ISR vs Traditional Lessons

Why do you not teach ISR?

One question I get often is why I do not teach ISR (Infant Swimming Resource/Infant Survival Rescue) style lessons. I wanted to answer that respectfully because I truly believe ISR has a place and can be very beneficial for certain children and families. For me personally, I chose not to pursue ISR certification because my teaching philosophy and approach to swim instruction are simply different. ISR is designed with an important goal in mind: survival. Teaching children how to roll over, float, and remain calm in the water can absolutely save lives. I respect the instructors who dedicate themselves to that method and know many families who have had wonderful experiences with it. However, I personally believe that not every water situation can be solved by floating alone. While floating is an extremely important skill, I also believe children need to gradually learn how to safely move through the water, reach the wall, understand water confidence, and develop swimming skills in a way that fits their individual needs and personality.

One of the biggest things I wanted to focus on in my own program was teaching children to respect the water. Swimming is supposed to be fun, exciting, and confidence-building, but water is also extremely dangerous. I believe children need to learn boundaries, water awareness, safety habits, and healthy respect for the dangers that can come with water — alongside learning how to swim. I also prefer a different style of instruction overall. Every child learns differently, every family has different goals, and I have found that a more individualized and flexible teaching approach works best for the way I teach. I personally enjoy building skills through connection, trust, technique, safety education, and confidence in the water over time instead of strictly following one curriculum approach.

I also want parents to know that children who previously attended ISR are ALWAYS welcome in my program. In fact, many children transition beautifully because they already have that foundational knowledge of floating and water survival, even if they do not fully remember it at first. We are often able to build upon those skills while continuing to grow strength, confidence, swimming technique, and overall safety habits in the water. Many times, I will even reference what they learned previously and say things like, “Do you remember when Miss ____ would tell you to…?” and you can almost see their brain reconnect with those familiar skills and cues. It becomes a wonderful way to continue building on the foundation they already have rather than starting over completely. That does NOT mean ISR is wrong or bad. It simply means it is not the teaching method I personally chose to pursue or become certified in.

At the end of the day, the most important thing is that children are learning water safety and families are finding the approach that works best for them. Water safety matters, no matter the method. 💙

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​Why do you not teach ISR?

Why do you not teach ISR?