This is the closest I'll ever come to being a superhero. The moment when I first get my hands off a baby learning to float. Knowing I'm teaching a skill I hope is never used out of necessity. Knowing that I may have just helped a child save their own life. That's the closest I'll get to being a superhero. Cam has worked with children in a wide variety of capacities since 1997. A few years ago the
Senior Master ISR Instructor in Gainesville, FL was a parent of one of Mr. Cam's PE students. She asked him to come watch a few lessons. Cam had no clue what ISR was about, but was intrigued. He watched two lessons and said "I'm in" without knowing what it took to become an instructor or what it paid. He has been a certified insctructor since 2017. What is ISR? Infant Swimming Resource teaches children how to survive in case of an aquatic accident, but also sets a foundation for years of fun, safe, aquatic recreation. Many ISR students come to use their skills for fun play in the water. Babies six months old and above are taught to turn to float and stay in the floating position until help arrives. Once little ones are a year old AND walking independently they are eligible to learn the swim-float-swim sequence. These students learn to generate an underwater swim movement, turn and float to get air, and repeat this sequence until safety is reached. The stable float is always there as an option if reaching safety is not an option. Why is it important? Drowning is the leading cause of death in children ages one to four. Every ISR instructor hopes the skills they teach are never used out of necessity. Especially in Florida where pools and open bodies of water are aplenty, accidents happen. These skills are a PART of a strategy to keep children safe. What is the commitment? ISR lessons are one-on-one five days a week. Your student will have a ten minute time slot. "Floaters" have a target of four to six weeks. "Swimmers" have a target six to eight weeks. It can be more or less depending on the abilities of the students and the continuity of appearance at lessons. How much does it cost? Registration is $105 paid directly to ISR during online registration (Annual update of $35). Lesson fees are $95 per week, with a $5 per week cash discount offered. Siblings are $80 per week. Scholarships are available to families in need. We don't want any student to be turned away for financial concerns. What happens if we miss a lesson? If the lesson is missed due to anything on Mr. Cam's end (pool issues, he can't make it, he even takes the blame for bad weather) then you are credited a lesson and pay less the following week. If the lesson is missed because of something on the family's end (illness, vacation, flat tire, donwannago), Mr. Cam's time is still obligated to the family and there is no way for him to fill your child's spot for a day or even a week. So you still pay for those spots. What are the covid precautions? To be clear, there is no way to guarantee a risk free environment at the pool. After trying a variety of precautions, most simply weren't functional. Cam is fully vaccinated and boosted, but will wear a mask if requested. However, it gets wet quickly and makes communication difficult. Families are asked to socially distance on the pool deck, however it is not something Mr. Cam will direct. You are asked to NOT change your child on the pool deck barring a last minute "emergency". Any ideas or feedback on precautions are welcome. This is a fluid situation and new procedures may be introduced in an effort to keep everyone safe while maintaining continuity in lessons. There is no perfect answer. What if I have other questions not answered in this beautifully crafted collection of information or am ready to move forward? You can send a direct message through this page or email Mr. Cam at [email protected].
