Behind the Scenes with Lisa Armitage, owner of Goldfish Swim School
My family has been connected with Goldfish Swim School here in Columbus in some capacity since August 2016. After all of these years of raving about how much we love Goldfish, I finally had the chance to connect with the woman behind the pool, Lisa Armitage, the owner and water safety expert of the Goldfish Swim School – Central Ohio locations (Dublin/Westerville/Lewish Center).
Lisa is such a lovely person and it is instantly obvious upon meeting her that she has so much passion for what she does. She is the reason Goldfish Swim School is here in Columbus, and for that I am extremely grateful. Read on to learn how Lisa first fell for Goldfish, why water safety is so important, and how the quality of lessons at Goldfish Swim School is a step above the rest.
How old were your children when they started swimming lessons?
My husband and I have 3 kiddos. Our oldest is now 13, our middle is 10 and our youngest is 8 years old. We started our oldest in swim lessons through a community recreation program in MI when she was 2 years old. At the time I was pregnant with our son, and the cold water, poor class structure, lack of amenities and difficulty scheduling was a huge frustration for our family. My cousin had recommended that we check out Goldfish Swim School, which had just opened in Farmington Hills, MI not too far away from us. We took her there when she was 3 and we were completely blown away by the entire experience. When our middle child turned 6 months old we enrolled him at the same location, then when our third came along, he also started lessons at 6 months old. We found that starting them so young had so many benefits including designated bonding time, increased confidence, an introduction to water safety and of course…a TON of fun! 🙂
As a mother, why is swim safety important to you?
Drowning takes the lives of 3 children in the U.S. every day, and is the leading cause of accidental death for children under the age of 4. These statistics are unacceptable. Water is all around us: oceans, lakes, rivers, streams, retention ponds, pools, bathtubs, etc. Children can drown in as little as 2 inches of water. Formal swim lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by over 80%. The AAP’s current recommendation is to begin swim lessons around age 1, and we want to make sure parents and caretakers know the critical role that swim lessons play in drowning prevention.
Knowing these alarm statistics, a huge focus for us is our Goldfish Swim School W.A.T.E.R.Safety program. Through our program we have reached over 35,000 children in Central Ohio alone. Our FREE 30 minute presentation is offered to any community group, including (but not limited to): preschools, elementary schools, daycares, church groups, mom’s groups, playgroups, girl and boy scout troops, etc. and teaches children how to be safer in and around the water in a fun and interactive way.
Considering they are teaching primarily young children, what qualities do you look for in a Goldfish swim instructor?
We look for team members who truly love working with children and their families, and have a passion for customer service. They should enjoy working in a team atmosphere, are dedicated to providing a golden experience, like to have fun, and exude positivity.
How are lessons structured to keep children engaged throughout the 30-minute sessions?
In our 30-minute swim class, we’re able to work on specific skills, and keep the kids engaged at the same time. Through different exercises and even games, they’re able to stay focused and interested, getting the most out of each time in the Goldfish pool.
We’re also able to keep classes smaller. With our 4:1 student-teacher ratio, teachers get more time with each student, and that one-on-one attention is the best way to help children develop their confidence and comfort in the water. Smaller classes also create a strong group atmosphere, so kids can learn from each other while they’re learning from the teacher.
Once kids aren’t actively involved or paying attention, their mind starts to wander and they aren’t as focused – meaning they likely won’t retain the information anyway, as they’re off doing their own thing in their mind.
Being able to focus on proper technique and water safety skills is really important, we want them to be really engaged during that time. We would rather have them sign up for lessons twice a week than a one hour-long lesson.
Aside from swimming, what other skills have you seen students improve upon at Goldfish?
Learning – Using their building blocks to learn new swim skills.
Observing – Watching the teacher and others helps kids learn what to do.
Actively doing – Repeatedly practicing until they master new skills.
Building trust – Knowing how to trust their instructor.
Confidence – Building confidence in themselves and their abilities week to week.
Independence – Learning to do things on their own.
Peer relationships – Building relationships and learning how to get along with others.
The Details: We are currently enrolled in the Goldfish Mini 2 and the Junior 2 class at Goldfish Swim School. We attend lessons at the Goldfish Swim School in Westerville, Ohio. Check out the link for location, address/telephone details and how to sign up for lessons.
Disclaimer: We were provided free swimming lessons by Goldfish Swim School in exchange for collaborating blog posts. All thoughts and opinions are my own.