PVT DM Cost

[Bspurr13]

After 15 years of diving I decided to go further than OW... I have 2 options in town - big chain dive shop - or local small shop. I am all for supporting the small local shops so I went through them. I now have my rescue and have spent some $$$ in the shop. I was not able to do the 1 scheduled annual DM class do to work - so I asked about PVT DM class...

$1,700 - not including books, boats or anything other than tuition... Seems really high to me... $400 at big chain shop w/ several classes a year...

Am I justified in being pissed? Or is this a reasonable price for a PVT DM class?

B

 

[herman]

IMO, no. A private DM class DONE RIGHT is going to take a lot of instructors time deticated solely to you. There are hours of pool time, class time and if you are not actually working with classes, they will have to set up fake classes for you, taking not only instructors time but that of others as well. I would suggest you see what the requirements/training of the shops are for DM. There are some that just squeek by the requirements and others who do a better job. For example, are the classes you DMC with real classes with real students where you participate in the class or are they simply a couple of DM/instructors who simulate a class? Huge difference in the experience.

Next question I have is why do you want to be a DM? If it's for skills, don't bother. Take some advanced classes instead, your money will be much better spent. If you want to work with students, then you not only want to take the best class but you also have to consider where you are going to DM later. If it's at the chain store, might as well go with them but if it's at the LDS, then you really need to DMC with them. You need to learn their procedures and the way they teach.

Bottom line, if you want DM for the card or skills, don't bother. The skills taught in DM are more about teaching and not about diving. Take some advanced classes instead. If you want to be an active DM and maybe later an instructor, take the better of the 2 classes. The one that requires you to work with real classes with real students over multiple classes. This is likely the LDS. My suggestion would be to propose the shop consider a second DM class, ours does 2 a year. If they fill it great, if that does not work, then spend the next year improving your skills and diving then get in next years class. In the mean time, your LDS may let you hang with some classes and help out, a very worthwile experience.

And for what it's worth, our DM classes take on average 6 months to complete, some a little less and some that strech out to a year. It takes that long to work in all the requirements our shop has, amoung others, we require you work with 2 full OW classes, from the class orientation day to the wrap up day and every day inbetween. If the course is a 4 or 6 week thing, your not getting your moneys worth.

 

[Pearldiver07]

And for what it's worth, our DM classes take on average 6 months to complete, some a little less and some that strech out to a year. It takes that long to work in all the requirements our shop has, amoung others, we require you work with 2 full OW classes, from the class orientation day to the wrap up day and every day inbetween. If the course is a 4 or 6 week thing, your not getting your moneys worth.

I agree here on this point. But 2 full OW classes should be the MINIMUM. Like many other things, you should review to say whether you really are ready after that. If not, be honest with yourself and the instructor and tell him/her that you'd like to assist more classes.

Don't go for those "Boot Camp" style DM classes. Yes, the basic skills and information portion will be the same. But no simulations can prepare you for the actual events of assisting with actual classes. Managing and preparing the site, assisting students in setting up, maintaining organization in and out of the water, etc.

You'll never be able to simulate some of the real-world events that students tend to be involved in. I've had DM candidates actually be stunned by what they see now in their new capacity.

When training my DMs I would give them DM responsibilities with another instructor's class while I "flew wingman" over their shoulder. I would only intercede when student safety or class flow was being comprimised. Then we would debrief the event, covering what went right, what went wrong, how they could improve, what they saw in instructor technique and how they felt about it. This last one prepared them for developing their own style as a professional. Your DM instructor has to be a mentor, a much more involved position than that of instructor.

So bottom line, if you want it fast, and you want it bad, that's how you'll get it - fast and bad. Like many of life's best events, it's the trip that makes it, not just the final day. Enjoy and learn all you can. If your instructor does all that herman suggests for a private course, they'll earn every penny of that fee.

If you're just going for the card, save your money and put it toward a great trip.

 

[herman]

We require 2 full OW classes plus 2 others, pref AOW and Rescue, my point was it takes a lot of time just to work your way through all the classes.

 

[fisheater]

Private DM class is costing me $300. Go figure.

 

[herman]

Private DM class is costing me $300. Go figure.

Not to be rude but there is either a lot more to this story or something is very wrong. By the time my DM was done with classes, books, quarry expences and all the other things I needed I was into it for around $1000. The class alone was $600 but then I had a first rate instructor who insists on quality. Our OW classes cost more than that (they do include everything for the class ).