Instructor Interview Questions

[deadly_risk]

My girlfriend decided to get certified, and in an effort to make choosing between the two local shops a little easier I searched these forums, did a little thinking and compiled a list of questions to print out and go into a interview with.

I don't take credit for these, most of them I found here (unfortunately I did not have the foresight to site my work) and just tweaked for my area.

Hopefully these will come in handy for others.

SCUBA Instructor Interview

Personal:
1. What’s your name?
2. How long have you been diving?
3. How long have you been certifying divers?
4. What kind of diving do you personally enjoy?
5. How often do you dive outside of classes?
6. What do you enjoy most about teaching? (Watch body language here, eyes light up? Etc.)
7. What is the most difficult aspect of teaching? (Watch body language here, eyes light up? Etc.)
8. Do you ever dive for fun with past students?
9. Have you ever failed to certify a student? Why or why not?
10. If I don’t choose you, who is the second best instructor in the area?
11. Why should I learn here rather than Copeland’s/Ascuba Venture? (Personal attacks? Professional answer?)

Teaching (General):
1. Which certification agency?
2. Do you teach the panic cycle?
3. Do you work on buoyancy?
4. Do you work on trim?
5. What method do you use to properly weight your students?
6. Will I be learning skills kneeling on the pool bottom or mid-water?

Pre-Class:
1. What equipment do I need to provide for class?
2. What books or materials do I need to purchase?
3. How large is the average class? Is there a maximum?
4. What happens if I need more time on a particular skill than the class average? (For example breathing through a regulator without a mask on.)
5. What fining techniques do you teach? (Modified Flutter, Frog, etc.)

Class Room:
1. When and where are the class room sessions?
2. What happens if I miss a class room session?
3. Will there be any discussion beyond knowledge reviews?
4. Will any computer basics be covered in class?

Pool:
1. Where will the pool sessions be held?
2. How many pool sessions will there be?
3. How long is each pool session?
4. How deep is the pool?
5. Will there be any assistants with the instructor?
6. Will there be a lunch break?
7. What happens if I am congested and cannot equalize?

Open Water Checkout:
1. Where are open water checkouts held?
2. If multiple places are possible, what is the deciding factor?
3. Will checkouts be with the same instructor as the class and pool?
4. What’s the average number of divers attending open water checkout?
5. How many open water dives will there be?
6. How long does each dive normally last?
7. About how deep do the dives go?

Non-Verbal:
1. Is the instructor patient?
2. Did the instructor seem offended, or put off by any question?
3. Did the instructor side step, or seem uncomfortable by any question?
4. Would I be happier learning from a man or woman?
5. What kind of feeling is Mr. Gut giving?
6. Were you asked what kind of diving interested you?
7. Were you asked why you wanted to dive?
8. Were you reminded that diving is a sport with risks?

 

[Adi]

did you ask all these questions to the instructor that certified you?... how did that work out for you?

 

[tstormdiver]

I agree with the replies. While most of the questions are legitimate, some are rather antagonizing. Put yourself on the recieving end. One question that is rather bothersome is the one asking how many students have you certified. While yes, having a well seasoned instructor can be good, what about a newer instructor? Would you immediately dismiss an instructor just because they are new? If so, then if you look at the big picture, how are they supposed to gain experience if everyone goes to the seasoned veteran? Also troubling is the question refering why an instructor thinks their program is better than anothers. You stated this is to test if they will personally attack another instructor/ program,.... yet the way it is worded, it almost forces the instructor to do that to answer the question. Yes,... get course details, get background information, but I can't see where it would help to back the instructor into a corner. Just my $.02.

 

[TSandM]

I don't have a problem with the question list. I assume that they wouldn't be fired in an interrogation sort of interaction! But they basically cover information I think one might want to have before selecting an instructor. As pointed out, no one query is a pass/fail test; rather, the aggregate of the answers would lead to a yes or no reaction.

 

[Colliam7]

I agree with the replies. While most of the questions are legitimate, some are rather antagonizing. ... One question that is rather bothersome is the one asking how many students have you certified. ... Also troubling is the question refering why an instructor thinks their program is better than anothers. ... I can't see where it would help to back the instructor into a corner.

I am intrigued by the responses. While I can easily see the TONE of the questions leading to a negative encounter (if the prospective instructor does feel 'backed into a corner'), the questions themselves are reasonable. In fact, I wish more students thougts about some of these issues before class. I think that many of the personal questions are similar to a set that Walter posted some time ago.

