Smart Fish Method PARENT - TAUGHT PREVIEW: .... Segment 2: How to submerge your baby.

The procedure illustrated in this video is the easiest way for parents and new swim teachers to learn to do a complete submersion.
It teaches the parent (or teacher) how to bring their baby all the way to a hug upon resurfacing from submersion
It teaches the correct length of time to calmly and smoothly submerge their baby.
It helps them understand how to begin the submersion with their arms outstretched.
This is one reason why we do not blow into the baby's face when submerging him. The teacher and parent must begin the submersion at a full arm's length. Blowing in the baby's face from that far away is not possible.
It is easy to teach submersion to all students (brand new and experienced) all at the same time.

This educational concept of breaking down the skill and teaching it backwards is called "Backwards Planning", aka "Backwards Mapping".
I didn't realize that I was using this when I came up with this idea of starting the instruction with the end hug.

The concept of teaching the end and then working backward (without actually making the babies do it independently or even underwater) can be used for many of the skills we teach.

This works so well, that it is now the STANDARD PROCEDURE for introducing the segment of SUBMERSION at the start of every class (after the opening song: "The Babies in the Pool"). The brand new parents are happy that they can learn it by "pretending" to submerge with their child without actually going underwater.
They learn how to hold their baby correctly.
How long to submerge them.
The cues
The timing

The experienced parents can treat this above-water instruction as a warm-up. Their baby will appreciate the "soft" start to the lesson. Therefore, the teacher will have everyone do these"Pretend Submersions" first. Then those who are ready will be told that they can actually take the babies underwater. The experienced parents will practice the skill with their children, while the teacher gives attention and help to the parents who need correction and the new parents who have never done it before.

The objective of our Parent-Tot classes: they will learn to do independent prone Swim-Submersions from one place or person to another. The Grade 2 Self-Rescue Skill of learning to independently roll-over to back float is a not necessarily an objective of these classes, but we try to introduce it with songs and activities to encourage their cooperation with it.