Learning life skills through Swimming L A P ETITE B ALEEN Co-founder Irene Madrid explains the advantages of learning to swim at LPB Special to India Parent Magazine
great pride in guiding children through the peaks and valleys of swim class. Irene Madrid, one of the owners, at- tends a conference every year on Learning and the Brain. We are the only swim school in the nation that attends that conference and brings cutting edge material back to curriculum. Other staff go to professional conferences to share and learn. New infor- mation keeps us all inspired to stay the best swim school in our country. Meet La Petit Baleen co-founder Irene Madrid who in detail explains the advantages of learning to swim at LPB.
La Petite Baleen began in the backyard pool of John Kolbisen and Irene Madrid’s Half Moon Bay home in 1979. As public school teachers, they were looking for a creative outlet for their love of children and the water. With three young children of their own and several local families, they developed an in-depth curriculum and ribbon level system for their “Aquatic Classroom.” John and Irene’s developmental aquatic program emphasizes a balance between love and discipline, thus teaching not only swimming, but also self-esteem and cop- ing skills. Learning life skills through swimming is our philosophy at La Petite Baleen. Through progress reports, phone confer- ences, newsletters and our knowledgeable staff, we educate and inform parents as an important part of our teaching team. We believe that aquatic child development ex- tends beyond our swimming pools and into the heart of our families’ homes. In ad- dition to physical swimming skills, our students learn emotional skills such as: Listening to and following directions Social interaction and team work Respect for oneself and others overcoming obstacles and facing fears Learning to swim is hard work, albeit fun, and requires much effort. How much a child enjoys this work and how rapidly s/he progresses depends greatly on the at- titude of the parent(s). It is not only re- warding, but also contagious when children master goals in the swimming pool (and in life!). By working as a team with our parents and swimmers, our staff takes
lessons are a whole body activity, yet gen- tle on immature joints. The brain thrives on novelty in a safe environment and the feedback from the skin--the largest organ in our bodies--is enormous for balance, en- hancing the immune system....and the pure joy of moving through warm water and cognition. IM: We were the first swim school in the nation to develop such a strong child development swim curriculum and the curriculum manager and adviser are con- stantly in tune with research on best learn- ing practices in the educational field. We are leaders in our professional group when it comes to curriculum and employee rela- tions as well. IPM: How do you think it's different from other such camps? IPM: What is your Child/Teacher Ratio? IM: We have a 4:1 ratio in most of our classes and a 6:1 in baby/toddler classes. Advanced Swim is higher so we can give good swimmers a taste of pre competitive techniques. We also offer private (1:1) and semi-private (2:1) class options. IM: We introduce skills that are appro- priate to the most tender age, gently bring- ing higher layers of skills over time. Music in the form of songs attached to skills are connected to baby/toddler classes be- cause music is a universal language, highly recognizable. If there is a layer of competency that a child does not fully un- derstand or can do, we back up for a reme- dial layer until that child understands and IPM: Can you explain a little bit about method of education?
India Parent Magazine (IPM): Can you please tell us your philosophy and the basic premise of the Summer Classes/Camps? Irene Madrid (IM): Young children learn best through "DOING.” The mind/body connection is strong and swim
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Summer Camp Special 2018
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