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Pool Etiquette: Guidelines for Teaching

1) Relate with respect from co-equality.

Knowledge doesn’t make you better than someone else. All you have is some information and love to share with a brother or sister. When information is carried within the love vibration it is received and retained. Noticing differences, giving weight to learning rates or apparent levels of confusion or integration all come from ego.

2) Have no attachment.

A need to teach and help can get in the way. Let them get it or not, and be open to your assistance or not. "Would you like some assistance?" "What are you wanting?" Read the signals that say go away or stay, not now or I'm open. Allow the student to determine the pace of learning.

3) Avoid giving commands.

That means not speaking sentences in the imperative voice. A limited use of such language is okay when trust is established and issues with authority are not present, but in general, people don't like to be told what to do.

4) Offer psychic refreshment.

Students can get into a futz, into overwhelm. A classroom situation is fraught with associations: that old having to perform, to prove oneself, to compete for approval and love, not being good enough... In grade school, high school or college we were sometimes in an atmosphere in which we seemed not to know and in which it was possible to be wrong and to fail.. As grownups, we can still subconsciously be in discomfort from unresolved emotions generated in earlier learning situations. So, create a light, humorful atmosphere. "It's easy. It's simple. You're doing it. Take your time. Give yourself ten tries on that one... You can do it. Let's relax and breathe with this one. It's the other left leg. Shall I call an ambulance? Administer mouth to mouth resuscitation?"

5) Give encouragement and confirmation.

"Good. That's it. Perfect. Yeah. There it is. Okay. You've got it. Right. No problemo. Yes."

6) Find out what’s going on.

"How are you doing?" "Where are you?" "What are you wanting to do?"

7) Ask permission.

"Would you like some assistance?" "How may I assist?" "Are you open to direction?" "Want some help?" "I see something that a) could be helpful; b) you may have overlooked; c) you might want to know. May I share that with you?"

8) Share.

Instead of giving an order which implies a level gradient, stand shoulder to shoulder, so to speak, and problem-solve. "What I like to do here is..." "I find it helpful to..."

9) Offer suggestions.

"You might/could try..." "I would suggest..." "You may want to..."..Some people need to be made aware of what they are doing before being ready to receive a suggestion: "You're holding the head up out of the water. It'll be easier for you if you let the water do some of the support, too."

10) Make informative statements of fact.

"The knee comes to the chest here." "The next move is Twist." "Their arm goes under yours here."

11) Speak affirmatively.

"You are able to..." "Now you can..."

12) Speak in the present tense.

"You are bringing the knee to the chest first..." "You are holding under the occiput.." "We're turning right now."

13) Sandwich criticism between encouragements.

Anything that has a potentially sour flavor is best sandwiched between two sweet statements. Example: 'You've gotten into the Head Cradle fine. It's just that this arm needs to be under yours. If you lift your elbow up like this as you get into the position, it will be there.' Example: 'You're doing well. You want to be on the other side, though. Okay, now you're back in the sequence.' Example: "I'd like to be able to help out. We don't seem to be making headway. Shall I call for another assistant?"

14) Handling criticism: reflect or perish!

Participant: "I've got it. Would you just stop talking and hand me back my partner!"
Assistant: "Oh, sorry. You'd like your partner back and for me to be quiet. Here you go." (silence)

Participant: "Listen, I'm feeling really confused and you're not helping much!"
Assistant: "So, you're confused about this and feeling I'm not of much help. What would you like?"

Participant: "I don't need any help. Leave me alone."
Assistant: "You're doing fine on your own and want to be left alone." (exit)

Participant: "Don't just stand there, help me!"
Assistant: "You want me to help you. How can I do that?"

Participant: "You don't seem to really know this material!"
Assistant: "You're right, I'm a bit confused. Shall I get another instructor?"

Other verbal formulae

"How would you feel about...?."

"What would happen if.."

"Let's explore..".

"It would be easier for you if..."

"Would it feel easier to.."

"It might be more comfortable if...

"What are you thinking, or saying to yourself?" "Think Arm, Leg, Arm, Leg!"

"Are you distracted by something?"

"How do learn best? Visual, auditory, kinetic?"

"Can you see it on me? On your own body?"

"What does it mean to you when I say, "Straighten your arm?"

A reminder

Remember, if your underlying attitude is one of impatience or frustration, that's what's going to come through, no matter how much you finesse your language.

Some further techniques in teaching movement:

a) Demonstrating Avoid taking away someone's partner, but if you must, ask permission. Return partner as soon as possible as a rule. "Would you like to see that again or try it yourself?"

b) Placing a person in the right position Adjusting a person may be the simplest and most direct way to get something across. Do get permission first.

c) Doing it with from behind Standing behind and doing the movement with your hands over the person's can transmit the feel and tempo.

d) Touching If you naturally want to touch someone as you talk and work with them, the sense of being other and confrontational will be reduced. Some people might need space however and not want to be touched as they absorb information. They might feel more comfortable practicing with you ten feet away, not on top of them.

Group discussion

Including a discussion of learning styles during the land circles can be enriching. We see how aware individuals in class are of their own styles, blocks and strengths, what they want, what they don't want. We learn from the class and they in turn get that we are interested in growing in our teaching knowledge and honoring their input.

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