Students can start any time, Every lesson is individualized – one-on-one with
the instructor. I teach children ages 6 months to about 6 years. Students attend
short lessons five days a week to ensure a safe experience and to help reinforce
each skill learned. Students start any time, but beginning on a Monday is recommended,
and the parent or caretaker watches poolside during the lessons.
Children who are crawling (generally 6-8 months) through about 11 months learn
survival floating. They are taught to rotate from a face-down position in the
water to a back float so that they can rest and breathe until help arrives. To
attain these skills the typical infant attends 5 lessons per week for an average of 3-4 weeks to attain these skills. Each child is different and some take
longer than others.
A child who is walking or very close to walking (usually anytime after 11 months
to about 6 years) learns a swim-float-swim sequence. He or she is taught to swim
face down using arms and legs (similar to a freestyle stroke); roll on his or
her back to float, rest and breathe when he or she needs air; and then flip over
onto his or her stomach to continue swimming until he or she reaches the wall
or stairs. This swim-float-swim sequence can be repeated as many times as is necessary
to reach safety. To attain these skills your child needs to attend 5 lessons per
week for about 4-6 weeks. Once again, each child is different and some take longer than others.
After accomplishing these skills in a bathing suit, children then practice their
skills in summer clothing and then progress onto winter clothing. This additional
work is critical to survival swimming because most children who find themselves
in the water alone are fully clothed.
If you or your babysitter, neighbor or grandparents have a backyard pool, lake,
pond, canal or other water hazard consider these skills completely necessary for your child’s safety.
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The weekly lesson fee of $115 is due each Friday for the following week.
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There is a registration fee of $105 due to the National Office for first time
students.
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There is a $35 fee for students seeking refresher lessons if it has been more
than a year since their last registration.
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Family discounts and need based scholarships are available.
- Scholarships are also available for children of active military, police and firefighters.
Please note: You are paying for a time slot for your child, and there is no credit given
for student absence, illness or cancellation.
Credit for lessons canceled by the instructor due to weather or other factors
will be credited to the students for the following week's lessons.
First you must find an instructor in your area. From the instructor locator you can enter your zip code and find the nearest instructor and her contact
information. When you are ready to register she will email you an instructor specific link
to begin the registration process.
To register with ISR, every parent completes a detailed registration form that
includes medical history. This form is reviewed by medical personnel at our main
office. Certain medical conditions may require a conversation with the instructor
prior to the first lesson and may require a release from your doctor.
After the registration is submitted and approved by the home office, The instructor
will contact you to discuss
scheduling options, lesson structure and any medical concerns you may have.
What lessons are like
The goal of these lessons is for the student to acquire the skills for drowning
prevention.
Your child’s health is my primary concern and if the child isn’t well, the lesson is
postponed. Students are not allowed to swim without a full and proper BUDS (Bowel, Urine, Diet and Sleep) diary sheet, appropriate registration and any necessary medical clearances.
Though the lesson length may seem short, most toddlers do not spend much more
that 10 minutes focused on any one activity. Plus, infants and toddlers get cold
and tired much more quickly than adults, even in a heated pool, so working beyond
the 10 minute mark isn’t the best learning environment for the child which is
a primary concern for both the parents and instructor. The daily repetition is
what helps the skills become second nature for your child.
As your child ages and grows, his or her capabilities expand. Refresher lessons
can be scheduled to help their skills evolve and adjust to match their growth.
A child who is walking, or close to walking, has different capabilities and can
be taught the Swim-Float-Swim sequence.
The child is taught to swim with his or her face in the water and eyes open using
both arms and legs to move forward. He or she then rolls over onto his back to
rest and breathe.
Once rested, he or she then rotates back onto his stomach to continue swimming
toward the edge of the pool and safety. Since the child is trained to rest and
breathe when needed, this process can be repeated as many times as needed to reach
a wall, stairs or shallow water.
Lessons can last several weeks, depending on the retention level of the student. Most students can master these skills in 4 to 6 weeks, with the older children
learning faster.
Staci Otto
Please contact me by email
Nancy Monaghan
703-403-9714
Paying for lessons with Staci
Lesson payment is due each Monday at the beginning of class. Payments can be made by check, cash or PayPal (which can accept credit cards).
