How to find an excellent SCUBA class

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I would also like to add that each student enjoys learning differently then an another, Some of us learn better with a book in hand reading at our own pace, some get the most out of a dive class being in a classroom listening to a teacher (instructor) and through technology we now have the option to learn over the internet with E-learning.

When choosing the dive operation your going to do your certification with make sure they offer you the learning structure that best suits you. Not all offer a classroom or e learning while others only offer that and have done away with good old fashion book work.

No matter the situation as long as your getting the most out of the experience I'm sure it will be a memory not soon forgotten! The undersea world is unlike anything else in the world..... guess that's why we (instructors) love doing what we do!!

Cheers to all
 
The thread is really helpful now I know what to ask to my instructor when I take my class on June. I hope he certify me!:cool2:
 
Check out the link at the bottom regarding our "bad" experience with the first class we took. Hopefully no one else has to go through it that's why I'm keeping it alive. Many experienced divers have already commented on it so it's kind of long but the initial story should give you a good idea of things to watch out for.
 
What should I have done when one of the instructors got really worked up when I asked a couple of questions like
1. How do you handle the panic cycle ? he had no clue !. Which made him really angry
2. what to do when there is no air in the tank to clear the regulator and what happens if there is a malfunction with the purge button :) , again no clue
and he accused me of being negative and pointed towards his 5000 dives and the 800 c-cards he produced !
just before he got enraged, he produced the analogy of not thinking about negative things like accidents when learning to drive , to which i had to point out that the purpose of car insurance and air bags was to cover the downside lol
These people seem to suffer from a lack of common sense ! and awareness !!! just have a look at replies to my other thread www.scubaboard.com/forums/indonesia/440985-dangerous-dive-shop-what-do-you-think.html
 
What should I have done when one of the instructors got really worked up when I asked a couple of questions like
1. How do you handle the panic cycle ? he had no clue !. Which made him really angry
2. what to do when there is no air in the tank to clear the regulator and what happens if there is a malfunction with the purge button :) , again no clue
and he accused me of being negative and pointed towards his 5000 dives and the 800 c-cards he produced !
just before he got enraged, he produced the analogy of not thinking about negative things like accidents when learning to drive , to which i had to point out that the purpose of car insurance and air bags was to cover the downside lol
These people seem to suffer from a lack of common sense ! and awareness !!! just have a look at replies to my other thread www.scubaboard.com/forums/indonesia/440985-dangerous-dive-shop-what-do-you-think.html

It's important that you find an instructor that you feel comfortable with. In my estimation, you need to find a private instructor in order to continue.
 
i agree with everythig he has to say except for this statement.

some shop owners do not have another job so they sole source of income comes from diving ( owner of a store or instructor ) and some shops have higher rent then others to pay for. the best instructors dont allways have the highest price. some of my instructors have been easy on the pocket and an excelent teacher. ask your friends and family that dive who taught them and if they would recomend them as a teacher. also you can join other forums and web groups to get other oppinions

the only thing i can add to this statement is to ask the instructor what is included in the price of the class. some course prices is just the class and does not include the student packets or quarry fees if aplicable (sorry for the bad grammer ) or gear rental. this could be a deciding factor when it comes to chosing an instructor or shop .

good luck to all who read this post and happy diving

I fully Agree! I teach with an SEI Instructor(formerly YMCA Scuba). Our class is 8 weeks. We are not affiliated with any LDS. Our cost is about 40% less than they charge. Our course is longer and more in depth both in the classroom knowledge and in the pool for skills development

I would recommend looking for courses that require a lot of class time. Skills are not learned in one or two sessions. In other words, a harder curriculum.
 
As a Assistant Instructor I would agree with all of you, all comants and questions to instructors are very good but some not nessessary.One question that I asked was how long have they been teaching this will also tell you about their experiace. I believe this is important because the newly certified instructor my not have found what works well for his teaching metheds.
 
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I am considering to learn diving - great tips! Thanks. I see scuba diving as a serious matter and for quite a while I've been hesitating to get into it due to mistrust of training I would get (all those 5min. instructions in most resorts).
 
geradarys,

In the UK there are 2 ways to learn to dive :

a) Via the diving club route. You join a BSAC or SAA club and are trained inside the club. The focus will be on UK conditions but the qualification is valid worldwide.

b) Via a commercial organisation such as PADI or SSI.

Most people on Scubaboard speak about option B. I just thought you should be aware that alternative A exists.
 

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