Question for Instructors

[mccabejc]

Well, maybe a combination of rant and question...

Signed up for an advanced class, instructor sez: "Hey that class is going to be packed, why not join the class already in progress?" Fine. First dive is a deep one, so I ask if there's some way I can get the buoyancy instruction first (not wanting to drop like a rock into a canyon), and he sez "Fine, I've got a OW class pool instruction, just show up and we'll get it done". I show up, suit up, float in the pool for over two hours (well, actually swam around a lot, checking my buoyancy) while he instructs the OW class, and in the entire time all he tells me is to drop from 20lbs to 16lbs (which, by the way, worked. YEAH !!!).

Anyway, was I expecting too much, or was it his bad? All I really wanted was a few minutes with him to figure out how to get my attitude (pitch, roll, yaw) straigtened out.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

IMO - this is bad.

Where will you be doing your diving? In what kind of exposure gear? My guess is it won't have much to do with what you were doing in the pool.

Before you do a deep dive, is he going to work with you on gas management? How do you know you'll even be able to do a deep dive with the gas you'll be carrying? How deep do you plan to go? How big is your cylinder? How much air do you breathe per minute?

You need to be able to answer these questions before you go on this dive.

And, if the class is going to be packed, will he be able to assure that you (or any other student) knows enough prior to the deep dive to know when to turn around? Or will he even pay attention if you do give him the turnaround signal?

What you describe doesn't sound like a very well organized class to me. Nor one that will in any way prepare you for the kind of diving it purports to introduce you to.

I don't think it's too much to expect, when you pay for a class, that you'll actually learn something from the experience. If the situation is as you describe, this instructor is doing you a disservice ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)
NAUI Instructor 41751

 

[MikeFerrara]

I don't see the sense in diving deep before one learns to dive shallow or in going deep in a class that doesn't really teach deep diving.

 

[Otter]

In addition to what has been said above, I don't take more than 2 students on a DEEP dive and prefer one-on-one.

 

[jbd]

Well, maybe a combination of rant and question...

Signed up for an advanced class, instructor sez: "Hey that class is going to be packed, why not join the class already in progress?" Fine. First dive is a deep one, so I ask if there's some way I can get the buoyancy instruction first (not wanting to drop like a rock into a canyon), and he sez "Fine, I've got a OW class pool instruction, just show up and we'll get it done". I show up, suit up, float in the pool for over two hours (well, actually swam around a lot, checking my buoyancy) while he instructs the OW class, and in the entire time all he tells me is to drop from 20lbs to 16lbs (which, by the way, worked. YEAH !!!).

Anyway, was I expecting too much, or was it his bad? All I really wanted was a few minutes with him to figure out how to get my attitude (pitch, roll, yaw) straigtened out.

I wouldn't think you are going to get much of a class from this instructor. I would recommend finding another instructor.

 

[CD_in_Chitown]

All I really wanted was a few minutes with him to figure out how to get my attitude (pitch, roll, yaw) straigtened out.

Did you express this to him up front? Did he lead you to expect this in the pool? Did you willingly get out of the pool without pulling him to the side and re-hashing your previously/mutually defined objectives?

It wasn't a good practice on the instructor if so, but I wouldn't condemn him if he thought you merely wanted to get into the pool and get your weighting down. That seems to be what you were provided.

Since others have delved further into whether or not this is good instruction whatsoever, just consider this - What was he like with the OW students? How many staff were there in the pool with the students? How many students were there? It may well be that your instructor is not up to par with your expectations, find another if that's the case.

I'd ask myself what I was doing looking for an advanced class if I were you though. What is it that you want to glean from the experience? Any instructor will take your money and do the obligatory dives, that'll get you the card if you're looking to get on boats and such.

You might spend some time diving with some friends who dive a little better than you, or look more comfortable than you feel in the water, talk to them about what they do and see if you can incorporate some of that into what you do in the ow depths to get a little better prepared first. Controlling your buoyancy at depth is a whole lot easier than controlling it on the way back but the biggest swings are in the shallower depths. Or you might pony up the princely sum for a private, or semi-private class. This will certainly ensure the undivided attention that you seem to be looking for, nothing keeps an instructor's attention like greenbacks my man.

Just some thoughts,

CD

 

[Coogeeman]

Anyway, was I expecting too much, or was it his bad? All I really wanted was a few minutes with him to figure out how to get my attitude (pitch, roll, yaw) straigtened out

Did you explain this to him when you asked for some alone time? If you did and he then said join the O/W class he's at fault because with a class full of newbies you rarely get the time to individualise. If on the other hand you didn't he may have thought that you were a little nervous and just needed some extra pool time before begining the AOW.

Either way I wouldn't have reacted the way he did and I'd say most Instructors would have happily given you some one on one time to make sure you were comfortable.

Coogeeman

 

[mccabejc]

To respond to the questions, my only expectation was that, in a Peak Performance Buoyancy class, as a minimum the instructor would help you figure out how much weight you should have, and how to make adjustments to make your pitch/roll, etc., correct. Maybe 10-15 minutes per student. Not a big expectation on my part. The OW class had maybe 15 students, with two assistant instructors. I assumed going into it that he would slip away from the class a few times, for a few minutes, let the assistants run the show, and give me a few pointers.

 

[mccabejc]

The other thing that has me concerned about the instructor, and I'd like comments, is that when he suggested I join an advanced class already in progress, and I mentioned that the 3 hour class session had already passed, he told me that I didn't miss anything, because the class sessions amount to almost nothing. From what I've read on this board, however, it seems like some instructors go into some depth in the class sessions. I'm seriously considering dropping this course and finding something more useful and in-depth.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

The other thing that has me concerned about the instructor, and I'd like comments, is that when he suggested I join an advanced class already in progress, and I mentioned that the 3 hour class session had already passed, he told me that I didn't miss anything, because the class sessions amount to almost nothing. From what I've read on this board, however, it seems like some instructors go into some depth in the class sessions. I'm seriously considering dropping this course and finding something more useful and in-depth.

That's a red flag, IMO ... if the class sessions amount to almost nothing, then the instructor isn't giving you value.

Why take a class that doesn't teach you anything?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)