Teaching swimming is a fun, rewarding job, allowing you to teach a skill you enjoy and help people gain confidence in the water. But like all jobs, it can come with challenges, and it's important to make sure it's the right career choice for you. This guide explains three important questions you should ask yourself before you decide to become a swimming teacher.

What Type of Swimmers Should You Teach?

There are many types of swimming teachers and many types of swimming lessons. Before you commit to any training program, you should try to have a good idea of what you want to do. Do you want to teach children, or would you like to teach adults to swim? Are you interested in working with disabled swimmers, competitive swimmers, or in teaching particular aspects of swimming? Do you want to teach the same children on a regular basis? Would you like to teach at a gym or at a summer camp? Before you commit to a course or to becoming a swimming teacher, try to figure out where you see your career going, and what sort of teaching you would find rewarding.

Do You Have the Right Personality and Qualities to Teach Swimming?

Teaching swimming can be difficult, and it's important to have the right personality and outlook for it. In terms of personality, you need to be caring and patient and be able to explain things in different ways to suit different learners. You also need a sense of humour and an ability to make things fun, as well as flexibility as not every lesson will go perfectly. Some other qualities a good swimming teacher has include the ability to learn, adapt, and pick up new techniques, as well as being able to incorporate new activities and keep things interesting for your students.

Would You Enjoy the Day-to-Day Work?

Being a swimming teacher can be a lot of fun, but it's important to understand what the day-to-day work will be, and how you'll be spending your time. Search for information online or speak to current swimming teachers to find out what they actually do. For example, how many hours are spent actually teaching as opposed to other tasks? Find out how much time you'll spend on planning and admin, how long lessons will be, what the structure of a day will be, and what other tasks you'll need to take care of — for example, you might be in charge of keeping pool equipment in order or filling in health and safety paperwork. By finding out exactly what the job involves, you'll be able to decide if it's right for you.

If you have a good idea of what type of students you'd like to teach, understand what the job involves, and have the qualities of a good swimming teacher, teaching swimming might be the ideal career for you. To learn more about swimming teaching, search for training courses in your area and sign up.