Swimming

As a class, we go out into the community to learn once each week. Last week we went to the YMCA to swim. I always enjoy swimming with my students. They love it and have gotten so much braver as they have opportunities to swim in PE class and at the Y.  They learn lots of small lessons every time we go: how to be polite, dressing/undressing, putting things away in lockers, remembering where one's locker is, and general pool rules and manners.

Last time, two of my students were able to take a test to swim in the deep end. They had to swim the length of the deep end. However, this time, the test had changed. Before swimming the length of the deep end, they had to jump in the pool and tread water for 30 seconds. Neither of these students had learned to tread water before. Although I was convinced they could, they were not quite as convinced. One student particularly struggled. I was trying to teach him in the shallow end and he kept putting his feet down, as he is pretty tall. He was on the verge of giving up when the lifeguard gave permission for him to try it at the edge of the deep end with me in the pool next to him. He jumped in, treaded water for 30 seconds (although he looked like he wanted to give up after about 20) and then swam the length of the pool. I was so proud of him for not giving up, even when it became difficult.

Another student, who in the past had clung to the wall the entire time, walked 1/3rd of the way into the center of the pool and even went under water in order to get a diving stick off the bottom of the pool. It is so fun to see each student improve as they become more comfortable in the water.