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| This student proved to herself that 74 is not too old to learn to dive! |
What ages do you teach?
I teach babies age 6 months and up, toddlers, preschoolers, school-age children, adolescents, and adults; my oldest student so far was 80. There's no upper age limit for learning to swim! I love working with people of all ages, and I have a special place in my heart for those who are afraid of the water.
Do you offer semi-private or group lessons?
I only teach one student at a time. I could multiply my income by scheduling more students per lesson, but one-on-one instruction ensures the best value for you and the best experience for your student.
The predominant reason I teach students individually is safety. Near-drowning incidents aren't uncommon during group lessons at busy pools. Needing to stay within arm's reach and keep an eye on the waiting students hampers an instructor's ability to teach the one in the water. I demonstrate skills, go underwater with my students, and move around the entire pool, encouraging them to swim farther and farther as they're able. That leaves no one to keep other students safe.
Closely tied in with safety is value. Group lessons involve a lot of waiting. Children often get cold, bored, or dangerously adventurous while waiting their turn. They aren't allowed to progress to the next level until they've mastered every skill in their current level - yet they have limited opportunities to work on their specific areas of need. Many a frustrated parent has paid for session after session of group lessons without seeing much progress.
Since making the switch in 2013 to teaching exclusively one-on-one, I typically see my students learn more in one session - just three weeks - than they would in an entire year of once-a-week group lessons. This is thanks to the increased practice time, immediate feedback, and individualized instruction they receive. Working one-on-one enables me to use the guided discovery method of teaching, which requires close supervision, and allows students to make discoveries of their own so the skills are internalized. I'm able to incorporate what the student is doing outside the pool into my teaching plan so lessons are an extension of a child's natural play. In an individual setting, hesitant students receive the comfort and reassurance they need to build a relationship of trust with me, and all students can be appropriately challenged.
The bottom line is that students taught individually are safer, sooner. By investing in private lessons, you'll see faster progress and ultimately pay for fewer lessons.
The predominant reason I teach students individually is safety. Near-drowning incidents aren't uncommon during group lessons at busy pools. Needing to stay within arm's reach and keep an eye on the waiting students hampers an instructor's ability to teach the one in the water. I demonstrate skills, go underwater with my students, and move around the entire pool, encouraging them to swim farther and farther as they're able. That leaves no one to keep other students safe.
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| Siblings learn best in back-to-back private lessons. |
Closely tied in with safety is value. Group lessons involve a lot of waiting. Children often get cold, bored, or dangerously adventurous while waiting their turn. They aren't allowed to progress to the next level until they've mastered every skill in their current level - yet they have limited opportunities to work on their specific areas of need. Many a frustrated parent has paid for session after session of group lessons without seeing much progress.
Since making the switch in 2013 to teaching exclusively one-on-one, I typically see my students learn more in one session - just three weeks - than they would in an entire year of once-a-week group lessons. This is thanks to the increased practice time, immediate feedback, and individualized instruction they receive. Working one-on-one enables me to use the guided discovery method of teaching, which requires close supervision, and allows students to make discoveries of their own so the skills are internalized. I'm able to incorporate what the student is doing outside the pool into my teaching plan so lessons are an extension of a child's natural play. In an individual setting, hesitant students receive the comfort and reassurance they need to build a relationship of trust with me, and all students can be appropriately challenged.
The bottom line is that students taught individually are safer, sooner. By investing in private lessons, you'll see faster progress and ultimately pay for fewer lessons.
How much do lessons cost?
Prices are shown on the lesson schedule. For any age or ability, tuition is $750 for a standard session of fifteen 30-minute lessons. Tuition for sessions that have more or fewer lessons is prorated. Tuition for stroke clinics begins at $180 for three 30-minute lessons.
Your registration fee covers admission to the Aquatic Center only for the student, and only during your scheduled lesson time.
Will you come teach at my pool?
Due to insurance limitations, I'm unable to teach at other pools.
For how many sessions should I sign up?
My program is so effective, you can expect to be in lessons for weeks, not years.
