How many people were in your OW classes?

[chris_b]

Just wondering, because our class is huge; easily 30 people. It's taught at a large university, so the pool is big enough to accomodate everyone. There are half a dozen or so "Teaching Assistants" who presumably have advanced training, but the instructor himself (who has been teaching the course since 1968) never gets in the water.

However, I think it's just too many people. The instructor has to rush through everything in the two-hour pool sessions, so some people kind of get left behind.

Is this common?

Thanks,

Chris

 

[The Chairman]

two in my OW... my son and me. Cost me $40 for both of us too!

 

[CAMPER]

Sea of bobbing heads:

We had 40 in ours, divided up into groups of 5/6 with different instructors. Rotated around pool to do different skills. not something I would recomend or do again.

It reminded me of the turtle farm in the Cayman's.

 

[chepar]

including myself, there were a total of 4 students. We had one or two people join us on various checkout dives (they were unable to coordinate their schedule with their own class dives).

I prefer the small class - makes it much easier for one on one attention if it is required.

 

[JustAddWater]

There were a total of four students in my class. It was a very comfortable size for our class and pool work. The instructor had similar size classes two other nights of the week. I met a few of the students from the other classes when I would come in for extra practice when the pool was available. There were eight students at our check out dives at the ocean. The instruction and dynamics of the class were very personable.

 

[Drew Sailbum]

I did my OW certification through a major university, and had a group of about 32 for classroom sessions. We were split into two groups of sixteen for pool sessions and open water dives, which were scheduled on different days for the different groups.

One thing you said concerned me.

Originally posted by chris_b:
There are half a dozen or so "Teaching Assistants" who presumably have advanced training, but the instructor himself (who has been teaching the course since 1968) never gets in the water.

I'm not sure what agency your instrutor is certified through, but PADI standards require that the person providing the initial in-water demonstration of skills must be certified as an instructor. Maybe the "Teaching Assistants" are certified as instructors too. I would suggesting asking to find out.

 

[miked]

If memory serves, my OW class had 5 people in it for the classroom and poolwork. The class was taught by an instructor, with one assistant.
When it was time for the OW dives, we were grouped with a similar size class for travel, gearing up, and preliminary briefings.
But we got our final briefings and dived separately-and were accompaniedin water by another assistant-resulting in a reasonably safe-feeling "5 students with 3 teachers " situation.
MikeD

 

[chris_b]

Originally posted by Drew Sailbum
I'm not sure what agency your instrutor is certified through, but PADI standards require that the person providing the initial in-water demonstration of skills must be certified as an instructor. Maybe the "Teaching Assistants" are certified as instructors too. I would suggesting asking to find out.

Drew,

I think the instructor is certified through PADI, NAUI, and at least one other agency. I believe NAUI has some provision for something like an "assistant instructor." However, I doubt that they are certified instructors, because the "TA" for our small group didn't seem to be real clear on which skills we were supposed to be doing. BTW, how young could someone be certified as an instructor? None look over the age of 25 at most.

Anyway, it is a "NAUI" course; we're using the NAUI text and will receive NAUI certification after completing all the requirements.

Chris

 

[FinMeister]

Chris_b

Assuming that your class at this 'large university' is a credit course through the phys ed or some other school department, 30 students might not be unusual, especially in the classroom. However, I agree that 30 beginning students plus 'teaching assistants'--even in an Olympic-sized pool--is a crowd, and not the best situation for learning divng skills.

Also, six 'teaching assistants' seems a little thin for begining pool work for this size group. Are the assistants certified instructors? Assistant Instructors?

Is this course a college credit course, or a recreation/community ed type course?

Finally, I'm curious. What certification, i.e., NAUI, PADI, YMCA, etc., will you have upon successful completion of this course?

Good Luck.
Warren

 

[Ontario Diver]

Mine was 8 students, one instructor, one AI, and one DMIT for classroom and confined water.

Cert dives were one on one.