If you had the opportunity to do DM training for free....

[Peter Guy]

Interesting thread. I'm a new DM (took me about two years) and a new Cave Diver (took about a year -- well really, also about two years) -- here's my take.

Would DM training fit/look good in the grant application? Quite possibly. It could (should) challenge you (depending on your existing skill level) on a physical level but, honestly, probably not on a mental level (I'm giving you some credit as a HS Math teacher and I'm assuming a PADI DM course, not NAUI which I understand is more "advanced.") It also could provide you with some "credentials" that open other areas of diving for you.

OTOH, someone suggested doing GUE's DIR-F which would stretch you on a physical AND a mental level. BUT, it is unlikely you could fit such a class into your time frame. (HOWEVER, take it anyway!)

So back to Lynne's (TSandM) suggesting of Cavern/Intro to Cave in either Florida or the Yucatan. Having done my Cave training in the Yucatan, I'd vote for there but I'm sure there are many others who'd vote for Florida.

So why Cavern/Intro to Cave?

a. Unless you are a caver, it WILL stretch you emotionally in ways that are very difficult to explain. Being 1/5th of a mile away from the "big tank in the sky" can and should do things to your mind. Have you ever wanted to know what it feels like to be an Astronaut? If so, this is the chance -- you are weightless and suspended in "air" -- "flying like a bird" in a way very few ever get to experience. IT WILL STRETCH YOUR MIND.

b. It will stretch your diving due to the significantly increased task loading and situational awareness required. Prior to doing this, get comfortable diving in doubles and then do both classes in doubles. It will make you a MUCH better, more precise, diver. The skills you will learn (the "non-silting kicks"; hovering; line running; blind following; valve drills; air sharing; other emergency procedures) almost all translate to open water recreational diving in one form or another. It will make you a MUCH better buddy (teammate) in ways it is hard to describe.

c. You may learn a whole new area of geology and climatology -- something you might be able to use back in your classroom setting. The caves of the Yucatan are absolutely fascinating: how they were created; why they are the way they are; how they influenced the Mayan society; how they influence the current Yucatan economy; how they tell A history of global climate change (for real -- you can only dive them BECAUSE of massive global warming). And being trained to dive INTO the caves lets you see, for yourself, how this has all come about.

Anyway, it's a thought.

P S The "guru" of modern Cave Diving, Sheck Exley, who died in a cave dive, was a HS Math Teacher in North Florida. If THAT isn't a reason for doing this, then.....

 

[LIVES4SHARKS]

The whale tagging would be a neat option, thank you for the suggestion. That is the sort of thing I am looking for, other educational scuba options besides traditional scuba education that the grant committee may find interesting.

I have done expeditions with the SRI as a volunteer diver. It is definitely a rewarding labor of love. Shark Research Institute- shark conservation, education, research (some of the pics are in my gallery)

I am working towards my DM since I have found I enjoyed working with students and helping them to become good divers. My shop has suggested that to me on many occasions and I am finally taking them up on it. If you will not be doing much in the DM mode, then it may not be an option when there are other courses that can teach a wealth of knowledge. No matter what you decide, there are many ways you can use diving for amazing educational opportunities!

Good Luck!
Carolyn:shark2:

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I can't imagine a DM course lasting only 4-5 weeks. The internship (babysitting OW classes and hauling gear) usually lasts at least a year. I became a DM because my course was free as well. I worked on a couple of local boats for awhile, but found I missed diving too much to sit on the boat while others had fun. I would take courses in marine biology or seamanship if I had a grant.

 

[8thElementDiver]

I'm dismayed by the amount of cynicism and misinformation presented by some of the responders.

I'm a dive instructor who worked as a DM for 5 years before moving up, and, like you, teach math. So I think I can understand your passion for learning and teaching.

I think becoming a DM is exactly what you are looking for. You learn a lot more about the math and science behind diving and would be able to share much of that with your students (I do). You also learn how to be a good role model for divers and how to best help students who are learning how to dive--skills that teach patience and understanding, which can be applied to everyday life, making life richer for you and the people around you.

