Should I Intervene, or Just Accept That the Swim Lessons Aren't Great?

I have taken many swim sessions through the Portland Parks at the Southwest Community Center and the sessions are very hit or miss on how much my son learns based on the ability of the instructors, the number of kids in the class, and how disruptive the other kids are (and how the instructor deals with the disruptions). Sometimes we get lucky with a smaller class of kids that listen well and sometimes he doesn't learn anything new the whole session. It is frustrating, but he still enjoys going and the price of lessons are much less than private swim schools. I guess I don't have any advice, I just wanted to comiserate. Sorry!

You should definitely talk with the instructors and if the situation doesn't change, talk with their supervisors. You are paying for these lessons and that kind of teaching should not be accepted as the norm. The kids won't make huge progress at this point, without a better teacher/student ratio, but at least there should be equal attention to each child and constant attentiveness to water safety. I have seen a great range in the skill level of Portland Parks swim teachers - the swimming lesson program directors need constructive feedback.

i took both of my girls to sellwood pool when they were little...one thing i noticed was as the week went on less kids attended the class. it started out with a full class but people had other activities and kids would miss. as the week went on my daughters got more lesson time with the instructor. we arrived a few minutes early so they were the first ones there & i let them talk to & get to the know the instructors. if i were in your situation i would talk to the instructors on the side & tell them what you are noticing about your son being left out in a kind way. if you use reverse psychology & blame it on him a little rather than blaming them & bring up that he is quiet and is in the back it will cause them to positively notice him & include him & even give him extra attention he deserves but is not recieving. the other thing we did was stayed and swam after the lessons were over. i watched what they were teaching my daughters & we practiced in the pool. i asked the instructors to show me what they were going to be learning so i could understand the instructions for that day and they will share with you so you can practice. when we were there -there was an older instructor in charge and she was really helpful too. best of luck.

I think you should speak to the supervisors. I would write down each concern and when it occurred. Then either take your son from class and ask for a refund or ask for make up classes with more experience responsible instructors. If the center doesn't know what's going on in class, then they should. This could help the instructors teach class better in the future.

I might give it some time, as my experience with PPR is that if it doesn't go great the first day, there is usually steady improvement to follow that I am always happy with. As Marda said, the instructors are usually really young, often not even in college,but in high school. Also, a bit of conversation with you before and after the lesson may help them to plug into your child a little more. I always ask how my daughter did that day and if there is something she should work on. I also convey any enthusiasm she has expressed about being there. I think it helps.

The only time I was disgruntled enough to leave negative feedback was when we had a baby-and -me instructor who was so incredibly lazy that we did the exact same thing every day for the entire session. It was awful. I mean, kids need repetition, but ZOIKS!!!

I'm betting that you'll see improved lessons by the end of the week!

Good luck, happy swimming!

J.

I think you need to address the situation. You should first talk to the head instructor and share what you observed. It could be simply put:"I need to share what I have observed during the class with you. I have seen the one boy trying to dunk my son and the boy's Mom had to intervene because this wasn't seen by any of you. My son spends a lot of time standing around waiting for instruction, could you make sure he is included in the instruction more?" If you are uncomfortable with that or get a negative response from the instructor, go to the supervisor. You are paying for the class and have a right to share your concerns.

Why? You paid for the lessons. Would you send back a steak that showed up on your table raw? I would do it as nice as you can or ask for your money back.

You should absolutely speak with whoever is in charge. It is very important that all kids have a good experience and that the environment is safe (no dunking, etc). Do this in a way that your son is not aware of your "intervention" ... which I would rather call "feedback" to management.

I would intervene, but that's my personality... if you're paying for instruction, you should be getting instruction, not play time. I think just mentioning your observations to the instructors in a nice way to start, and then escalating the complaint if your concerns are not addressed is the way to go. Absolutely stay and watch, so that you can see what's going on and make sure that there are no safety issues. I don't think it's a bad thing if your son observes you standing up for him, either. It can let him know that his mom will be there to make sure that he is safe and having his needs met. A bad experience with swimming at this age could really hamper him later, so he absolutely needs to feel safe, and knowing that you're watching out for him will help with that even if the dunking incident is repeated. Also, if the dunking was upsetting to him, explain that the other boy was just bored and trying to play, but not intending to hurt him, and that you've spoken to his teacher about not letting that happen again.

I know it's hard for some people to complain if you aren't by nature an outspoken person, but I've observed that if I don't stick up for my kids' needs, then I end up mad with myself and dissatisfied with the program, and the kids don't get what they need either. Listen to what your gut is telling you.

I have not been happy with the instruction at PPR for the exact reasons you've stated. I have a 5 year old that needs help staying on task and I just feel that the instructors are not experienced in dealing with young children. As you said, it's a chance to get comfortable with the water, but I don't feel he is learning to swim.

