Swimming is a life skill which can end up saving your life and possibly the lives of others. Once you have learned how to swim, you can even put that skill to work for you and make money as a lifeguard or a swim instructor. Learning how to give swim lessons is about more than just learning how to swim. Teaching a skill is very different than learning one. For one thing, most swim instructors have licenses as lifeguards and have taken classes on how to give lessons. When you want to start a career in teaching swim lessons, your first step will be to determine what certifications your local area requires you to have. You can then get certified and find students.
Get Certified
The first step in teaching swim lessons is to get certified to teach them. This means looking at your local regulations as well as the professional recommendations and then finding companies to help you fulfill them. For instance, your local area may only require that you are lifeguard certified to teach swim classes, but it is usually recommended that you take at least one course on how to teach swimming. You can find most of these classes and certifications from the same companies. You may even be able to find a job with the same company after you complete the program. This is a great way for you to network with other instructors and find an area where your classes are in demand. It is also a good way to brush up on your knowledge and learn new skills to help you be successful.
Find Students
Once you learn how to give swim lessons, and are certified to safely offer them, it is time to find students and a place to teach. Some instructors will go to the private pools of their students and some will find work with a public pool. You can even find students to take lessons at your private pool if you have the right connections. One way to make those connections is through a swimming lessons company. These companies can help you get set up with the insurance and lesson plans that you need for a safe and successful business as well as provide advertising space on their website and direct students in your area to your classes. To partner up with one of these companies, you will want to research their reputations and choose the very best to contact. Chances are, that the very best swim lesson company in your area will be the one which helped you get certified.
Teaching swimming lessons is not as simple as advertising classes. In many cases, you will need to be certified in lifeguard techniques and have taken a class on how to give swim lessons. This can help you make sure that your students are more safe as well as help you plan lessons and learn how to teach. You will also need to have some type of insurance and business contacts. This is where partnering with a swimming lessons company really comes in handy. Not only can these companies help you get certified and help you learn how to teach, but they can also help you find insurance and students to grow your classes.
