I swim, You swim, We all swim differently: a training workshop for swim instructors

106 Pages·2012·6.36 MB·English

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE

I Swim, You Swim, We all swim differently: A Training Workshop for Swim Instructors

A graduate project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements
For the degree of Master of Arts in Education
Educational Psychology

By

Yvonne Boeing

December 2012
The thesis project of Yvonne Boeing is approved:

Kristin Green, MA Date

Sloane Lefkowitz Burt, MA Date

Joannie Busillo-Aguayo, Ed. D, Chair Date

California State University, Northridge
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DEDICATION
This thesis project is dedicated to my best friend, confidant, sister-wife, Kristin
Green. This journey began and continues on because of you. We have laughed and cried
and conversed intently on this topic, in fact the same way we do about everything in our
lives. It was your encouragement that led me to this field, your vision that prompted this
project, your support that motivated me through it and your friendship that holds it all
together. Thank you. Looking forward to many more years of swim lessons and life
together!

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The completion of this thesis and Master’s Degree would not have been possible
without the support of many special people. I am so fortunate and thankful to have them
in my life.
First and foremost I would like to thank Sloane Lefkowitz Burt. I am neither the
first nor the last to comment on what a remarkable woman you are. Through this process
you were a teacher, a mentor, a counselor, a coach, a cheerleader and above all a friend. I
could not have done this without your “checking in” e-mails. Thank you for being so
flexible and quick to respond whenever I had a problem, day or middle of the night. I
literally mean this; I could not have done this without you. I say this because “we have
that kind of relationship.”
I would also like to thank Dr. Joannie Busillo-Aguayo, for being my chair and
supporting this thesis project. Thank you to all the participants in this project! Including
my little model friends. This is for you and all those that may come after you. Thank you
for being my pioneers in this project!
Next, I would like to thank my father, Phil Boeing. “You don’t always get what
you want kid, but you might just find you get what you need” has always be been his
motto for me. Well dad, because of your constant support I have accomplished more than
I could ever want and everything I need. I love you, Thank you.
I would like to thank Michele Hernandez (Twin) and Jenny Danielson. These are
two of the most extraordinary young women I have ever known and I am honored to call
them my best friends. Jenny made several Starbucks Coffee runs whenever I felt a “panic
button” moment and patiently, in a way only she can, would calm me down. Twin! If
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there is a soul in the world that compliments mine is that of this woman. We laugh and
sing and dance to rhythms of our hearts when we are together and although continents
may separate us, we always find a way back to our wonderful friendship. I love you both
dearly. Thank you.
Larry Green (Boss), you must be acknowledged because you let me borrow your
wife when I needed to discuss various subjects of child development. You have also been
such a constant these last few years of my life, your advice has been invaluable, and your
support has never wavered. Thank you.
Thank you to all the wonderful families that have shared their children with me
over the years and fueled my passion for child development.
To the “Fish” sisters Jan Fish and Carrie Rothstein-Fisch, I will never forget
meeting Carrie for the first time. “Do you have something for me?” were your first words
to me, impeccably dressed as always, and I was hooked. A beacon of strength, I strive to
be as remarkable as you. Jan, your patience and grace towards any endeavor are beautiful
to observe. “It is all about relationships is a quote that will forever remain in my heart.
Thank you both.
Endless thanks to Eilene Green. I hope to have a fraction of you knowledge when
I grow up, thank you for giving me access to that wealth of knowledge as well as our
many interesting discussions.
Last but not least I would like to thank Mark Wallace. Thank you for your
constant love, patience, support and encouragement through this journey. Your little
reminders to “just breathe” made such a difference. You are by far the most patient man I
know and I am the luckiest girl in the world! I love you. Thanks for sticking with me.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SIGNATURE PAGE . ........................................................................................................ ii
DEDICATION ................................................................................................................... iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................... iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................... vi
ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................ x
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................. 1
Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1
Local Swim Lesson Programs ........................................................................................ 2
Statement of the Problem .................................................................................................... 4
Purpose of the Graduate Project ......................................................................................... 5
Terminology ........................................................................................................................ 6
Preview of the Graduate Project ......................................................................................... 8
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ..................................................................... 9
Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 9
Swim Lessons ..................................................................................................................... 9
Brief History of Swimming .......................................................................................... 10
Drowning and Prevention ............................................................................................. 11
Minimum Age for Swim Lessons ................................................................................. 12
Purposes of swim lessons.......................................................................................... 13
Theoretical perspectives............................................................................................ 13
Recommendation. ..................................................................................................... 14
The Infant Swimmer ..................................................................................................... 15
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Reflexes and Swimming ............................................................................................... 17
Moro Reflex. ............................................................................................................. 17
Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR ............................................................... 18
Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR). ............................................................................ 18
Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (STNR). ................................................................ 19
Palmar Grasp Reflex ................................................................................................. 19
Plantar and Babinski. ................................................................................................ 20
Protective Laryngeal Reflex. .................................................................................... 20
Best Teaching Practices .................................................................................................... 20
Approaches to Teaching Swimming ............................................................................. 21
Developmentally Appropriate ....................................................................................... 22
Interaction of biological maturation and experience. ............................................... 23
Relationships. ............................................................................................................ 23
Play and development. .............................................................................................. 24
Temperament ................................................................................................................ 25
Play ........................................................................................................................... 26
Teacher instruction.................................................................................................... 28
Teaching the teacher. ................................................................................................ 29
Andragogy in practice ............................................................................................... 30
Preview of Chapter Three ................................................................................................. 31
CHAPTER THREE: METHODS ..................................................................................... 32
Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 32
Development of Project .................................................................................................... 32
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Purpose of the Workshop .............................................................................................. 32
Creation of the Workshop ............................................................................................. 33
Intended Audience ............................................................................................................ 35
Sample........................................................................................................................... 35
Personal Qualification of the Present Researcher ............................................................. 36
Environment and Equipment ........................................................................................ 37
Project Outline .................................................................................................................. 37
Implementation ............................................................................................................. 38
Initial Experience .......................................................................................................... 38
Participant Surveys ....................................................................................................... 39
A Preview of Chapter Four ............................................................................................... 39
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND CONCLUSION ..................................................... 40
Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 40
The Current Study ......................................................................................................... 40
Summary ........................................................................................................................... 41
Pre-Workshop Survey ................................................................................................... 42
Results ....................................................................................................................... 42
Post-Workshop Survey ................................................................................................. 44
Evaluation of Workshop ................................................................................................... 44
Discussion/Future of the Workshop.................................................................................. 45
Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 47
References ......................................................................................................................... 48
Appendix A ....................................................................................................................... 52
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Appendix B ....................................................................................................................... 70
Appendix C ....................................................................................................................... 79
Appendix D ....................................................................................................................... 82
Appendix E ....................................................................................................................... 85
Appendix F........................................................................................................................ 90

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ABSTRACT
I Swim, You Swim, We all swim differently: A Training Workshop for Swim Instructors
By
Yvonne Boeing
Master of Arts in Education
Educational Psychology

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that in 2008
unintentional drowning was the leading cause of death in children 1-4 years old (CDC,
2008). Between 2005-2007 there were 385 pool or spa related deaths of children under
fifteen years old; 84% occurred in residential locations and 77% of those deaths were of
children under five years old (Gipson, 2010). This means that children under five years
old are at risk of dying in their own backyard!
Moreover, the Centers for Disease Control (2012) state several factors for
unintentional drowning, those pertaining to swimming pool drowning risks include, a
lack of swimming ability, barriers to prevent unsupervised access to water and, most
importantly, a lack of close supervision while swimming. Thus, The Centers for Disease
Control (2012) recommend multilayered protective barriers to reduce the risk of
drowning such as building fences around pools, installing alarms around nearby doors, as
well as enrolling children in swim lessons.
In Thousand Oaks, California there are several swim programs that parents may
choose from, each with their own philosophies, methods and trainings for their
instructors. One of these programs is Santa Rosa Swimming owned by Kristin Green, an
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