As an Instructor, I find this summary to be helpful to me as I continue to refine teaching technique and course structure.Thinking about responses in advance helps me prepare for the future student who asks some of them, either individually or in front of a whole class during Orientation. It also encourages me to review the materials the shop distributes before each course, to ensure that as many of the factual questions, about academics / pool sessions / open water sessions, are answered in advance, as possible.

 

[japan-diver]

As an instructor I don't think any of the questions are bad, in fact I think more students should be asking some of these to their instructors before paying. There is nothing wrong with asking how long an instructor has been certified or how many students you have certified- new instructors need to be able to answer these questions and justify why they should be chosen over another more seasoned instructor. You should also be able to justify your course over others without slamming them- do you over more training, more dives, more one on one time etc...

You are paying an instructor to teach you some very important skills some that may save your life or your buddies life- there should be a little more careful shopping going on.

 

[Walter]

While I think there's a better list of questions in this forum, I could be biased since I wrote the other list. I think you've come up with an excellent list and you have hit on some points I missed.

As an instructor, I would be happy to answer your questions and I would have been happy to answer them to students in my first class. One student did ask me, in class, if it was my first class. She told me she had heard a rumor that it was my first class and just wanted to know if it were true. I told her it was.

One question that is rather bothersome is the one asking how many students have you certified.

I've looked at the list three times and I still don't see it. I think it can be useful, if it's used to eliminate instructors with extremely high numbers for the length of time they've been teaching. I think there are better questions to find c-card mills.

SCUBA Instructor Interview

Personal:
1. What’s your name?
Walter Wilt
2. How long have you been diving?
27 years, I started in 1983.
3. How long have you been certifying divers?
24 years, I started in 1986.
4. What kind of diving do you personally enjoy?
Wrecks, reefs, fossil collecting, hunting, and just about any time I'm under water.
5. How often do you dive outside of classes?
Usually over 100 pleasure dives per year.
6. What do you enjoy most about teaching? (Watch body language here, eyes light up? Etc.)
It keeps me excited about things that would otherwise have become ho hum.
7. What is the most difficult aspect of teaching? (Watch body language here, eyes light up? Etc.)
Scheduling.
8. Do you ever dive for fun with past students?
Yes.
9. Have you ever failed to certify a student? Why or why not?
Yes, Some students need extra work to complete all the requirements. While I'll keep working with a student until he gets it, some students have not stuck with it. Sometimes students are not ready to learn. If you are not ready to learn, it will show in your manner. If you are not ready to learn, I won't try to teach you.
10. If I don’t choose you, who is the second best instructor in the area?
I don't know. I haven't taken their classes and I haven't interviewed them.
11. Why should I learn here rather than Copeland’s/Ascuba Venture? (Personal attacks?
Professional answer?)
I teach using a comprehensive approach that lets you be an excellent diver with confidence in your own abilities. You will not be equipment dependent when you graduate from my class. I take you through the skills in small steps. You'll end up learning more skills in my class than in a typical class, but it will be easier than a typical class. You'll have the skills to break the panic cycle when diving. I had trouble learning to dive, so I understand what it's like to have difficulty learning. You'll need to interview the instructors at Copeland’s/Ascuba Venture to see how this compares to them.

Teaching (General):
1. Which certification agency?
SEI
2. Do you teach the panic cycle?
Of course. I cover it in class and it's in the text.
3. Do you work on buoyancy?
Buoyancy underlies everything we do. You will learn skills mid water.
4. Do you work on trim?
I stress trim. It rarely takes much work. I demonstrate skills horizontally, students naturally copy my trim. Correct weighting makes horizontal trim natural.
5. What method do you use to properly weight your students?
I put them in the water and actually test how much lead they need.
6. Will I be learning skills kneeling on the pool bottom or mid-water?
Once we are on SCUBA, skills are taught and learned in mid water.

