Swimming LessOn...

Swimming LessOn...

I managed tO cOnquer the pOOl tOday!! MOmmy was sO prOud Of me.

 

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"I wondered if you all remember the little girl that I mentioned previously in March who stood out as my youngest student to clear Stage 1 test. Today, the little girl, Kaley, attained another marvelous achievement. At the tender age of 3 years 10 months plus, she managed to swim a whole full lap of 50m without aid and stopping using the frontcrawl. The requirement for Stage 2 test is actually swimming for 25m. I will usually tell the students to carry on swimming unless given instructions from me to come in to the wall. As she still swam quite well by the 25m mark and did not seem winded, I did not give instructions for her to come in and was curious to see what is her limits. She continued swimming and completed the whole lap of 50m. The parents sitting at the spectator stand were amazed at her progress and she received loud applause and cheering from them when she walked back. She became shy, tried to cling on to my leg and hide behind me. LOL. 

Now, most kids will need many more lessons before they can swim 50m after passing stage 1 test which only required a 10m swim. This is her 3rd lesson after the test. The most important difference is in her mindset and others. Nike's slogan best describe her mindset - Just do it! She will try to carry out the instructions given. Most kids would be less confident and cling on to the wall a few times before being able to swim 25m. By being willing to try and not self create a mental barrier, she is able to achieve great success. 

Her progress was not all smooth sailing too. There were also times when she choked water and did not swim properly. She has her fair shares of scolding when she misbehaved. Most importantly, she did not give up, continue trying and stayed positive. (Not that she has a choice given by the teacher even if she wanted to :P) In order to overcome our fears, we have to face them. Avoiding them only lead to postponement and allow us to temporarily hide from reality. Only when we face them, we have a chance to conquer them and move on. 

There are a number of other students with inspirational progress. I hope to share them with you all some days. 

Well done Kaley! I am very curious to see what else you can do....."

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"This little girl, Kaley, deserves special mention for the test on 19/3/2013. She passed her stage 1 test on that day. At just around 3 years and 9 months old, she stands her ground with peers around twice her age, towering over her during the test. Kaley started learning when she was 2 plus. Her positive attitude and dare to try behaviour with above average psycho-motor skills help her to attain this achievement. Her frontcrawl, although not perfect, is excellent for her age. She does not doggy paddle in the water and swim a stroke that all will be able to recognise as frontcrawl. Many kids at her age would probably have not yet put their heads underwater.

There are many lessons that we can learn from her. Attitude is the most important in learning. We must be willing to try (and not cry). Never constrain our limits. If we do not believe that it can be done, then we will not try and if we do not try to then we will never do it. That's why Albert Einstein said this “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.” Give your mind room to roam and wonders will happen. In learning, one can never be too contented. I believe in N + 1 in learning. Always take 1 step more and make yourself a better and stronger person than of yesterday. Everyone progress at a different rate but as long as you try to be better today than you were yesterday then you will always improve.

Good job, Kaley!"