Becoming an Instructor

[Michael Guerrero]

How you're taught is how you'll dive... and how you'll subsequently teach as an instructor.

How you're taught to dive or how you're taught to teach diving? I would submit that the two may be very different, and that if your taught to dive by taking your time, mastering your skills between courses, practicing and learning on your own as well as in the training environment, then you are likely to bring that same approach to teaching students how to dive (i.e., the way you were taught to dive). The rapidity with which you are taught to instruct a curriculum may not have a significant bearing on the ethos of diving you attempt to impart on your students.

 

[Michael Guerrero]

If the extra cost reflected an efficient training course run to a duration (training hours) that reflected raising student performance to a high definition of 'mastery', then yes.

I was specifically responding to the notion that you get what you pay for. As a couple other people on this thread pointed out, the OW student has no clue whether they are paying for quality instruction or not. Even if the instructor confirms that she is one of the best instructors around and consequently charges accordingly.

Many students, to include technical students I would argue after reading these boards for a while and seeing a few, are ill equipped to evaluate the quality of instruction they receive. Further, they are often unable to assess the accuracy of the information their instructors provide them because they have not sought out information on their own. I would also argue that many, if not most, instructors do not continue to try and learn other diving styles and approaches outside the ones they were exposed to during their training. Nor do they try and stay current on developments in the diving world. They wait for the curriculum to get updated and then (maybe) teach the new info without anything other than a superficial understanding of it.

If this sounds like I'm bashing the knowledge and skill of the run-of-the-mill instructor, I am. Is it their fault that they are part of an industry that (mostly) values quantity over quality? Maybe.

 

[Michael Guerrero]

I really haven't seen an 'attack' on the OP. He asked for input and he's getting just that. Just because you don't like the advice given or the tenor of it, doesn't make it an attack.

If I recall correctly, because I went back and re-read my initial post, I asked for the cheapest/fastest way to get certified. Not a bunch of sermons about why someone who pursued a cheap/fast path was a terrible person and should have their regs taken away .

All post outside of that scope are off-topic. I wish I could get some power-mad scubaboard mod to moderate this thread and keep the posts on-topic .

 

[Michael Guerrero]

I have no problem with an experienced person wanting to do something. The thing I note is that the OP creates the impression that they feel they have nothing to learn in getting the card and thus they already know it all. They may or may not be a good instructor but they may well not be such a good student if that is their attitude. Just the impression created.

I did say that "this is going to sound bad," understanding full well that people would make that assumption and would assume I'm talking about myself.

 

[Michael Guerrero]

and most started by taking shortcuts.

So going through a however many week IDC, demonstrating all the skills and knowledge to the appropriate level, and meeting agency standards is a shortcut?

How many years of assistant instructor experience does the agency you instruct for recommend before becoming an instructor?

 

[oya]

If I recall correctly, because I went back and re-read my initial post, I asked for the cheapest/fastest way to get certified. Not a bunch of sermons about why someone who pursued a cheap/fast path was a terrible person and should have their regs taken away .

All post outside of that scope are off-topic. I wish I could get some power-mad scubaboard mod to moderate this thread and keep the posts on-topic .

New post:
What is the best way to bring my pet hamster scuba diving? I know it sounds bad, but I don't go anywhere without him.

Internet:
Yeah, you really shouldn't do that.

OP:
I didn't ask whether I should or not, I asked how I can.

 

[Michael Guerrero]

Lol.

Could you imagine? The tiny, tiny tanks and fins.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Why? Why would you think that if you take shortcuts that you're going to come up with a superior product? If you just "get by", you really can't expect much in return. The more you put into becoming an instructor, both in time and quality, the better instructor you'll be. This is not an attack of any sorts, but simply you resenting someone who maintains a different ideology about dive instruction. This is where having a different opinion than you is characterized as an "attack".


and most started by taking shortcuts. You get what you pay for. Often the payment is in blood sweat and tears: TIME.

i fail to see the continuity or connection between an instructor taking an "expedited course" and this necessarily resulting in the attraction of lesser quality students who are looking for shortcuts. As expressed by several people, most students aren't ever gonna know if their instructor was a zero to hero or not.

An instructor or shop can simply charge significantly more for the same certification and this should effectively weed out students who are looking to take "short cuts" -should that be the intent.

I don't resent anyone who put in a ton of time to become an instructor, but I am not going to criticize an instructor candidate who asks questions about optimizing his expenditures and personal time in pursuit of a certification. The criticism should be directed toward the facilities, agencies and organizations which (apparently) do not maintain sufficient minimum standards to generate a satisfactory outcome, when their (minimum) guidelines are followed.

 

[Bob DBF]

A

Lol.

Could you imagine? The tiny, tiny tanks and fins.

And quite a challenge for the instructor as well.


Bob

 

[The Chairman]

Not a bunch of sermons

Dude, Sermons are lengthy, like Dumpster Diver's posts. Mine are pretty succinct. If you can't take this mild, mild, mild constructive criticism and insight, what will you do when challenged by your instructor trainer? Do you want to learn, or do you just want a card? If you are going into an IDC with the attitude that you've got nothing further to learn, then it might get a little tense for you. [/understatement] If you don't like what I post, simply ignore it. If it offends you, look inwardly to see why. It's probably not me. If you're simply looking for an atta boy, go get 'em, well I'm fresh out of meaningless cheers for cutting corners. I guess I could try. "Give me an M! Give me an E! Give me a D-I-O-C-R-T-Y! Gooooooo Mediocrity! Woooo!"

i fail to see the continuity or connection

I hope you weren't expecting to see my surprised face. I expected you to not see the connection. Why? We approach instruction far, far differently. My most popular class doesn't even have a card associated with it as I see it as being remedial.

but I am not going to criticize

I didn't criticize. I merely pointed out that mediocrity attracts more mediocrity. Those crappy instructors you talked about turn out crappy students who then become crappy instructors and the circle of craptitude continues.