Taking swimming lessons is one of the best things you can do to decrease your risk of drowning. Swim lessons teach valuable water safety skills and can help you feel more confident in the water. Many people do just fine in group swimming lessons, but they aren’t for everyone. Some kids (and adults) are better served by taking private swim lessons.
Those Who Do Best with Personal Attention
Some children and adults do best when they have more personal attention. If you or your child tend to perform better when you have an instructor’s complete focus on you, private swim lessons may be a better choice than group lessons. In this sort of environment, your choice of instructor is critical. There won’t be other students that create a buffer between you and the instructor, so make sure the instructor is someone who can give both constructive and positive feedback. That balance will help the student make important corrections while striving to earn more positive feedback which will drive their improvement.
Competitive Swimmers
Anyone who desires to swim competitively will likely benefit more from taking private swimming lessons than taking group lessons. Private lessons create an environment that is conducive to perfecting techniques and improving efficiency in the water. It’s an ideal setting for taking videos so the swimmer can analyze their swimming from different angles, identify flaws, and make corrections. This is a lot more difficult to do effectively in a group setting.
Individuals with Special Needs
Those with special needs tend to benefit more from private lessons than group lessons. They may have unique challenges and personal obstacles that require more focused attention to overcome. Private lessons allow the instructor to focus entirely on their student. They can cater the lesson to the student more effectively and find unique ways to overcome individual challenges as needed. That’s much more difficult in a group setting with multiple students who all need the instructor’s time and attention.
Swimming lessons can be life-saving, but they aren’t a one-size-fits-all sort of thing. Some people do better in private swimming lessons while others do just fine in a group setting. Think carefully about which type of environment will allow you or your child to perform best and which makes the most sense for your circumstances. That way you can make the best decision for all involved.
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