For Chanel Yim, a Swim Teacher Trainer and Co-ordinator at DSA, being with children and teaching them a life skill has been her motivation and reward.
Chanel opens up about her journey as a Swim Teacher in DSA.
My Life @ DSA
“My DSA Journey has been one of personal growth and fulfillment, allowing me to combine my love for swimming and being with children with my passion for teaching.”
Being a Swim teacher is a career filled with joy, challenges, and rewards, especially when working with children. My DSA Journey has been one of personal growth and fulfillment, allowing me to combine my love for swimming and being with children with my passion for teaching.
The Joys of Teaching Swimming
What I love most about my job is the opportunity to work with children. Teaching them to swim goes beyond just imparting a physical skill; it involves helping them overcome fears and building their confidence in the water. Watching a child transition from being afraid of water to swimming confidently is incredibly rewarding for me.
Being interested in sports and games from a young age, I played various games at competitive levels but eventually I found my happiness in swimming and being in the water.
Initially, I took up teaching swimming part-time, and within six months, when it became coupled with teaching children, it became a full-time commitment.
In Malaysia, being a swim teacher or coach is not a common profession, making it a unique and challenging career choice. However, the rewards of teaching a life skill to children and personal satisfaction it offers are unparalleled.
Teaching more than just Swimming!
At DSA, we believe in teaching more than just swimming. Our tagline, which emphasizes educating children about discipline, confidence, patience, sharing, communication, being brave, and many other essential qualities, resonates deeply with me.
During our classes, we teach kids to listen, understand, and communicate effectively. These skills are crucial not just in swimming but in their lives also. We focus on the children developing a good temperament through structured lessons and positive reinforcement. This ensures that children develop good habits and respect for their instructors and peers.
“The working environment, the supportive people, and the vibrant culture is what relates to me in DSA. The biggest value of for me is the sense of belonging and the opportunity for professional and personal growth.”
The culture at DSA is one of camaraderie support and teamwork. Though we are a fairly large number of working staff, we spend time together outside of work, often sharing meals and building close friendships.
This sense of community extends to how we handle feedback and follow operating procedures, ensuring a supportive environment for staff and students. An example of this is our regular team meetings and gatherings, where different groups within the company come together to share experiences and advice, fostering a strong, united team.
The working environment, the supportive people, and the vibrant culture is what relates to me in DSA. The biggest value of working at DSA is the sense of belonging and the opportunity for professional and personal growth. The pay is competitive, but it is the people and the culture that make it a truly rewarding place to work.
Growing personally and professionally
My journey with DSA began with a mix of excitement and apprehension. I remember my first day vividly; I was a bit scared but excited about the flexible working hours and the opportunity for more interaction with children.
Over time, I have seen DSA grow, with more centers opening and a broader range of age groups being catered to, bridging generational gaps and creating a dynamic learning environment.
While I think many of my friends could potentially work at DSA, either part-time or full-time, I feel this job requires passion and commitment more than a normal desk job. For some it may provide pocket money as a part-time gig, but the real fulfillment comes from a genuine desire to teach and inspire.
Within DSA, I find inspiration in my colleagues especially Cyrena, who through her dedication and passion has built the academy to this level from its initial days, while Chia Weai has been an excellent guide and mentor. Their dedication and commitment to excellence motivate me to strive for the best in my role.
“The best part of my day at DSA is meeting my colleagues and interacting with the children I teach.”
The best part of my day at DSA is meeting my colleagues and interacting with the children I teach. These interactions bring joy and a sense of accomplishment, knowing that each day I am helping children learn and grow.
The bond we share as colleagues and the progress I see in my students are what I look forward to every day.
Challenges and achievements
Teaching swimming is not easy; it requires understanding a lot of factors beyond just the skill itself. This is sometimes not fully understood by the parents. They may wonder how difficult it can be to teach child to swim, we therefore sometimes even create an understanding in the parents about their child.
Challenges such as addressing the fears children have about water, helping them overcome that requires capabilities and knowledge which can be complex and beyond just teaching a skill.
One of my highest achievements at DSA was being able to teach a visually impaired child to swim. It was indeed a immensely satisfying feeling watching the end result and the joy of the parents and the confidence of the child.
Being a swim teacher at DSA has a fulfilling and rewarding career for me. Having started out as a part-time teacher, over the years, my experience has given me the confidence to become a Swim Teacher Trainer and managing the working of new swim teachers.
