“It’s Up to Us:” Factors Influencing the Perspectives and Practices of Instructors Working in an Out-of-School Swimming Program for Underserved Children and Youth

Abstract

The purposes of this study were (a) to describe the perspectives and practices of instructors working in an out-of-school swimming program (OSSP) for underserved children and youth and (b) to examine the factors which shaped these perspectives and practices. The theoretical framework employed was occupational socialization. Two female instructors participated in the study. Five qualitative techniques were used to collect data and standard interpretive techniques were employed to analyze them. Key findings were that the instructors were highly skilled and had well-developed sets of beliefs about teaching swimming and working with disadvantaged children and youth. These perspectives and practices were influenced by the interaction of the instructor's acculturation, professional socialization, and organizational socialization. Implications for selecting instructors for OSSPs included asking potential instructors about their occupational socialization and hiring experienced physical educators. The study also suggested that instructor training includes a substantial teaching component and elements on technical pedagogy and teaching philosophy in the aquatic context.