Five key tips for swimming teacher practical assessments

Practical assessments are often required as part of the interview process for a job as a swimming teacher or instructor.

This is a common process where you will typically take a small group and show your ability by teaching a lesson.

Don’t be nervous. Practical assessments reflect what you will be doing day-to-day if you get the job, so consider it a chance to demonstrate clearly what you can do.

Five tips to prepare for practical assessments?

1. First of all, find out the size of the group you will be teaching and their ages and ability. This will make planning your lesson for the practical assessment a lot easier, although it isn’t essential. The employer might want to see how well you can improvise.
2. While delivering the lesson, don’t get too caught up on the fact that it is being assessed. Just focus on all the things which make a good lesson.
3. Be friendly and positive with the pupils and try to give individual feedback to everyone in the group as the lesson goes on.
4. Show your passion for teaching by being enthusiastic, smiley and active, giving lots of visual signs of positive feedback such as thumbs up. You’re trying to make this as fun a lesson as possible.
5. Finally, remember this is a lesson so the pupils are trying to improve. Point out faults and aim to correct them to demonstrate your good knowledge of swimming techniques.