Given the Recent Trend Towards Noticing Trends.....

[MSilvia]

My AOW class was a joke, so I feel your pain. There were six of us taking the class from an independant PADI instructor who went to college with us. We shared two books, were walked through the written test, and had a similar experience to yours with the dives.

I called PADI to complain, and was told that that was pretty typical of the AOW class, and that it isn't meant to be training intensive.

I did a little poking around though, and found that the instructor (a diagnosed manic-depressive) had to fly to California for a diving-related lawsuit a year after he "taught" me, and hadn't been an active instructor since... thank god.

I'm glad I was able to get my own copy of the book afterward, but I don't think I got anything out of the $250 (at the time) class that I couldn't have gotten out of just reading the book. I just chalk it up to a learning experience.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Windknot,

You are the one who got narced at gilboa and saw all the free flows right? I believe you when you say you didn't get anything from that class. PM me. I teach at Gilboa often. I'll dive with you and we'll fill in some of the gaps and see if anything was blatently left out. No charge.

There is no doubt that some instructors cheat but... dispite all the advertising and pamphlets PADI puts out it seems few people understand what the AOW is meant to be.

The deep dive - is meant to be a safe intro to deeper diving and planning. Will not make you a tech diver. If you have a bunch of hundred footers already you will be dissapointed.

Nav dive- Specific skills with specific performance requirements. Most people require some practice and I usually plan on a two tank dive and land practice. Of course, with me, you must hold depth and exibit buddy and situational awareness in addition to navigating.

Night dive - Not meant to be hard just a safe intro to night diving and planning.

The course is meant to introduce some new skills but mostly to introduce new things to new new divers. You could hang out with more experienced divers but be careful lots of divers spend many years practicing the wrong way.

Now someone will tell us about the lousy instructor they know. Yes I know they are out there but that doesn't justify avoiding all instructors.

If the DIR course lets experienced tech divers know how weak there diving is then in my opinion it will be a wast of time for a new diver. At this point a new diver does not need someone to tell them that they need alot of work they should already know it.

 

[MSilvia]

Have the open water requirements for PADI AOW changed since 1991? When I did it, we didn't do a night dive... we did a cold water dive instead. I think I recall there being a list of advanced skills, of which the instructor could choose a few.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by MikeFerrara
You could hang out with more experienced divers but be careful lots of divers spend many years practicing the wrong way.



If the DIR course lets experienced tech divers know how weak there diving is then in my opinion it will be a wast of time for a new diver. At this point a new diver does not need someone to tell them that they need alot of work they should already know it.

Hi Mike,
You are a really nice guy to offer help to Windy and I admire that...
Kudos!

As to the two points quoted above... put them together and think 'em through again....

At whatever level you come into a DIRF you will be given the correct direction to begin improving.... my advice to Windy is to get a summers worth of dives under his weightbelt (and now maybe a few under your guidence too) and then go for the DIRF before any bad habits get too entrenched.

(After re-reading my post I need to add: of course I don't mean to imply that he would learn any bad habits from you)

 

[MikeFerrara]

UP,
Point well taken sometimes my mouth...err.. fingers speak faster than they think. Actually I am considering hosting a DIRF class which I of course would take myself. I don't believe there is any magic to it, however improving isn't about magic. I have prided myself on the fact that I have sought and made use of resources and have met good divers who have endorsed the class. If we can generate the interest I think I can swing the fee and time. If it's that good I'll enjoy it as much as the next guy. Skeptical?...yes. Closed minded?...try not to be.

Mike

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by MikeFerrara
Actually I am considering hosting a DIRF class which I of course would take myself.

Mike, you're not only a nice guy, you've got guts and a well balanced ego!

Most DSO/instructors would want to sneak off and do a DIRF where no one knew them rather than take the heat in front of students/customers.

I am convinced that you will take your lumps in the class but in the process you will gain the admiration of the other students & your customers....

....and the rest of us as well.

More Kudos!!

 

[ElectricZombie]

That's good that you were able to recognize the faults in your Advanced training...most people just don't know any better.

I always go over what I saw my students do right...and do wrong on their dive. I always do this in a nice, friendly way, trying to balance criticism with praise. It is also designed to motivate and build confidence.

"You did a great job on your octopus sharing but, remember to keep an eye on your bouyancy and not kick up the bottom."

I also ask them what they thought they did well, and what they think they could use work on. When people recognize their problems themselves, they take charge and correct them. I can't beleive your instructor didn't do this, it's an essential part of the instructing process. If you really feel that disappointed in your training, I would suggest taking the advanced class again with a good NAUI instructor.