Students must be committed, however; there are no convenient shortcuts. Continuity is required to establish a working relationship, achieve basic safety, lay a solid foundation for learning proper strokes, create muscle memory, and improve retention. Only systematic instruction and lots of guided practice produce safe swimmers with efficient, sustainable strokes.
Infants and toddlers (ages 6 months to under 3 years of age) must initially commit to two consecutive sessions (30 lessons held over 6 weeks).
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| Once students master the fundamental building blocks, they learn how to put them together into strokes. |
Infants and toddlers (ages 6 months to under 3 years of age) must initially commit to two consecutive sessions (30 lessons held over 6 weeks).
Beginner, intermediate and advanced swimmers (ages 3 through adult) may begin with a single session (15 lessons held over 3 weeks).
Beyond these initial requirements, how many lessons you'd like to take depends upon your goals. Special needs, a history of trauma, or other circumstances may necessitate a different approach to scheduling. If your student has any unique considerations, contact me to determine the best fit prior to beginning the registration process.
Do you offer stroke clinics?
Yes. Please note that stroke clinics are not a shortcut for beginners learning to swim; there are no shortcuts. I love to do stroke clinics for students seeking:
- help with technique/efficiency on one or two strokes, provided they can already swim 50 yards of those strokes without stopping.
- to learn or refine one or two specific skills.
I can teach all of the competition strokes (front crawl, back crawl, breaststroke, and butterfly), leisure and lifesaving strokes (modified elementary backstroke, traditional elementary backstroke, sidestroke on both sides, and inverted sidestroke), bilateral breathing, open turns, flip turns, surface dives, entry dives, and racing starts.
To be considered for a stroke clinic, the swimmer must be able to perform all of the following foundational skills:
- motionless back float for 30 seconds.
- stationary front float for 30 seconds, moving only the head to inhale.
- roll from front float to back float to front float, with minimal splashing, while maintaining forward orientation.
- 10 continuous bobs beyond depth, inhaling through the mouth and exhaling through the nose.
- front glide from the wall, then hold position for 5 seconds.
- back glide from the wall, then hold position for 5 seconds.
Students not already proficient in all of these skills should instead register for a full session.
If the student meets the requirements, send me a request as outlined here. In addition to the items listed on that page, stroke clinic requests must include:
- "Stroke clinic request" in the subject line.
- a video of the student swimming 50 yards of the stroke they want to work on (if applicable), including side, front, and rear views. Video taken above the water is sufficient.
- a list of the skills they wish to learn or refine (if applicable).
- your preferred frequency: once a week with the student practicing on their own at least twice between lessons, or consecutive days.
- your preferred days of the week
- Note: DO include your choice of session, as stroke clinic availability is limited to days I'm already teaching. We won't be using the listed time slots, so don't choose a time slot (unless it's a dedicated Stroke Clinic/Refresher session).
The minimum number of lessons in a stroke clinic is three. More can be added, depending upon student needs and pool availability.
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| A typically-developing preschooler who is enthusiastic and cooperative can usually learn to jump into deep water, swim 14/25 yards, and climb out - in one session. |
Can my student take just a few lessons to brush up on what you taught them a few months ago?
Refreshers are occasionally available for alums who finished a full session within the past year. The number of lessons in a refresher ranges from 1 to 10, depending upon student needs and pool availability.
How long will it take to learn to swim?
First, you'll need to consider what exactly you're aiming for. To some, "learning to swim" means being able to save themselves if they fall into the water. Others feel that making it from one end of the pool to the other in any fashion qualifies them as a "swimmer." Being able to swim a coordinated front crawl with rotary breathing is the end goal for some, while still others are looking to master all the strokes and graduate from lessons to swim team. I'll help you achieve all of these milestones if you work with me long enough!
Whatever your definition of swimming, the time frame for learning is as individual as the student. It depends on the interplay of many factors, including:
My student is already comfortable in the water and can even dog-paddle, so do we really need a full session?
Definitely! Levels 1 through 3 emphasize good safety habits in, on, and around water that cannot be skipped. The survival and self-rescue skills learned in Levels 1 & 2 actually help form the foundation for learning proper strokes.
