

  4. Lessons Begin! -

    Get ready to watch your child become an aquatic problem solver! Watch the amazing things your child can accomplish in the water!

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FAQs
Why don’t parents participate in the water during the lessons?
We do not want the baby to initially associate the water with the love, attention, and affection of the parent while in the water. Also, it takes incredible concentration and objectivity to teach the baby how to respond to an aquatic emergency and our experience shows that parents often find it too difficult to be objective to be effective teachers with their own children in the water. We gladly invite parents to join us in the pool once their child has independent skills to practice at home.
Why are lessons 5 days per week and for only 10 minutes?
The reason for this is multifaceted. First, repetition and consistency are crucial elements of learning for young children. Research shows that short, more frequent lessons result in higher retention. Second, most children have fairly short attention spans and will not be able to focus on the task for longer and we want to take advantage of the best time for learning. A third reason is that, though the pool temperature is maintained at 78-88 degrees, the temperature is still lower than your child's body temperature. Lessons are work and therefore will also be losing body heat. Instructors check students regularly for temperature fatigue since this is an indicator of physical fatigue.
Why do you have the children swim in clothes?
Because 86% of children who fall in the water do so fully clothed, we want our students to have experience with such a situation. If a child has experienced the sensations of being in the water in clothing prior to an emergency situation, he/she is less likely to experience panic and be able to focus on the task at hand. If you have ever jumped in the water with clothes on, then you know that there is a significant difference in weight and feel with clothes as opposed to a bathing suit.
How do the kids react during the first few lessons?
Children often fuss during the first few lessons because they are in a new environment and around new people. As your child becomes more confident in his/her ability in the water, the fussing will decrease. It is not unlike the first time you tried a new exercise class or were asked to perform a task at work that you’d never done before: the first time you try a new task it is always challenging, until you get the hang of it. It is the same for your young child. Your child is learning to perform a skill that he/she’s never done before.
Download ISR's Family Aquatic Safety List to help protect your family from the hazards of an aquatic environment

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