Pearldiver07
Contributor
What did the instructors do to mess with you? seems like it would be tricky to cause much trouble in a pool?
This skill is not supposed to have instructors adding improvised additions to make it "more challenging" during the evaluated version. If the instructor did as one poster subsequent to this states (purposely reduced vis then jumped in to replace buddy - then introduce issues) this is a definite standards violation if it was on the graded evaluation.
Since there is no provision for this, there is no way to objectively use it for validating the requirement. What next, supply equipment with known failures, or to slip away with a piece of equipment and hide it? Who is to say what is "appropriate" and not appropriate. I've seen too many out there who are excellent divers who are, at best, mediocre instructors, but don't know the difference. To be a good instructor you need both diving and instructional skills. They're not the same. Many instructors wouldn't know what "scaffolded training" is if it bit them, yet they think that they know enough to "teach it their own way." I've always said that not knowing what you don't know is the worst place to be. That's why the evaluation standards are written the way they are.
Now, all of that said and done, if it was to have fun and provide additional opportunity for learning, I can full well see having this kind of additonal training. It provides real advantages. Testing your limits is where you find out what they are.