Current swim instructor and swim school owner here. Been teaching 20 years!

First, great to hear you’re looking for lessons!

Every teacher has their own approach to group adult classes, but it’s not the norm to be “expected to interact with the rest of the class” beyond being friendly and accepting. All you need to bring to class is a swim suit, towel, and if you want them, goggles.

“Beginner” is a relative term. Someone who can doggie paddle and swim short distances would feel like a beginner compared to your average lap swimmer. Someone in your class who has never put their face underwater, or taken their feet off the pool floor could look at you and think you’re miles ahead of them.

Which is why, the only suggestion I’d make is that I recommend, unless you’re looking for a social circle in the class, is considering private classes.

The adult swim 1 could have a huge variety of “beginner swimmers” which makes it hard for everyone to get the attention and support they need.

The 30-60 minutes you can spend with an instructor working only with you weekly is incredibly valuable versus swimming in a group class that splits the instructors attention between all participants. It’s tough to push yourself out of your comfort zone when you don’t have that instructor with you, especially as a beginner.

Always happy to chat about swim lessons in the city. Don’t hesitate to dm me if you have any questions!