Current opinions on Padi Tec-rec?
- Thread starter Jake
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- decompression padi tecrec
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yes unfortunately there are as in all parts of life , people doing things they have no business being involved in , the real crime is people graduating from courses they think have given them skills they really don't have
that's just sad I hate hearing this kind of stuff
Frontpointer1000
Contributor
Perfect timing for this post. Thank you to the OP.
I have been looking at doing tech for the last year, and have certainly spent my time doing background research, pre-reading, and some interviewing.
There are three instructors in my local area, one who is a PADI instructor. I did a general shore dive with him and our club. Although we weren’t diving as buddies, I got to see his style, and how he communicates. Although he himself is a great guy, I did not feel that his style and his vision worked for me.
I took intro to tech through another TDI instructor (this was like a pre-course interview course), and although that instructor was technically impressive, his style of teaching didn’t really work with my style of learning.
There is a third instructor that I’ve heard good things about, and have just reached out to him. My plan is to do SDI solo as an “interview course”, However just through the emails that I’ve received from him, I certainly feel like he meshes with my style and philosophy much more.
These are the questions and my expectations that I have communicated to him:
Tech training questions/expectations
As an instructor what are your teaching objectives, How do you adapt your teaching style to the needs of the student?
What gear and Configuration do you require as I start the course? What are some of the other prerequisites beyond the standard course prerequisites that you personally believe are important?
How do you determine a student is ready to take this course?
What do you look for in a student who is looking at this course?
How do you define success in the student?
What, how, where, do you dive for fun, and how often? What is your diving philosophy?
What responsibility do you believe you have to the student? Interims of mentor ship versus an instructor, and how does that rule and relationship change after the course?
What is your optimal student to teacher ratio, What do you do if you have a student who wants to take the course but there are not other students at that time?
How do you teach the course/what is your teaching philosophy? What, if anything, do you require or teach beyond the standards of the course?
How do you personally continue to learn and grow as a diver?
What is your course time frame, classes, classwork, pool time, and the actual check out dives? Where do you do these?
What if I finish the course and I am not quite meeting your standard for certification?
What resources do you recommend your students utilize in terms of pre-reading and preparation work before the course begins?
Once the course is finished, do you have previous students that you can put me in contact with who could become potential dive buddies/practice partners?
***—————————-***
Some of my expectations and what I am hoping to get out of the course:
I want the opportunity to fail the course, I want to be stretched and pushed, I expect an instructor to be hard on me, but not mean. I would expect standards, not perfection. I want to dive safe, strong, and the right way without instructor supervision once certified.
Thorough. I want to feel safe and capable to dive without an instructor when the course is complete.
If I have questions, I expect the instructor to be available for questions and answers, it doesn’t have to be a best friends relationship, but I would hope there was some availability to clarify issues.
I want this to be a foundation to increase my confidence and ability in solo diving and open the way to solo tech (No pinnacle diving, no penetration, but mild Deco in warmer climates in solo configuration). Foundation for eventual CCR.
I would expect my instructor to teach me the “why” and the reasoning behind processes, and when there are divergent opinions, I am happy with understanding his or her reasoning for doing something a certain way, but I would expect the opportunity to acknowledge that there are other ways something could be done.
Observe my weaknesses and make recommendations so these become opportunities for strength and growth.
Not interested in the minimum # of dives and easiest way to get certified. I want to come out competent, confident, capable.
I want this to be the Foundation for advanced diving: wrecks, caves, exploration.
Especially interested in working on team development, communication, maintenance of position in water column, dive planning, gas management, gas switching. I want to learn and incorporate “best practice” techniques.
Interested in eventual deeper cold water wreck and penetration diving: Great Lakes, Scapa Flow, Norway, Croatia, Malta, Truk Lagoon.
I have been looking at doing tech for the last year, and have certainly spent my time doing background research, pre-reading, and some interviewing.
There are three instructors in my local area, one who is a PADI instructor. I did a general shore dive with him and our club. Although we weren’t diving as buddies, I got to see his style, and how he communicates. Although he himself is a great guy, I did not feel that his style and his vision worked for me.
I took intro to tech through another TDI instructor (this was like a pre-course interview course), and although that instructor was technically impressive, his style of teaching didn’t really work with my style of learning.
There is a third instructor that I’ve heard good things about, and have just reached out to him. My plan is to do SDI solo as an “interview course”, However just through the emails that I’ve received from him, I certainly feel like he meshes with my style and philosophy much more.