Pre-Class:
1. What equipment do I need to provide for class?
Mask, snorkel, fins, boots, weights, and weightbelt. Don't buy them until after the first class.
2. What books or materials do I need to purchase?
Scuba Diving by Dennis Graver
3. How large is the average class? Is there a maximum?
2, 4
4. What happens if I need more time on a particular skill than the class average? (For example breathing through a regulator without a mask on.)
Then we work on the skill one on one until you get get. We'll schedule extra sessions so the rest of the class can continue.
5. What fining techniques do you teach? (Modified Flutter, Frog, etc.)
Finning is the practice of removing fins from sharks and tossing the shark back in the water. The kicking techniques I teach are frog, flutter, dolphin, scissor and sculling. You will learn helicopter turns and back kicks.
Class Room:
1. When and where are the class room sessions?
Determined on a class by class basis.
2. What happens if I miss a class room session?
You have to make it up.
3. Will there be any discussion beyond knowledge reviews?
Knowledge reviews is a PADI term. I do not teach a PADI class. We have lots of discussion. A lecture is me talking at you. I have no idea if you understand me or not. I don't like lectures, I like discussions. Discussions are two way communication.
4. Will any computer basics be covered in class?
Yes.

Pool:
1. Where will the pool sessions be held?
I have a couple of pools I use. Which pool will be determined by scheduling needs.
2. How many pool sessions will there be?
At least 8.
3. How long is each pool session?
2 hours
4. How deep is the pool?
10 feet
5. Will there be any assistants with the instructor?
No.
6. Will there be a lunch break?
Not usually. My sessions are usually in the evening after supper. If we schedule a class on a weekend, the pool sessions will still be two hours long. If we go beyond two hours, we get cold, we get tired and we stop learning.
7. What happens if I am congested and cannot equalize?
You don't dive. We reschedule anything requiring you to dive.

Open Water Checkout:
1. Where are open water checkouts held?
SE Florida.
2. If multiple places are possible, what is the deciding factor?
I like to keep your costs down and I like to give you different experiences. I schedule your skin dive first, followed by two beach SCUBA dives. The following day (in most cases) you'll make two SCUBA dives off a boat.
3. Will checkouts be with the same instructor as the class and pool?
God willing, yes.
4. What’s the average number of divers attending open water checkout?
2 students, me and sometimes certified divers who want to come along. If certified divers join us, they will be buddied up. My students are my focus. It is often said that instructors are actually diving solo because students will be of no help in an emergency. That is not the case in my classes. You learn rescue skills and I expect my students to be able to help each other and me in an emergency. If I don't believe you can help me in an emergency, we stay in the pool until I do.
5. How many open water dives will there be?
A minimum of 4 SCUBA and 1 skin. If you want to pick up Open Water Plus, you can add dives. If you need additional work, I will add dives.
6. How long does each dive normally last?
Depending on your air consumption 30 minutes to an hour. If your air consumption is excellent (not likely as a beginner) a dive could last 2 or more hours.
7. About how deep do the dives go?
A Maximum of 60 feet.

 

[scubamama5]

I don't have a problem with your "LIST"...

Rather address a student's concerns prior to sign up.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

SCUBA Instructor Interview

Personal:
1. What’s your name?
Jim Lapenta

2. How long have you been diving?
Since Jun of 2004

3. How long have you been certifying divers?
As an instructor since May of 2008 as a DM or Assistant since July of 2006

4. What kind of diving do you personally enjoy?
Wrecks, local diving, Great Lakes, and just diving for fun while working on skills

5. How often do you dive outside of classes?
I try to get in at least as many fun dives as teaching dives

6. What do you enjoy most about teaching? (Watch body language here, eyes light up? Etc.)
Being in the water and seeing new divers get it. Seeing the reaction when gravity no longer means anything. Watching them come up with answers to questions that surprise themsleves as to just how much they have learned and retained.

7. What is the most difficult aspect of teaching? (Watch body language here, eyes light up? Etc.)
Scheduling classes so that it does not inconvenience anyone.

8. Do you ever dive for fun with past students?
As much as possible. I invite students to come on subsequent checkouts with other students. They just need to understand who I am teaching at the time. But once the checkouts are over I'm happy to do a dive with them to see where they are at in their skills and offer tips on where and how they can improve.

9. Have you ever failed to certify a student? Why or why not?
No but I have suggested that students get more practice in other areas. I was assigned one student and was not told that she never actually passed the swim test when she started before being given to me. Then she informed me she could not swim and had nearly drowned as a child and was not comfortable in the water. I told her I woukld work with her but she needed to get swim lessons before we could go on and I am not a swim coach. She agreed and she has never come back. I also at one time informed a student in a class that I was assisting when asked my honest opinion by her if she was cut out to be a diver. I told her based on what I had seen to this point and her reactions to different things that no, I did not think she was. She agreed and then told me the only reason she was doing it was for her husband and kids and did not want to but no one would listen. The instructor was not happy but I will not lie to keep a student who does not want to be doing this. For advanced or specialty classes I have refused to start a student who in my opinion was not yet comfortable and proficient enough with the basics to benefit from the class he wished to take.