Your student's comfort in the water may be an asset in some regards, but in these cases, there are generally some bad habits that have to be broken. Additionally, children who figure out how to dog-paddle on their own are sometimes resistant to instruction, so it can take a while to establish a working relationship.
In lessons, we'll fill in the learning gaps that often occur when people try to figure out swimming on their own. These gaps typically cause them to dead-end with their skills, e.g. they can't progress very far because they can't get enough breaths. Children who believe they can swim although they can actually move only a few feet before needing to stand up or be picked up by an adult, may overestimate their abilities and get into danger.
Can I take just one or two lessons to fix my breathing?
If you can swim 50 yards of a stroke without stopping, a stroke clinic may be appropriate (see above). Otherwise, there is rarely a quick, lasting fix for a problem such as this. Since swimming is a complex skill and the elements of a stroke are so interrelated, what looks like one problem may actually be a symptom of several. Someone who "can swim but can't breathe" can't truly swim, and likely has some ingrained bad habits.
Years of bad habits cannot be resolved in a few minutes, but with patience they can be broken. It takes time to diagnose the problem, deconstruct the stroke, hone each element, properly rebuild the stroke, and create new muscle memory. This can be a fun process filled with "Aha!" moments for the learner.
Whatever your definition of swimming, the time frame for learning is as individual as the student. It depends on the interplay of many factors, including:
- Attitude, including motivation and confidence/fear
- Commitment, including consistent attendance & practice during and after the session
- Cooperation
- Previous experience
- Coordination & balance
- Body composition/buoyancy
- Flexibility
- Kinesthetic awareness (there is often good carryover from other sports)
- Physical fitness
- Physical or learning abilities/disabilities
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| This 3-year-old loves the water. |
Definitely! Levels 1 through 3 emphasize good safety habits in, on, and around water that cannot be skipped. The survival and self-rescue skills learned in Levels 1 & 2 actually help form the foundation for learning proper strokes.
Your student's comfort in the water may be an asset in some regards, but in these cases, there are generally some bad habits that have to be broken. Additionally, children who figure out how to dog-paddle on their own are sometimes resistant to instruction, so it can take a while to establish a working relationship.
In lessons, we'll fill in the learning gaps that often occur when people try to figure out swimming on their own. These gaps typically cause them to dead-end with their skills, e.g. they can't progress very far because they can't get enough breaths. Children who believe they can swim although they can actually move only a few feet before needing to stand up or be picked up by an adult, may overestimate their abilities and get into danger.
Can I take just one or two lessons to fix my breathing?
If you can swim 50 yards of a stroke without stopping, a stroke clinic may be appropriate (see above). Otherwise, there is rarely a quick, lasting fix for a problem such as this. Since swimming is a complex skill and the elements of a stroke are so interrelated, what looks like one problem may actually be a symptom of several. Someone who "can swim but can't breathe" can't truly swim, and likely has some ingrained bad habits.
Years of bad habits cannot be resolved in a few minutes, but with patience they can be broken. It takes time to diagnose the problem, deconstruct the stroke, hone each element, properly rebuild the stroke, and create new muscle memory. This can be a fun process filled with "Aha!" moments for the learner.
None of the times listed work for my student. Do you have anything else?
All of the lesson slots currently available are shown here. I teach Monday-Friday during regular business hours, with summer makeup lessons offered on Saturday mornings. In Fall, Winter, and Spring, I usually offer lessons between 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM. This is currently the only pool time I can get at Homestead Aquatic Center. In Summer, I offer lessons between 8:45 AM and 3:15 PM. If a lesson slot isn't listed, it's already taken.
Do you have a mailing list or a waitlist?
I have both. A few times a year, I email those on my mailing list to alert them to new lesson openings. Being on the waitlist gives you the opportunity to register after returning students but before the general public. If you'd like to be added to either or both lists, email me at julie.k.brandt@gmail.com.
My student will be unavailable for part of the session I'm considering. Can they make up the lessons they'd miss? Or can tuition be pro-rated?
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| It used to be scary, but now jumping into water over her head is fun! |
My program is structured as it is because having lessons five days per week over three consecutive weeks is the most effective way to learn. Experience has shown that a fifteen-lesson series yields measurable, lasting results - even for nervous beginners, as long as they're willing. I don't offer shorter sessions because it's unlikely students would be satisfied with their results. Prioritizing lessons for a period of a few weeks can pay off for a lifetime.
