Meet your Instructor

Abby Markham, Certified ISR Instructor

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About Abby

Hello! I'm Abby Markham, originally from D.C. I began my career working on Capitol Hill and spent several years in writing, political messaging, and communications. As a proud USMC spouse, I've had the privilege of traveling the world with my husband and 4 kids. We've moved nine times and are thrilled to finally put down roots here in Prince William County. 

My journey with Infant Swimming Resource began when my oldest was a toddler. Like many parents, I was looking for ways to keep him safe. I knew drowning was a huge risk--in fact it's the number one cause of accidental death in children ages 1 to 4--I wanted to find some way to combat this danger. And that's how I stumbled upon ISR. 

Watching my son learn life-saving water safety skills was transformative. We became an ISR family and never looked back! Since then, all three of my other children have gone through ISR lessons, and I've seen firsthand the incredible impact this program can have. They gained swimming skills, the ability to self-rescue, and tremendous confidence in and out of the water--gifts I'm thankful for every day. The ISR Instructors we met along the way inspired me to bring that same peace of mind to other families. And my passion was born. 

Becoming an ISR Instructor has been one of the best decisions I've ever made. Watching children grow in confidence and learn these vital skills that will last a lifetime is truly rewarding. There's nothing like that first 'I did it!' smile! Parenting is full of challenges, and I know how important it is to equip our kids with the tools they need to thrive. That's why I'm passionate about helping families feel confident and empowered when it comes to water safety. I'm excited to continue working with families here in Prince William County and to share this incredible gift with many more children. I can't wait to meet you and your little ones!

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FAQs
Will my child need additional lessons?
Based on our research, we know that refresher lessons are important because children change so much both cognitively and physically during the first 0-5 years of life. It is important that their water survival skills grow with their bodies. Frequency depends on the child's age, growth rate, skill level and confidence level. The goal of refresher lessons is to help your child adjust his/her new body size and weight to his/her existing skill level. Your instructor will work with your child to help fine-tune his or her aquatic experience to assist with building efficiency, which will result in self-confidence. This is especially important if your child has not been able to practice any appropriate aquatic skill between seasons.
Why are lessons 5 days per week and for only 10 minutes?
The reason for this is multifaceted. First, repetition and consistency are crucial elements of learning for young children. Research shows that short, more frequent lessons result in higher retention. Second, most children have fairly short attention spans and will not be able to focus on the task for longer and we want to take advantage of the best time for learning. A third reason is that, though the pool temperature is maintained at 78-88 degrees, the temperature is still lower than your child's body temperature. Lessons are work and therefore will also be losing body heat. Instructors check students regularly for temperature fatigue since this is an indicator of physical fatigue.
Why does it take an average of 6 weeks for my child to learn this?
The 6-week average is an estimate that is based on the average time in which it takes most children to learn these survival skills. Every child is unique and ISR’s Self- Rescue program is specifically designed based on your child’s individual strengths and needs. It is important to realize that this is an average which means that some children will actually finish more quickly while others will need more practice. ISR is dedicated to safety and, therefore, we want to provide your child with the time and best opportunity to become proficient in his/her survival skills. We will always honor your child’s needs.
What other benefits does the ISR lesson experience provide students?
Every child is unique. However, many parents report that once their young children have mastered learning to swim, the resulting confidence in their abilities engenders a positive self-concept that is often demonstrated in other aspects of their personalities. There are also obvious health and other psychological gains.

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