10. If I don’t choose you, who is the second best instructor in the area?
That really depends on what you want to get out of diving. If you want a quick certification with the bare minimums I'd be the worst instructor for that. If you want a course like that I can refer you to a number of instructors. And since I have not taken the class of every instructor in the area the honest answer could be that I am the second best in the area! Or even third or fourth for that matter.

11. Why should I learn here rather than Copeland’s/Ascuba Venture? (Personal attacks? Professional answer?) That is entirely up to you. My experience is clearly posted on my website, here's my logbook, and here are my certifications. Here are the standards for the course I teach. Here are the standards and procedures for 3 other agencies, feel free to look at them. My classes are small and are tailored to meet your needs. While there are standards I must follow I also have my own that exceed those and that you must meet. They are based on our local conditions and on those skills and knowledge that I feel will result in a safe, skilled, competent diver that I would allow my kids to dive with even if I was not around. I have not taken classes from the shops you mention so I do not know that their philosophy is. There are two shops I have trained with and while they do produce some good divers I have not trained with them recently and could not offer an opinion.

Teaching (General):
1. Which certification agency?
Scuba Educators International

2. Do you teach the panic cycle?
Yes from OW on. I try to expand on it in every class and relate it to experiences you may have on different types of dives. Interrupting it on a simple reef dive can be different than doing it on a dive to 100 feet in low vis with cold water. The basic principle is the same but there are not one size fits all techniques in my opinion.

3. Do you work on buoyancy?
It is the first skill I introduce on scuba.

4. Do you work on trim?
Along with buoyancy from the first session on scuba throughout the class

5. What method do you use to properly weight your students?
Weight checks at the beginning of every session and at the end for the last three. We begin by checking weight requirements without scuba in whatever exposure suit the student is wearing so that they are neutral. Then add the scuba unit and adjust weights so that they just begin to sink slowly and in control with no air in the bc and exhaling.

6. Will I be learning skills kneeling on the pool bottom or mid-water?
All skills begin horizontal and in contact with the bottom of the pool and byu the scond session are being performed in midwater. We begin every subsequent session repeating those basic skills (mask remove and replace, reg recovery, weightbelt off and on) in midwater before moving to new skills as every new skill and task expands on those.

Pre-Class:
1. What equipment do I need to provide for class?
Mask, snorkel, fins, boots. If you purchase from the shop you do not need to pay for them until the 4th session or so. This is to be sure that what you have fits and works well for you. All other gear is provided for the pool. You need to provide your tank, bc, reg, exposure suit if needed,and weights for checkouts. They can be rented at the shop or you can buy your own. You may also use gear someone you know loans you provided it is safe and in good condition. You can use it for pool sessions if you wish and know you'll be using it for your checkouts. You will also need a timing device as most of the rental gear has an SPG, depth gauge, and compass.

2. What books or materials do I need to purchase?
Text is Dennis Gravers Scuba diving that you can buy from me or on line at amazon if you want a used one. Each student needs their own OW student kit that has two workbooks, dive tables, logbook, and carry bag as well as the class supplements I created and use you get from me. Families do not need a text book for each member unless you want one. I do recommend though that if there are more than three people that you get two books just to be sure everyone has access when they need it.

3. How large is the average class? Is there a maximum?
Avg 2-4 no more than 5 for pool sessions. Classroom can be up to 8 but pool sessions will be split up to maintain the no more than 5 and preferably 4 students

4. What happens if I need more time on a particular skill than the class average? (For example breathing through a regulator without a mask on.)
We can arrange for a private session or two or you can arrive early to work on the issue. Up to 3 private sessions can be done at no extra cost. More than that is 25 per session. You can come early to all sessions at no charge.

5. What fining techniques do you teach? (Modified Flutter, Frog, etc.)
The kicks I teach are scissor, frog, modified frog, dolphin(snorkeling only recommended with this), back along with helicopter turns.

Class Room:
1. When and where are the class room sessions?
Class session are held in my home or yours if it is more convenient for everyone. The first where we cover equipment is always in mine for obvious logistical reasons.

