How should a newbie choose an instructor?

[divingjd]

There are lots of threads on the board where people say that it is not the certifying agency that matters, but the instructor. There are some threads suggesting questions that people should ask a prospective instructor. But it seems to me that much of the advice people have given on how to select an instructor is based on their own experience, which is often extensive. I think it is hard for more experienced divers to remember what it was like to be new to the sport and their suggestions are not necessarily helpful to newbies. A lot of this discussion seems to fall in the category of hindsight - if I knew then what I knew now, this is what I would ask about.

So anyway, here's the ultimate question. How should a newbie choose an instuctor? What should a newbie be thinking about or taking into consideration? When the instructor answers the questions others have suggested, how should the newbie evaluate the answers? Try to avoid hindsight and come up with a few key tips for a newbie.

 

[hvulin]

ask as many other divers as you can... pick some younger ones, pick some older ones, and listen to what they have to say....

Whatever you choose don't forget that this instructor will only give you a VERY SMALL INTRODUCTION to diving and that most learning will be done later on your own...

So don't worry too much, dive as much as you can and try to stay safe...

 

[Davetul]

Best advice on this question I read on these boards a couple days ago...can't remember who it was though.

Hit up each dive shop in the area and ask them how long it takes to get certified. If they answer 3 days, run. If they answer 1-2 weeks, you should be ok. If the answer is 'as long as it takes', you have a winner.

 

[adrisen]

I needed to find an instructor for a course tht I started. I looked on the scuba registery. There were a few that were in my area. But after talking to this one and then meeting i realized that I found the right one. He has my best interests in heart, not his pocket book.

Over the last few weeks I have been diving with two of the most amazing instructors. One has been diving for many years but recently became an instructor and understands when there are difficulties. the other has been an instructor for many years. I have learned a great deal form both and i look forward to continuing a long diving and personal releationship with the two

 

[Quero]

Don, you are an instructor. What do you tell your friends and family members?
I usually tell mine to actually meet and talk with the instructor for a while, not to just sign up at a shop and get whatever they are given.

The instructor should be able to give an overview of what to expect from the course and to talk about "what ifs" (e.g., "What if I just keep sinking?" "What if I need more time/practice?" "What if we see a shark?"). I also tell my friends and family to try to draw the instructor out about his/her dive stories. It usually works out that an instructor they feel really at ease and comfortable with is a good match. If they note cynicism, a feeling that the instructor is burned out, a sense of superiority, or any other negative vibes, I tell them to shop around some more. It's not infallible, but it sort of serves as an informal "interview."

 

[TSandM]

I'm not sure one can answer the original question, because it depends a great deal on what's important to the student.

There was so much I didn't know when I signed up for scuba lessons. I just wanted to learn to dive (and I wasn't sure of THAT). I had no idea there were different agencies, or different standards, or different opinions about how things should be taught. I wouldn't have signed up for a long, expensive course, no matter how much somebody told me it was better.

I think a better question is, "What should the STUDENT know before signing up for scuba classes?" If everybody spent three months reading Scubaboard before plonking down their money, they'd be much more likely to get the kind of class they want -- whether that's fast, superficial and cheap, or longer, expensive and in depth. We're all different.

 

[TheFoggyMask]

I would say a good instructor may be indicated by how much he tries to scare you away from his class. I don't really think that anyone is going to come out an awesome diver from any OW class. I would expect more from an AOW class, but it seems really hard to find instructors for those beginning two classes who are going to turn you into a manfish like magic.

Its what you do afterwards that is going to make you a diver. Find a group of old guys and go on as many dives with them as you can, they can teach you a lot and alot. And they're not going to be bashful about telling you what you're doing wrong, which is much more helpful than "You're doing fine."

 

[Walter]

There are lots of threads on the board where people say that it is not the certifying agency that matters, but the instructor.

Those people are helping to keep alive one on the biggest myths in diving. Agencies play a crucial role in the quality of dive training. If they didn't, why would we need them at all?

There are some threads suggesting questions that people should ask a prospective instructor. But it seems to me that much of the advice people have given on how to select an instructor is based on their own experience, which is often extensive.

Seems to me this is a good thing. If one were to give advice ignoring what they'd learned as an experienced diver, what would be the point?

I think it is hard for more experienced divers to remember what it was like to be new to the sport and their suggestions are not necessarily helpful to newbies.

Such as?

A lot of this discussion seems to fall in the category of hindsight - if I knew then what I knew now, this is what I would ask about.

Sounds like a good thing. The prosepective diver can benefit from an experienced diver's experiences.

So anyway, here's the ultimate question. How should a newbie choose an instuctor? What should a newbie be thinking about or taking into consideration? When the instructor answers the questions others have suggested, how should the newbie evaluate the answers? Try to avoid hindsight and come up with a few key tips for a newbie.

Take your time to research and find the best instructor in your area. Next, take time to complete the course. A good course will last several weeks. Don't rush this, it's something you can spend the rest of your life enjoying.

How do I find an above average course and how will I know I've found it?

Interview potential instructors. Most people never ask any questions beyond price. As the old saying goes, "You get what you pay for." Excellent instructors will usually have a higher priced class for a number of reasons. The instructor is dedicated toward providing you all the time you need to master necessary knowledge and skills. Extra pool time can be expensive. Keep in mind; the instructor is trying to make a living. His time is valuable.

Consider alternatives. While many instructors teach through dive shops, some of the best are independent instructors or affiliated with colleges, universities or YMCA's.

