Herding Cats

[downdeep]

Just did my first open water teaching assist as divemaster candidate along with my Instructor and another divemaster this weekend. We had 11 open water and 3 advanced students. Ten training dives in 2 days. WHEW. Everybody completed the required skills and got their temp cards. I feel like I've given birth.

 

[Diver0001]

Holy cow! Talk about baptism by fire.... I *bet* you feel like you've given birth....

R..

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Rats! I thought this was going to be about the best TV ad ever!
http://www.milkandcookies.com/links/4681/

 

[Firebrand]

There is an album called "Herding Cats" by Gaelic Storm
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...f=sr_1_4/103-0938231-6767804?v=glance&s=music

 

[downdeep]

When you have 14 students, herding cats sums it up quite nicely.

Have I earned the title of dive god yet?

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

What about diving cats?

http://mac-gkk01.psych.lsa.umich.edu/~gkk/ScubaDivingCat.wmv

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Diver0001]

When you have 14 students, herding cats sums it up quite nicely.

Have I earned the title of dive god yet?

As an aside to this, are you PADI? Max ratios for OW is 12:3 (in the water at the same time). The AOW students count for the ratios too if they tag along.

Big groups are a kick but it's also important to ask yourself some critical questions about the approach. Large groups seldom (if ever) result in students getting the most out of their training time. I don't want to bring you down but on top of being proud of yourself, never forget to consider your performance from the student's point of view.

For example, reflect on your efficiency. How much time did students spend waiting for something to happen? How much time did you spend on each student working on buoyancy control, finning technique, buddy contact and communication? How far away were you from your students during the check out dives? Would you have been able to adequately anticipate or intervene in a problem if one had developed?

That kind of thing.

R..

[edit - just reread your initial post. I see you're not quite certified yet. That would make the maximum ratio 10:2 and I *think* (although I'm not 100% sure) that you count as a student in that ratio. That would mean that you should have had a maximum of 9 divers in the water at once]

 

[Charlie99]

When you have 14 students, herding cats sums it up quite nicely.

Not if you teach them good buddy skills.

 

[JeffG]

Have I earned the title of dive god yet?

No....You get that when you have taken a DIR-F

 

[RumBum]

this rocks. I got a great kick out of it!