2. What happens if I miss a class room session?
You can come to my home to make it up between regular sessions at no extra cost. If I have to come to you then it's $25 a session

3. Will there be any discussion beyond knowledge reviews?
I do not use "knowledge reviews". That is an agency specific term. All classroom sessions are a discussion. We start with a recap of the last session, go over home study assignments, and then begin the presentation of the new subject area.

4. Will any computer basics be covered in class?
Yes but all checkout dives will be done using the tables for planning and tracking of the actual dives. We aslo cover deco procedures due to the seeming tendency of some operators in certain locations to go beyond recommened limits for OW divers. This is not to train you to do deco dives but to aid in developing your judgment when presented with such a situation. Seeing just how close you could be cutting it, and coupled with knowing your air consumption rate which we also cover, it could prevent you from getting into an unpleasant or overly risky situation.

Pool:
1. Where will the pool sessions be held?
I have an indoor heated pool available at a local dive shop.

2. How many pool sessions will there be?
At least 7 but more likely 8

3. How long is each pool session
2 to 2 and 1/2 hours. Depending on the students. If you tend to get cold easily we will put you in appropriate exposure suits or adjust the time down. When working with children 2 hours in the absolute limit and will require at least 8 sessions.

4. How deep is the pool?
goes from 4 feet to 10 feet

5. Will there be any assistants with the instructor?
no

6. Will there be a lunch break?
no, but we may go for pizza afterwards!

7. What happens if I am congested and cannot equalize?
You will not dive. We will adjust the class to concentrate on the required surface rescue skills for that class. Otherwise you'll need to get your head cleared up and schedule a private session. This can be done for this reason one time only in order to not hold up the entire class.

Open Water Checkout:
1. Where are open water checkouts held?
There are now 4 possible avenues open in local lakes and quarries. We could also do them in a distant location if the student is willing to foot the cost or if we can get on a scheduled trip. I prefer to do them locally however

2. If multiple places are possible, what is the deciding factor?
Weather, water temps, schedules, distance student can travel.

3. Will checkouts be with the same instructor as the class and pool?
Yes unless you choose to take a referral, in which case I will locate and contact an instructor in the chosen location and explain how you were trained, what is required, and what to expect from you. I will also interview the instructor to make sure that you will not be taken beyond your cert level and that all safety procedures will be followed.

4. What’s the average number of divers attending open water checkout? Attending can be as many as 8 but absolutley no more than 4 will be in the water at one time. And it could be 2 if conditions warrant

5. How many open water dives will there be?
A total of 5. 1 skin dive and 4 OW dives

6. How long does each dive normally last?
A minimum of 30 minutes but could go to an hour depending on your air consumption and conditions.

7. About how deep do the dives go?
Max depth is 60 feet but if we are suing the one location that is at altitude the actual max depth will be 50 feet. The reasons for thiswill be covered in the discussion on diving at altitude during the tables and dive planning discussions in the classroom.

Non-Verbal:
1. Is the instructor patient?
2. Did the instructor seem offended, or put off by any question?
3. Did the instructor side step, or seem uncomfortable by any question?
4. Would I be happier learning from a man or woman?
5. What kind of feeling is Mr. Gut giving?
6. Were you asked what kind of diving interested you?
7. Were you asked why you wanted to dive?
8. Were you reminded that diving is a sport with risks? I will let you draw your own results to the previous questions but one of the first things I do when talking with a new student and tell every class is that this sport is fun, relaxing, educational, exhillarating, and if done within the limits of your training and experience- safe. But you do need to remember exactly what it is that you are about to do. That is enter an alien environment that is normally hostile to human life. We do not have gills. We need mechanical means to do this. The training you are going to undertake is going to begin to allow you to do that on a limited basis. Over time and possibly with further training you will be able to go further into it. BUT go too far, too fast and the consequences can be severe. It can injure or even kill you. and do that in some very nasty ways. What we are going to do in this class is minimize to a great degree the chances of that happening and have fun at the same time. The rest will then be up to you.

 

[TSandM]

I had trouble learning to dive, so I understand what it's like to have difficulty learning.

Oh, I think this is a great point. I have taken instruction in any number of things (not just scuba) from people who were highly talented -- which means, often, that they were naturals. Because of this, they can be baffled when confronted with someone who finds difficult something they think is trivial. It's like coaching in sports . . . often, the best coaches weren't the BEST players. They were the steady players who had to work hard for their skills.