I have been teaching adults for more than fifteen years through the City of Oulu. From the beginning, adult beginners and basic swimming technique have been at the center of my work. In the early years each season included six or seven courses. Three of them focused on technique and the rest were beginner groups. The beginner classes always filled up quickly and the skill levels varied a lot. That made the work both challenging and interesting in its own way.
Different Levels for Beginners
I soon noticed that one group could include very nervous adults who were still getting used to the water, and at the same time, people who already moved comfortably but needed help with breathing or combining movements. Because of this, I decided to divide the beginners into two levels called vesi tutuksi (total beginners) and beginners. This made the groups more balanced and gave everyone a better chance to learn at their own pace. The Total Beginner group was smaller and offered more time to relax and get comfortable in the water.
Today, these beginner groups include people from many different backgrounds. I enjoy this variety. It encourages me to explain things in different ways and often in two languages at the same time.
The Group Shapes the Course
As spring approaches and the city’s swimming courses come to an end, I often think about something we also discussed with my group. Even though I teach the same courses year after year, No two groups are ever the same..
The reason is simple. I do not plan my courses in detail beforehand..
Each course includes certain key skills depending on the level, but the exercises and the pace always form naturally after the first session. The course grows and changes with the group. I bring in exercises based on what I see they need, and I ask for feedback and wishes so I can adjust the content along the way.
The basics are always included. Breathing, kicking, floating, and the first swimming styles. The way we move forward is different every time. In Water Familiarisation, we focus more on relaxation and breathing. In technique groups, we build the foundations toward freestyle, breaststroke, and backstroke. The idea behind everything is the same. First, we find relaxation, and then we add new layers step by step.
The Joy of Group Learning
It is always lovely to see familiar faces and returning swimmers. Many come back because they want to strengthen their skills, and group lessons work well for that. I often hear that people have learned something new again because once the basics feel easier, they can focus on different details than before.
The challenge with intensive courses is that the week goes by quickly, and then it ends. I try to encourage people to keep swimming after the course, especially soon after it finishes, because that helps the new skills stay with them.
A Week of Teaching Children
This week I also substituted in children’s evening swimming classes. The children were wonderful, and even though I had not taught under school-age children for more than ten years, the old skills came back immediately. Play, repetition, and joy appeared naturally. These small evening groups are a little different from school-age teaching, but they are similar to the preschool swimming lessons offered to schools.
Children show appreciation differently than adults. Adults say thank you and tell me they found motivation. Children are shy at first and by the end of the week they are already saying look swimming teacher and giving hugs around my legs. It is sweet but also loud and intense. When I returned to teaching adults I felt calm again. It was a nice change but not my long term place. It reminded me of what I already knew. Teaching adults is where I belong..
Every Group Is a New Story
Even after all these years, the groups still surprise me. There are always new combinations of people, new backgrounds, and new ways of learning. There are always moments when I need to find exactly the right image or explanation to help someone understand how a movement works.
This week, we focused on repetitio,n and the group appreciated it. The practice helped everyone feel confident enough to move into the deep end. Last week’s group was stronger and needed more challenges, and they were grateful for that too.
Maybe that is the heart of this work. I never know what the next group will be like. What stories they bring with them. How do they learn? What do they need? That makes this work endlessly interesting and meaningful.
Thinking About a Small Group of My Own
As the city’s courses end for the spring, I have been thinking that it would be nice to continue with a small group of my own. A group of four or five people who could do a short intensive series of three to five sessions and then continue once a week or a couple of times a month. I even wonder if I could form two groups at different levels.
People have asked about this before, and I know some have been waiting for the opportunity. Maybe now is the right moment to try. I am curious to see what kind of response it gets.
If you are interested, you are welcome to send a message to info[at]vedessa.fi or reach out.
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