Buddy up OW course couples?

[ScubaFreak]

'Ello everyone

I'm posting this trying to get feedback from both instructors and couples that took OW courses together. I recently had an unhappy boyfriend bring up my method, so I explained the following:

When I run OW courses, I will normally separate couples in the confined / OW sessions of the course. Why do I do this? Because experience has taught me that when they are buddied together, they can be too easily distracted with each other. I have seen too many boyfriends/husbands be a little to macho and try to help their significant other, only to get into a little bit of trouble themselves. I also find that a lot of the time one is only doing the course because the other one wants them to, and not out of personal want, which I'm sure lots of DM's or instructors have enountered.

If I notice througout the course that both individuals are flying through with no hassles, I will buddy them for the OW checkouts.

Yeah yeah, I hear you, I'm ruining the fun, I'm ruining somebody's course. My response? Safety for the student is my #1 priority, and thats final.

Thoughts anyone?

Scubafreak

 

[El Orans]

We did our OW course together (actually, we were the only students ) but at no time was there any mention of any distraction.
She had some extra pool lessons due to not being really comfortable in the water. We had our open water dives together and passed with flying colours...

Laurens

 

[ScubaFreak]

(actually, we were the only students )

I guess I wouldn't have had a lot of choice there would I

 

[Xman]

Scubafreak, I agree with your reasoning. It is training, not a normal dive. Whatever will give them the best training and allow them the best opportunity to learn is the most important thing.

 

[El Orans]

I guess I wouldn't have had a lot of choice there would I

There was a DM-in-training present so he could have made different buddy-pairs.

Laurens

 

[MichaelBaranows]

I didn't take my OW course with other but rather my dad. The main reason the Instuctor buddied us together was because we have our own boat and figured that most likely we would be buddied together most of the time anyway. And we were buddied up as dive buddy and after reading your post I can see that I might have been a little distracted wanting to make sure he did everything correct. But really I watch everyone as they were going thru their skills. But thinking back on the events if I were to take the course again I would probably as to have a different buddy just to see how different people are as buddies.

 

[kent_1848]

I can see your reasoning, also I think it is good to seperate the couples to keep any "arguments" out of the training. Many times one person becomes frustrated with their significant other not being able to do a skill right away, and if they are teamed up with someone they don't know, they are less likely to voice their opinion and keep the stress level of all divers involved lower. My wife and I actually were buddied up during our class and had no problems, but another couple kept fighting the whole time, and the wife usually ended up crying at some point in the day. Very frustrating for everyone involved.

 

[triton94949]

Rotating buddies makes sense. Few instructors do it however.

I would not permanently separate a couple, since after all they will be diving together.

But I agree that there can be problems when you have a couple as a buddy pair. I have seen them get into verbal arguments with each other, on the one hand, and I have seen them work perfectly together, on the other.

It is good to separate them, but I would have them also spend some time together under your supervision.

 

[616fun]

My wife and I took the course together and I was a distraction to her. I seemed to pick up the skills easily and she struggled a bit. I think she felt pressure to 'get it right' because I did. We continued to be buddied up in the confined water section, but we talked openly about it and decided for the check out dives we would do those separately.

That approach worked well. We both did great and she didn't feel the pressure of me watching her every skill.

 

[Rondo]

Keep it up!

You've probably produced better divers and saved many marriages and relationships