On Sunday 8th January 2023, the Spring 2023 Instructor Training took place and the team met up for the termly instructor training meeting. An opportunity for everyone to touch base with one another, have a rundown of the term ahead and most importantly catch up with the Health & Safety refresher course.
Health & Safety
Our resident Health & Safety Consultant Dave Perry was on hand as usual to impart his wealth of knowledge! He covered First Aid Theory as well as a practical CPR refresher course.
First Aid Theory
Instructors were split into teams and the quickest group to guess the first aid condition that matched the signs of symptoms got 10 points. If they got it wrong, the second team could take a guess and get 5 points for a correct answer. If they got it wrong too, then the third fastest team would get 3 points. Teams also had to guess the first aid condition for the treatment described and sometimes had to state the treatment steps themselves. Questions covered:
- Choking
- Asthma
- Hyperventilation
- Shock
- Epilepsy
- Dealing with bleeds (including nosebleeds)
The winning team from each group was awarded a lovely box of chocolates! Competition was very fierce (especially from instructor Ana and her team!), and everyone seemed to enjoy it. Lots of hands going up constantly, great participation and Dave found it fun too!
Practical CPR Refresher
Next was the practical CPR refresher course. This time the focus was on two-person CPR with at least three changeovers. To keep things interesting, CPR was practiced in time to the Bee Gees “Stayin’ Alive” which was played via Apple Music + AED. Scenarios covered were:
- Adult Sudden Collapse
- Adult Drowning
- Child
- Infant
Operational Meeting
SwimWay MD Dan Pastor and Head of Swimming Tamsin Watt also took their turns at the wheel. First off, Dan welcomed the team back after the festive break. He introduced a couple new members to the team who were warmly welcomed with happy smiles as usual! It’s always sad to see old staff members leave, but it is also good to get new blood into the team!
Performance, Training, Responsibilities & Procedures
He then took the team through the latest company performance, highlighting weaknesses as well as strengths. It is a difficult time for the industry with so many pool closures due to the energy crisis. However, SwimWay continues to work hard to ensure continuous lessons for our students, as well as job security for our team.
Dan then spoke about the SwimWay trainee programme. We hire instructors with the intention of paying for their further training in return for a two year commitment to work for SwimWay. This ensures the development of new talent with a focus on the SwimWay Methodology.
He then discussed the ever-important topic of NOP and EOP responsibilities and procedures. The NOP and EAP documents for each venue are kept on site at each pool. Nevertheless, as with anything to do with Health & Safety, you can never repeat yourself too much!
Lastly, Dan ran through a few other bits and pieces, including:
- Uniform
- Upcoming changes to the bookings system
- Wages
- Sickness and timekeeping
- Notice of termination
- Holiday courses
Instructor Training
Tamsin then took over, starting by highlighting this term’s instructor focus:
Being the Best Instructors We Can Be!
We all have strengths and weaknesses and recognising both can make for a better teacher. She outlined her points on how she and the team could work to be a “stand out instructor”:
- Know your Subject and Be Prepared
- Create a good Positive Environment
- Thorough Planning
- Communication
- Adaptability
She then ran some role play scenarios with the teams, split into groups. These kinds of exercises are important to keep the team abreast of typical and atypical situations they may encounter when teaching. Each group was given a different scenario to plan for 10 minutes, role play for 5 minutes, and then receive feedback. Scenarios included:
- Dealing with a new 1:2 lesson where one child doesn’t want to get into the water
- Managing a defecation incident (rare, but it pays to be prepared!)
- Dealing with a 1:2 lesson where the children are not listening well
Kick Back & Relax!
Following the meeting, the team went for a quick drink. We love the opportunity to chat casually after these meetings, creating a comfortable and happy working environment for all! The Spring 2023 Instructor Training was a success once again!
Click here to learn more about SwimWay’s termly team meetings and health and safety policies.