Finally, becoming a DM does not make you a target or any other such nonsense. It's not the military--no instructor can force you to take students while you're on a dive vacation (a horror story I had been told numerous times when I was contemplating becoming a DM). Likewise, you don't need liability insurance, even in the US, as long as you're not actively working as a dive professional. And if you're ever concerned about protecting yourself from someone who might just sue you because you have the DM rating and should have been able to keep them from being an idiot under water, PADI (and probably the other agencies) have a plethora of Liability Release forms that you can use--just have your dive buddies always sign a release before you agree to dive with them; because if something happens to them, they won't be the ones suing you--it'll be their relatives. My guess, though, is that as a teacher, you don't present an obvious money-pot for people who might want to sue.

Finally, with the right instructor, becoming a DM is rewarding and it will make you a better, more confident diver.

Let us know what you decide to finally do. And whatever you choose, I hope you have fun and learn a lot that you can later share with your students.

 

[alcina]

Yes, I'd do it. What a nice way to be able to go somewhere you want to go, meet a whole heap of new people, have some incredible experiences, learn some new things, dive, explore and generally evolve! All on someone else's tab. What's to think about other than the location?? Who cares if you never actually DM a course or work on a boat? You'll learn things that you can apply elsewhere, you'll get to dive, you'll have new things to pass on to your students and others around you...I see no downsides here.

As for DM taking 4-5 weeks, it really depends on the course...we require a minimum of four weeks here, but that is based on training virtually every day during that time. Many places that take 6-12 months aren't able to get in water or in with students on a daily basis so time isn't really the best indicator.

Narrow your choices of locations and then ask lots of questions of the various operators offering the course.

This is an enviable position to be in so enjoy it!

 

[8thElementDiver]

So why Cavern/Intro to Cave?

a. Unless you are a caver, it WILL stretch you emotionally in ways that are very difficult to explain. Being 1/5th of a mile away from the "big tank in the sky" can and should do things to your mind. Have you ever wanted to know what it feels like to be an Astronaut? If so, this is the chance -- you are weightless and suspended in "air" -- "flying like a bird" in a way very few ever get to experience. IT WILL STRETCH YOUR MIND.

b. It will stretch your diving due to the significantly increased task loading and situational awareness required. Prior to doing this, get comfortable diving in doubles and then do both classes in doubles. It will make you a MUCH better, more precise, diver. The skills you will learn (the "non-silting kicks"; hovering; line running; blind following; valve drills; air sharing; other emergency procedures) almost all translate to open water recreational diving in one form or another. It will make you a MUCH better buddy (teammate) in ways it is hard to describe.

Interesting. You're the first caver I've encountered who actually makes cave diving sound fascinating, and something I might want to try some day. Not to bash cavers, but I've read many posts and talked to a few and none of them have been successful at conveying the wonder of it, as you just did.

To get back to the OP, though, it sounds like she's barely ready to start a DM program, let alone a cave diving program. And she'll only have 4 weeks. I would think that to start a cave diving program she'd need the same basics as for a DM program (many dives, trained through Rescue Diver, etc), but then she'd also have a ton of tech gear to learn about and use with confidence before the end of her 4 weeks--is that realistically possible?

While most DM programs take longer than 4 weeks, that's usually because the candidates have other jobs that they have to attend to during that time. If the OP is focused on DM training and doesn't have to juggle training with her job, I do believe that 4 weeks is enough time to become a well-trained DM. (Others will certainly disagree. And I don't want to beat that dead horse--let it rot in peace.)

P S The "guru" of modern Cave Diving, Sheck Exley, who died in a cave dive, was a HS Math Teacher in North Florida. If THAT isn't a reason for doing this, then.....

Um, yeah. That's generally not how to motivate us pansy non-cave divers. Again, makes me believe there's just a different set of brain wiring going on. To each their own.

 

[Peter Guy]

8thElement -- I don't know if you included my post as being filled with cynicism and misinformation about the OP's thought of submitting a grant for a DM course. I hope not. I just don't believe that it would be the best fit for what she was describing -- stretching herself within a pretty specific time frame.

