Please feel free to post your own swimming lesson testimonials using the “Leave A Reply” form at the bottom of this page. Thank you!
I taught swimming lessons in Colorado Springs, Colorado for 15 years before moving to Baltimore, Maryland in 2005. In Colorado, I had more than 1,200 wonderful students, many of them children. Below are a few letters from the parents of some of my students.
I am writing in reference to our children’s swim instructor, Pearl Krongard.
Our seven year old son has been taking swim lessons from Pearl for over two years; our six year old has been taking lessons for just over a year.
We have had a very positive experience with Pearl. She is a wonderful teacher in so many ways. When our children started private lessons with Pearl, they were so scared they didn’t even want to put their faces in the water. Now they confidently swim 25-30 laps using several different strokes, during their half hour lessons.
Over the many years that Pearl has taught swimming, she has developed her own technique and methodology. Her approach is very thorough and systematic and based on teaching specific skills in a specific sequence. This method is very effective, and I have seen it work not only with my own children but with many other children (and adults!) of all ages.
Pearl’s personality and style with the children is another reason she is so effective. She is loving and patient but also firm when needed. She understands when the kids need to be pushed and when they need to be encouraged. She can sense when they are frustrated when scared or when they are trying to learn a new skill, and she is able to work through their frustrations with empathy, redirection, and encouragement. She has worked with young children for so many years that she also understands each child’s temperament and needs, and what will help motivate each child. She easily establishes a rapport with each child and with their parents as well which provides the necessary support long-term.
We strongly recommend Pearl as a swim instructor and feel she would be a valuable addition to your staff; she would contribute her expertise in many, many ways. She is extremely capable and skilled, and excels in teaching children on an individual basis. She truly loves teaching swimming and loves seeing the children grow and develop their confidence and skill in the water. We have personally enjoyed knowing Pearl over the years and wish her the best in her career. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
I am writing this letter to let you know what an amazing swim teacher Pearl Krongard is. When I was asked to write this letter, I was excited because I knew it would be an easy letter to write. It is easy to write good things about great people. On the other hand, I had my reservations because words cannot do justice to what Pearl Krongard is capable of teaching.
Her technique is like no others. And that quite simply is why my children have learned to swim so well and so quickly. She takes every student and starts with the most basic skill of breathing. I never realized the importance of blowing bubbles instead of holding the breath. Without this skill you can’t learn to do any other skill well or with any kind of efficiency. She never tried to teach a skill or stroke without teaching the underlying basic skills needed in order to teach those larger motor skills or strokes.
Her attention to detail is phenomenal even after ten hours in the pool. She personalizes each lesson for each student by teaching at the pace each child/student needs. As an added bonus, she just plain makes it fun. Her students, old and young, absolutely adore her.
My older child had taken many “lessons” in the past, but had learned very little. Every time we started a new session, the teacher would ask if he could do the back float. I always had to say “no.” I thought he physically couldn’t do it yet. Within two lessons with Pearl, my son could do the back float among other things. It was just the beginning. I was sold.
Each lesson we had with her was educational. Not only did she did teach my child, but she also taught me her techniques so that I could practice with him on our own. I don’t know any other teacher that would care so deeply. It is obvious how important it is to her that her students learn the skills properly; not only to become capable swimmers, but also to be safe in the water.
I was crushed to learn that she was moving away from us. But I am so grateful that we had this opportunity to learn with Pearl. I will never meet another person like her. I could tell that my boys were not just her students. She took genuine interest in them and made them feel welcome. She has such a unique way of motivating her students to listen, to follow instructions, and to learn new skills.
On top of her being an excellent teacher, Pearl is a dedicated, loyal, and honest. You only have to watch her one time with one student to know that she loves what she does and goes above and beyond what is expected of her. Had she decided to stay in Colorado Springs, we would have stayed with her for years, or at least until my boys qualified for the Olympics in swimming.
Our loss is your gain. I hope she finds a wonderful opportunity with you. Thank you for taking the time to read this. It is lengthy, but I could go on for several more pages.
I am writing this letter on behalf of Pearl Krongard, my sons’ swimming teacher. We have been going to Pearl for swim lessons for the past several years. In the beginning, my boys were terrified of the water and didn’t even want to put their faces in. Now, both boys know several strokes and feel very confident in the water. My older son just passed Boy Scout swim check, and we attribute his success with that to Pearl’s excellent instruction.
Pearl conducts private swim lessons at a reasonable rate. She spends the entire lessons customizing the drills and instruction to each individual child. She begins each lesson with review and then moves on to new skills. My boys advanced very quickly with Pearl’s instruction. Her many, many years of experience make her an excellent teacher. She coaches the kids and makes sure that they learn the strokes in the correct manner. We will truly miss Pearl and will always be thankful to her for teaching our two boys to swim. She certainly did her job as a swim instructor!