Jim,
I am not sure that I understand the first 3 sentences in your post. Are you saying that you teach liftbag, navigation, non silting kicks, use of a pony or stage bottle, and diving at night in your AOW course?
My issue with trying to squeeze too many new skills in the AOW (I emphasize that I don't believe in the "Advance" connotations implied in the name), there is way too much to "master" and hardly any time left for improving on the basic skills and MOST importantly having practice time on what I call "practical ocean dynamics." The 6 dives done in the basic course are hardly enough for the newly certified student (I call them certified students not diver since it takes a lot more experience to become a "diver") to become comfortable and master the essential and basic skills including those of getting in and out of the ocean safely.
My "theory" now after 34 years of diving all over the world and teaching for almost 25 years at all levels, is that the second course should not involve too many new skills but should be more dive time under supervision where the student is involved in several dives (6 - 8) in conditions similar to where he will be diving locally. The emphasis in this course should be on practical issues such as learning about "Ocean Dynamics", local marine life, proper dive planning, buddy diving with different buddies, night diving. Basically practice of what was learned in the basic course but under professional supervision.
One issue I do differently from you is that I HIGHLY recommend to my students to enroll in the "Phase II" or "AOW" immediately or ASAP after their basic course. In my view, the whole point of the second course is to get open water time under professional supervision and guidance. In this "Phase II," we condense a "season's" worth of diving in 2 - 3 weekends for the new certified students to improve their diving skills and help them avoid the potential mistakes new certified students make in their first 20 - 30 dives.
What do you think?
Yes that is correct. I outline what I offer in my AOW course in my new book that will be out in March and why I do it. I wrote the material, developed a power point, and wrote the instructor Guidelines which I will provide to anyone for a nominal fee. The dives I offer in my AOW class are Advanced Skills, UW Nav, Night/low vis, Deep, Search and recovery or wreck, and Buddy Skills and assist which is an intro to Rescue beyond the OW class. I do not offer any other dives in AOW. The dives that are in the course are in the order listed and each builds upon the previous one. There is 6-8 hours of classroom as well.
I wrote the course to address the skills I felt would be needed by the students who come to me for training. All of the students so far have come from other agencies and all but one has taken AOW with that agency and found it lacking. I do interviews with these students, may require a pool session or two and in two cases dove with them first to assess their skills prior to entry to the course. I will not issue a card if they do not meet my standards. This is understood going in. I am free to add skills to my class as I see fit to best prep my students for the dives they will be doing. It has also had the effect on some of pointing out deficiencies in their previous training and encouraged them to go on for more with qualified instructors from other agencies. I have had it called educational, exciting, and humbling. Entry requirements include being able to perform basic skills while horizontal, neutral and hovering or swimming, a minimum of 10 dives post OW, and the ability to follow directions. Buddy skills are enforced rigorously on all dives.
Separation is not acceptable. One time gets a warning, twice and the class is done until more work is put into staying with your buddy. Disregard standard safety procedures and the ones I require once it gets a warning. Twice and you're out. No refund, the class is over, no card. I realize that I could make more money and get more people by relaxing my rules but that is not why I teach it. AOW gives divers access to dives where basic OW skills may not be enough and can get them into serious trouble much faster. This is the problem with the "Advanced" name. Divers get a false sense of security and ops think it covers their ass. It may, but what about the ethical obligation to make sure that divers are as prepped as possible for these dives.
As an instructor I feel I have a moral and ethical duty to not grant access with my name unless these people truly deserve to be there. What right do I have to withhold access to them? Simple my name is on the card and they are a direct reflection of my skills as an instructor. They are also putting themselves at risk based on the training I provide. The course I wrote lets me sleep at night knowing that if they follow the guidelines and training I have given them it is highly likely they will not get hurt. I can't control nature, medical conditions, the actions of the ops, or even their own judgment which could be clouded by factors I cannot envision. But I can make sure that I give them the skills I have found useful and in some cases necessary to do what are called "advanced" dives.
As to providing more dives with an instructor, I heartily agree with this but it does not require a class to do that. Just go do some fun dives and invite students to come along. Every student I have is welcome to come on any dive outing at any time when the dives are within their experience and training. I will also for a few bucks to cover gas and food go with them to just give tips, pointers, and evaluate their progress. I feel this is more benficial than having them take a class they are not ready for. In addition if the basics are solid they should not be developing bad habits on their own. This is instilled in the OW class. Of course I have them for 16 hours in the classroom and 16 in the pool to ingrain good habits. If they don't get them in that time checkouts would be delayed until they do see what is required. Why would you take anyone for checkouts who is not ready. By the time you get them to OW all that is being done is verifying they are ready and at the end would be someone you'd let your kids dive with and you not there. If not they are not ready for OW.