Also, as a retired attorney I must take issue with your statement

Likewise, you don't need liability insurance, even in the US, as long as you're not actively working as a dive professional.

First of all, given that you teach in the Northwest, it is unlikely you know the law of Indiana, the home of the OP -- and unlike math or science, the law DOES vary from state to state!
Second, it isn't the ultimate liability that is likely to be the most painful part of a lawsuit but the legal defense costs -- and this is, in my opinion, the most valuable part of liability insurance.
Third and last, in many jurisdictions (Washington included) the level of training of the actors will be taken into consideration when determining the standard of care owed by one person to another. So merely by taking a DM course (or any other "higher level" training) you may be increasing your duty of care and thus subjecting yourself to a greater likelihood of liability.

I just hope the OP gets the grant and does something really outrageous!

-------

8th Element responded while I was writing this:

1. The OP has stated she has more than 100 dives -- plenty of basic OW skill to take Cavern/Intro;
2. The part about learning to handle the new gear (BP/W, Doubles, Can Light) is part and parcel of the "stretching out" which appears to be part of the intent of the grant -- and certainly would be easily covered by the grant itself;
3. At least what I was taught (and read and saw) during my DM program had no relationship whatsoever with the diving skills I learned on my way to Full Cave (much to my disgust I might add). The DM program was focused on learning basic SCUBA science; how to work with students/customers; how to demonstrate the basic (very basic) diving skills. Cavern/Intro skills are WAY beyond the basic diving skills of a DM program.
4. Mr. Exley did die in a cave dive -- one that was an attempt to set a world depth record as I recall. But it was his skill as a HS Math teacher which got him to gather the data, analyze it and then publish the "Rules of Cave Diving" which made cave diving the safe sport it is.

 

[AndyNZ]

I am not going to be awarded this grant just to go on vacation. There needs to be a tie-in: educator as learner, and being outside of your comfort zone as we ask our students to do everyday in the classroom.

Presumably the grant is contestable, i.e. ten people applying for one grant against some criteria? Can you shed some light on what the actual criteria are against which your application would be judged?

Given your role as an educator, I thinking looking at a good DM class would be a good option - throw in, for example, dealing with another culture and you should learn heaps.

It's a bit of a shame that you've got such a tight timescale, else I'd say just do the full instructor course, even if you have no intention of ever maintaining an instructor rating or ever teaching scuba. Most, if not all, scuba training is very much founded in the concepts of competency based assesment and/or mastery learning. I teach at a University, and a couple of colleagues and I are now looking at how we can structure some of the papers we deliver along similar lines; i.e. progression based on acheiving certain comptencies. It's fun and interesting to see how you can challenge your own educational philosophies by seeing how you can teach things in different ways.



Timing of your trip would be the middle of our winter, but if you wanted to look at New Zealand as an option then I can give you some contacts.

 

[TSandM]

Cave diving is magical. It's mysterious and incredibly beautiful, and meditative and hypnotic, at the same time it insists that you be absolutely and unrelentingly in the moment. Achieving the skills is a challenge, but it's attainable; what you learn there transforms your diving forever. Is it reasonable to expect that the OP can get through a cave class in 8 weeks? Absolutely. Will she have to work hard, and learn a lot of new things, and adapt? Of course. That sounds like the point of the grant.

 

[AndyNZ]

I am looking for a destination (whether I do the DM or not) that is safe for a woman staying for a month alone. I've not been to a dive destination I consider unsafe, but then my DH, BTravlin, has always been with me too. I'd love to go to the Pacific as I have not been there.

Just read this last bit again; properly this time...

There are lots of options in the South Pacific. Most of the islands would be perfectly safe for a woman alone, as long as you didn't wander off into the real hicks. Fiji, Cook Islands, Vanuatu.... they've all got some great diving, and the culture (either Polynesian or Melanesian, depending on the destination) would be hugely different.

If you wanted to combine some sort of whale science, and diving, consider Tonga or Niue. A guy called Glenn Edney runs a business in Tonga (Welcome to Tonga-Dive.com - Whale watching and Scuba diving in Tonga), he and his wife are great and would really look after you. June through October is the whale season in the islands.