Questions to ask the instructors:

How long have you been teaching? Most instructors improve over time. They learn new techniques and get ideas from other instructors and through experience to improve their classes.

Do you certify all your students? Only instructors who are in a hurry and care nothing about your safety will answer yes. You want an instructor who will require you to be safe and knowledgeable before issuing a c-card. An excellent instructor might tell you that he is willing to keep working with a student until the student either qualifies or gives up.

What skin diving skills will I learn? While there is some disagreement on this point, many professionals believe a solid foundation in skin diving will not only make you a better SCUBA diver, it will make learning SCUBA easier.

Will I learn confidence-building skills? There are some skills which have no direct application to a typical dive, but which do build your confidence as well as your abilities. This, combined with an understanding of the panic cycle, will make you much less likely to panic.

Do you teach the panic cycle? Panic is the most dangerous aspect of diving. Many instructors do not understand panic and believe there is no way to combat it. In actuality, panic is understood. It is though learning the panic cycle and by increasing skill levels that panic is avoided.

Do your students swim with their hands? This will let you know if the instructor pays attention to details. Good divers do not use their hands for swimming.

Do you work on trim? Divers should usually be horizontal in the water. Good instructors will see that students are striving towards good trim. Poor instructors often neglect it.

Do you overweight your students? Many instructors overweight students. It is not a good practice.

What method do you use to correctly weight your students? Any answer that does not involve actually getting in the water means you want to avoid that instructor.

How many people will be in my class? Small classes are better. You'll have more individual attention. Unless the instructor is using certified assistants, more than four students are difficult to watch.

How many certified assistants will you be using? Unless the class is relatively large (more than 4 students) this should not be an issue. An instructor should have a certified Divemaster or Assistant Instructor for every two students over four. There are times when divers working on their Divemaster or Assistant Instructor certifications assist with a class. This is normal and not an issue, but they do not count toward the assistants an instructor should have when working with larger classes.

Will I be learning skills kneeling on the pool bottom or mid-water? This question is not critical, but will let you know if you've found an instructor who has a great deal on the ball. The over whelming majority of instructors (even good instructors) teach skills kneeling on the bottom. Don't eliminate instructors who do. Some instructors have realized your mask will flood while you are swimming, not when you are sitting on the bottom. You need to learn skills in the manner in which you'll be using them.

Questions to ask yourself:

Is the instructor patient? While talking with your potential instructor, you should be getting a feel for his personality. Patience is an important quality for an instructor. You want to avoid instructors with a drill sergeant demeanor.

Would I be happier learning from a man or a woman? Only you can answer that question, but in general it is not usually a serious consideration. There are excellent instructors and there are poor instructors. Men and women fall into both groups.

 

[cleung]

Go to the dive shops in your area and ask about their programs. The more established shops that have lots of students will probably be good. See if you get a good feel talking to their staff. If there are other customers around, ask them about local instructors. If you can bump into other students presently taking classes, ask them too as they will be your best references. If the training is offsite, try to find out where and when. Then try to get there to ask students as they arrive or finish the classes, even if in the parking lots.

 

[Melicertes]

Will I be learning skills kneeling on the pool bottom or mid-water? This question is not critical, but will let you know if you've found an instructor who has a great deal on the ball. The over whelming majority of instructors (even good instructors) teach skills kneeling on the bottom. Don't eliminate instructors who do. Some instructors have realized your mask will flood while you are swimming, not when you are sitting on the bottom. You need to learn skills in the manner in which you'll be using them.

I like your list of interview questions and quite honestly made me look at how I would answer those myself the next time a prospective student asks me. I'm not sure whether all instructors would honestly answer these however because many are in it just for the bux they can make - of course they'll give you the "right" answers to convince you they're da bomb.

Our classes typically take much longer than the sausage factory style courses many LDS' run because we spend so much time in the pool to make sure that our students are comfortable with mask on face and breathing through snorkels and then regs etc. We spend so much time on just getting them to breathing from their regs first with their masks on and then thereafter with no mask, eyes closed, that many instructors would have completed their first PADI Confined Water schedule before we continue - we've just found that allowing the student time to acclimatize, realise and convince themselves that this breathing through the reg thing is actually doable, that it serves as a fantastic foundation to all other skills that will follow later e.g. mask remove and replace.

Sitting on your knees learning the basics is not a bad way of getting students to learn a new skill - I fail to see how you are going to do that while they're supposed to hover in mid water. I think, your point, however, was that to leave it at that level is to not make the learning experience applicable enough to real world scenarios, and this I do agree with. We invariably then progress with our students to start applying their skills while swimming and in a general mid-water environment. By the time we get to Open Water dives most students are then a little nervous, not because they are so insecure about their skills, but because it's the wide ocean out there - a new environment. Descend and get them on the sand all nicely grouped together on their knees like in the pool and even the new environment becomes an exciting new challenge while they demonstrate their skills. We always try, air permitting, to then do a short mid-water swim with each individual student wherein he/she then has to practice their skills mid-water. That said, I should mention that our classes are rarely bigger than 6 students with either my wife or I providing training/evaluation and the other providing direct supervision. We feel safest with two instructors in the water with no more than 6 students - gives us three students maximum each on average to supervise and conrol if necessary.

I don't think you were knocking learning while kneeling, but I just thought I wanted to clarify what works for us. It's a good tool to use, but it's not the A-Z of training IMHO.