These are the questions and my expectations that I have communicated to him:
Tech training questions/expectations
As an instructor what are your teaching objectives, How do you adapt your teaching style to the needs of the student?
What gear and Configuration do you require as I start the course? What are some of the other prerequisites beyond the standard course prerequisites that you personally believe are important?
How do you determine a student is ready to take this course?
What do you look for in a student who is looking at this course?
How do you define success in the student?
What, how, where, do you dive for fun, and how often? What is your diving philosophy?
What responsibility do you believe you have to the student? Interims of mentor ship versus an instructor, and how does that rule and relationship change after the course?
What is your optimal student to teacher ratio, What do you do if you have a student who wants to take the course but there are not other students at that time?
How do you teach the course/what is your teaching philosophy? What, if anything, do you require or teach beyond the standards of the course?
How do you personally continue to learn and grow as a diver?
What is your course time frame, classes, classwork, pool time, and the actual check out dives? Where do you do these?
What if I finish the course and I am not quite meeting your standard for certification?
What resources do you recommend your students utilize in terms of pre-reading and preparation work before the course begins?
Once the course is finished, do you have previous students that you can put me in contact with who could become potential dive buddies/practice partners?
***—————————-***
Some of my expectations and what I am hoping to get out of the course:
I want the opportunity to fail the course, I want to be stretched and pushed, I expect an instructor to be hard on me, but not mean. I would expect standards, not perfection. I want to dive safe, strong, and the right way without instructor supervision once certified.
Thorough. I want to feel safe and capable to dive without an instructor when the course is complete.
If I have questions, I expect the instructor to be available for questions and answers, it doesn’t have to be a best friends relationship, but I would hope there was some availability to clarify issues.
I want this to be a foundation to increase my confidence and ability in solo diving and open the way to solo tech (No pinnacle diving, no penetration, but mild Deco in warmer climates in solo configuration). Foundation for eventual CCR.
I would expect my instructor to teach me the “why” and the reasoning behind processes, and when there are divergent opinions, I am happy with understanding his or her reasoning for doing something a certain way, but I would expect the opportunity to acknowledge that there are other ways something could be done.
Observe my weaknesses and make recommendations so these become opportunities for strength and growth.
Not interested in the minimum # of dives and easiest way to get certified. I want to come out competent, confident, capable.
I want this to be the Foundation for advanced diving: wrecks, caves, exploration.
Especially interested in working on team development, communication, maintenance of position in water column, dive planning, gas management, gas switching. I want to learn and incorporate “best practice” techniques.
Interested in eventual deeper cold water wreck and penetration diving: Great Lakes, Scapa Flow, Norway, Croatia, Malta, Truk Lagoon.
I think this is a brilliant idea.
Short courses like ITT ot Solo are essentially disposable. If you don’t get along with the instructor you might waste a weekend. Finding that out on a more serious course isn’t so easy.
Frontpointer1000
Contributor
Totally agree.
Intro to tech and solo are “disposable” Courses. I’ve never thought of them that way, but I like the idea. Technically, although I did get a certification card for the intro to tech, it does nothing for me. I’m not doing any other or a different kind of diving than I did before. Which, honestly, the solo CERT card is essentially the same. I’ve never been asked to show a solo card, although I know some places require it. What it really does is help me see how someone teaches, and I waste little time and a little money. I really see it as an investment.
Mike1967
Contributor
You want a lot and I don't blame you, I'm finding it hard to get an instructor at all. Good luck mate
For what you are looking as a Instructor, you may want to try Mark Powell he fiils in most of what you are looking for IMO.
Regarding Solo tec, you have kind of a wrong idea in your head
Cheers
Mike1967
Contributor
Frontpointer1000
Contributor
Thank you for your opinion. I have learned that when something is very important to me, it is most important to be very upfront and let people know that this is one of my objectives.
While I certainly understand that some people may disagree, it is fundamental for me to express what is important to me, and in this case solo diving with some minimal but still present decompression obligation is (I believe for me) within the realms of reason, and within my Level of comfort and falls under MY curve for risk versus benefit. There are plenty of individuals who are comfortable with some solo decompression obligation.
This is not my thread, and certainly I don’t want to hijack, so if this is moved, I feel that would be appropriate. Nonetheless, for you readers out there, I’d be interested in hearing what you guys are comfortable with in terms of solo decompression obligation versus those of you who feel it is inappropriate. I’d like to hear why on both sides.
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