Hi there! I am Jennifer, founder, and owner of Water Otters Swim School. For me, teaching swimming is the perfect way to combine my love of the water, enthusiasm for child development and passion for teaching. Because of this dynamic combination Water Otters Swim School has become more than just a successful child centered swim school but is also the first step in a life-long appreciation of water safety and water enjoyment for our students.
For the past 20 years I have worked with hundreds of students and taught many thousands of lessons. I have developed my own unique style and philosophy of how to best meet the needs of each of my students. The Water Otters philosophy is based on always validating and honoring the individual needs of each student to maximize their safety and enjoyment of the water.
My child centered teaching philosophy is derived from a combination of working with and teaching alongside seasoned teachers at numerous preschools and keeping abreast of the most up to date child development research and information. I have also attended attachment theory conferences, volunteered for Dr. Dan Siegel at the Mindsight Institute, as well as completed UCLA’s Certificate Program in Early Childhood Education.
I have had the privilege of teaching students ages 3 months to 60 years old how to develop a love and appreciation for the water which creates, an abundance of confidence while swimming. I particularly enjoy, and have had great success with, working with students who have specific needs (i.e., sensitive to touch or sound, water trauma, or a prior negative swim lesson experience). Even though I am no longer in the water full time, I keep a small amount of space in my schedule to work with select swimmers with specific needs.
Water safety being one of my main focuses, I maintain a YMCA Aquatic Safety Assistant certificate, PADI Open Water Dive certification, and I am both First Aid and CPR certified. I am excited that I now have the opportunity to teach the Water Otters Method to swim instructors who want to provide their students with the same compassionate, developmentally appropriate, and joyful water experience.
I believe that by addressing students’ individual needs as the building blocks for learning, we can create a learning to swim experience that is not just about teaching a lifesaving skill, but is also about instilling confidence which empowers students in the water and in life.
I welcome any questions you may have and am honored to have the opportunity to provide you with this exceptional and exclusive experience. Please feel free to contact me directly:
Email: jennifer@waterotters.com
Call/Text (818) 693-3113