Makeup days are reserved for occasions when lessons must be cancelled. See the makeup policy here. Due to the difficulty of arranging to use that pool time for another student, I cannot pro-rate tuition for skipped lessons.
If you know that your student will miss one lesson (no more than one), you may still register for a session (at full price). If they're unable to make the time commitment, it would be appropriate to look further ahead on the schedule.
My student is very afraid. Do you think you can help?
Absolutely! I have lots of experience teaching children and adults who had a fear of water, lessons, and/or new people. Many of my students have experienced water-related trauma. I reassure, encourage, and challenge each student in ways that are tailored to their specific needs.
It may help to bring your student ahead of time to meet me, see the pool, and watch a bit of a lesson. If you've read this website in its entirety and decided my program is a good fit for you, contact me at julie.k.brandt@gmail.com to make arrangements.
Absolutely! I have lots of experience teaching children and adults who had a fear of water, lessons, and/or new people. Many of my students have experienced water-related trauma. I reassure, encourage, and challenge each student in ways that are tailored to their specific needs.
It may help to bring your student ahead of time to meet me, see the pool, and watch a bit of a lesson. If you've read this website in its entirety and decided my program is a good fit for you, contact me at julie.k.brandt@gmail.com to make arrangements.
Do children usually cry during swim lessons?
Crying is rare in my lessons. I believe this is largely due
to my gentle, positive approach. Mine is not a forced back float program: I don’t pressure
students to learn at a pre-determined pace, and I welcome feedback from
students of all ages throughout their lessons. In fact, the atmosphere is as
fun and nurturing as I can make it because I care deeply about the whole student, and I feel strongly that an enjoyable
experience while learning to swim is critical to producing lifelong swimmers.
To be safe in the water, people need much more than swimming skills; they must
have a positive association with swimming, so that in an emergency they’ll
react calmly and with confidence to save themselves.
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| With a cap to keep her hair out of the way, high-quality goggles, and a practical swimsuit, this student is set up for success in her lessons. |
What should my student wear/bring to their lessons?
Everything a student needs is explained here.
Where should I be during my child's lessons?
Swim lessons are not a drop-off activity; parents/guardians are required to remain on the premises, and are encouraged to stay where they can view the lesson. Your assistance may be necessary if your child needs a restroom break during the lesson. I'm unable to accompany children to the restroom/locker room.
Young or frightened children typically adjust more quickly to me, pay better attention, and make greater effort when their parents are out of sight, so you may need to be strategic about your position. As we work together, parents are eventually able to openly watch their lessons. On the other hand, some children try harder when they know their loved ones are observing. We can work together to find the best arrangement.
During lessons at the Schönwald pool, families are welcome to enjoy the deck seating (with sunny and shady areas), patio seating (with sunny and shady areas), tree swings, picnic areas, natural playscape, and walking trails.
During lessons at the Schönwald pool, families are welcome to enjoy the deck seating (with sunny and shady areas), patio seating (with sunny and shady areas), tree swings, picnic areas, natural playscape, and walking trails.
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| This student took lessons so she and her husband can swim laps together in their retirement years. |
Do you use flotation devices in your lessons?
Very selectively. I use noodles to teach balance, hydrodynamics, falling in and surfacing, and certain strokes. Mats assist students in adjusting to the movement of the water, balancing, propelling themselves, steering, falling in and surfacing, and escaping underwater entrapment.
The only time my students wear a flotation device is when they're learning how to use a lifejacket for watersports. The purpose of a wearable flotation device is to keep a person's head above water, but proper swimming requires the head to be in the water. Additionally, flotation devices interfere with correct arm movement and foster a dependence that is very difficult to break later. Learning to swim without flotation devices allows students to really feel the water and learn to work with it so they can become prepared for a water emergency. In many instances of childhood drowning, the child made their own way to the water without parental knowledge, so the parent had no opportunity to put on a flotation device.
Have another question? Please check out the other pages!