We did PPR when he was an infant and had the same experience as another posted...the teacher was so lazy and didn't do anything different. I also complained, but nothing changed. When he turned three we started at another swim school, which was fabulous but SO expensive. He got to the point where he had repeated the same class four times and I had a hard time justifying the cost. So, we decided to go back to PPR, but every time we take a class there I am frustrated because I don't feel that he is learning anything. I'm thinking about sending him back to the other swim school...I'm just trying to come to terms with the cost again! :)

Hi D.!,
I see that most everyone is at a consensus. I would also take my child out and ask for a refund. I took my nephew for swim lessons provided by PPR and was extremely dis-satisfied with the program. It's kind of sad seeing as how there are alot of moms on here with the same experiences. I found that the instructors were practically children themselves. They were more excited to stand around and talk than actually teach! I feel like I could have taught him more one-on-one than in the class. The instuctors all seem to be teens who are also learning as they go. Don't get me wrong I think that's great and all, but I shouldn't have to pay money when my child doesn't get anything out of it. Good Luck! I hope all the responses helped!

Hi D.. I would take him out of the class immediately and get your money back. It sounds like a very concerning water safety issue to me, and I would talk to the Supervisors or any higher up people at Portland Parks and Rec about these dangerous instructors.

D.,

I would talk to the person that deals with scheduling and tell them that you have have a great deal going on these next couple of weeks and could you please do make-up lessons. Perhaps if you scheduled a different time your son wouldn't be with the same group of kids or the instructors would be different.

G.

D.,
My two boys are also taking swim lessons. There is also a disruptive child in the class and it makes me angry. I don't do anything about it because the instructor reprimands the child instantly and doesn't favor any of the students.
I really like the instructors my boys have had and have and I guess we are just lucky.
If I was in your situation I would drop out of the class, file a complaint and ask for your money back. Our swim center ratio is 1:5or6 depending on the age. With two instructors to 6 kids and your child left out that is absurd.
Take my advice, file a complaint, drop the class and get your money back.

I would probably call and get my money back. You are obviously not satisfied with the class and if he won't learn anything new then it is a waste of time and money. Sometimes we need a little more info. from the pool directors then is given. Like, "Have the teachers worked with young children this age before?" "What are your refund policies if this doesn't work out?" Don't be afraid to ask these questions. I'm sure they have heard these before and aren't the least offended by them. Give the directors feedback. They don't know what is going on unless you tell them. Invite them to view the class themselves. You have every right to remove your son and ask for a refund since you were not given the correct information about the teachers in the first place. And to tell you the truth....they really want you to be happy (usually). Good luck....now try to find something to replace it since it's not working.

I would address this with the owner of this business. If the instructors are ignoring your child, then perhaps they need to lighten their load (or find another job). Watching children is a VERY important job (especially in water!), and it doesn't sound like they are taking it very seriously.
I would watch every time to ensure your sons safety, also. If this boy bullies him again without instructors intervening/noticing, then I would pull him out of the pool at that time. If this becomes an unpleasant enough experience at that age, he might not want to swim anymore... and that would be sad.

I would talk to their supervisor. It seems at our neighborhood pool that all the employees are quite young, college age perhaps,even the supervisors. This does mean that they are learning and may not be very skillful if this is their first year doing this.

It also sounds like the two instructors haven't figured out how to work together. There were 6 kids in my grandson's class (level 1) and the two instructors freqently worked with just 3. That way there were only 2 to keep track of while they worked one on one with 1 of them. They also required the kids to sit on the steps in between each step in the lesson. That provided a structure that kids this age need.

If they have other classes at that level perhaps you could ask for different instructors. I've taken my granddaughter to the free week and once to lessons during the summer for 3 years now. I added my grandson who has difficulty talking and is easily distracted this year. His instructors were so great with him. They tried using a time out which of course didn't work. They took me to their supervisor who suggested that he take private or semi-private lessons and because he has an IEP (Individual Education Plan) they would be free.

What I'm trying to say is that the Grant pool (Portland Parks and Recreation) people have always been helpful and the ones I've seen are well trained. I've been surprised at how calm they remain in the middle of the hub bub. So I think it's possible that your pool staff will work with you to find a way for your son to learn.

High fives must be the norm now. Our pool's instructors do a high five for each one if they try each step in the lesson. My grandkids have done high fives since they were 2 or 3 and eat it right up. Another sign that they use is "thumbs up." I use that sign when I'm not near them but see what they're doing.

My granddaughter is so cute, of course. She gives my a thumbs up or a high five when I've done something for her.

I'm guessing the instructors are fairly young and don't have a lot of experience with young kids. You should just talk to their supervisor if you don't feel comfortable talking to them directly and make your concerns known. It's the beginning of the summer and possibly they are new to teaching lessons. They need your feedback now to help them be better at their jobs. I don't think there is any reason to take a "you get what you pay for" approach with the parks district. I've even had to do it at the expensive private swim school my kids attend.

I would address it.
D.

since it's only the fourth day, get your money back. at sellwood pool, i know they are willing to give refunds the first week if you are not satisfied.

My kids are 2 and 5 and took lessons at a PPR pool. My feeling is that this program is good for getting kids used to the water, but I'm not convinced they'll actually be able to teach them how to swim. I'm trying a new swim center this summer, and I'm hoping they'll actually learn something there. I'll let you know how it goes.

I would talk to someone in charge and tell them what has been going on. What you are describing is harmful. you son could have been injured.