Guided Discovery

When one is 13, they can get their WSA… Water Safety Assistant. That way they can assist in teaching a swim lesson. At 15 a person can get their WSI. Water Safety Instructor. Then at 16 they can be hired as a swim teacher at $15.50 an hour starting. (beginning guards in Vancouver B.C. make $23.00 starting)
One of the methods of teaching swimming is called Guided Discovery.

It’s not very directive. Meaning you give the student a chance to do odd floats and funny tricks and recognize that “silly” swimming teaches the student how their body moves in water. They find their personal center of buoyancy, (where their center of floating is) … because it’s not in the same place for everyone.

Guided Discovery is not like the old days when “Arms are to be bent at an exact 45 degree angel up on recovery of the stroke!” Not everyone can move exactly the same way.

Guided discovery pairs a strong swimmer with a weak one and the weak one can watch, listen and learn from the strong swimmer in small games and cooperative tasks. (like an under water egg hunt)

Sometimes this is how I see my SZ group. I was once a confused new swimmer in the head circus sea. But I got paired up with a strong swimmer who had self awareness, patience and was further along then I was. I learned a lot from my “Strong swimmer buddy”

Now I’m the strong swimmer in the head circus sea and I in turn try to help the new swimmers who enter the SZ pool.

I know there are some people who do enjoy their unmedicated state. But there are many who just don’t know that they have the power to float and then they have the power to move.

It’s funny when I watch my sister teach little kids. At first they all say… “I’m only 3, I can’t do that.” But then they see other 3 year olds float and swim. And soon… the new ones begin to try it.

So recovery or remission has to start somewhere. I don’t always agree with some of the posters in the delusion section. But I’m glad they have at least entered the pool.

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When I tipped over in my kayak, 100 ft from shore, 49 degree water, 12 ft depth. I considered myself a strong swimmer.