Helen Hughes returns for a deeper dive

Navigating Neva

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Helen Hughes returns to Navigating Neva to dive deeper into her philosophy of Purposeful Play—and to give listeners a preview of her upcoming workshop at the Treasure Coast YMCA in Stuart, Florida.

In this episode, Wesley King and Nicole Fairfield unpack strategies for promoting Helen’s workshops across the United States—framing them not as required in-services, but as energizing professional-growth experiences that inspire creativity and confidence in aquatic educators. Together, they discuss how to attract teachers who want to evolve their methods and find joy again in teaching.

Helen shares her own turning point—when repeating the same lesson plans no longer sparked excitement—and how structured play transformed both her teaching and her students’ engagement. The group explores practical ways to communicate workshop value, integrate playful structure into lessons, and reimagine how pool space and materials can support individualized learning.

They also contrast UK and US swim-education systems, revealing what each can learn from the other—and why bringing Helen’s approach stateside could reshape instructor training, lesson planning, and overall aquatic culture.

Tune in for insight, laughter, and the spark of something bigger—the movement toward teaching that feels as good as it works.

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