questions for instructors

[rubbachicken]

i have called and spoken to a couple of dive centers, to ask them why they should teach me to become a divemaster
what questions should i ask them, and more importantly what should their answers be
some seem to be in it for the money
some seem to be in it for the joy of scuba diving
your thought's



i'm looking to decide where to do my course
so what would be a good questions to ask them, to sort the men from the boys {like }

 

[opiniongirl]

Personally, a lot depends on what YOU want to get out of it, and whether or not you plan to instruct.

There are a lot of DM's / Instructors who are in it for social reasons, but who don't know how to develop it as a business. If your goal is to make more than peanuts, take your course from an instructor who actually makes money teaching.

If your goal is for personal fulfillment...take your course from the store that has a lot happening, lots of trips and social occasions, camraderie, etc.

In my experience, best thing to do is walk in (you can phone first to weed out the definate no-no's) and see what impression they give off. Friendly? Professional? Knoweledgeable? Interested in your needs, or theirs?

Kind of like an interview, anyone can give a spiel - but you are looking for a long term relationship. If you want to make money and learn from hobbyists, you won't be happy. If your in it for the hobby, and learn from business-minded instructors, you'll probably be glad you got taught by someone who can teach you how to have fun AND make money.

In my experience, there's the two camps. I'm sure you'll get lots more info and advice re: standards, etc - but to me, that's a given..oh, (and I'm sure there's many who will disagree) in ain't the longest course that's the best - too many instructors simply blab the time away and aren't efficient with their time.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Why the bageebers should any one get up early, work all day, half the night and get home late if not for the money? That doesn't mean that one isn't interested in doing a good job though.

IMO, why they do it is less of a concern for you than how they do it.

 

[GUEdiver]

rubba -
Find an instructor that is thorough, professional, and takes their time. Make sure that he/she still loves to dive, and that their passion comes through in their teaching. Pay for a good class; don't go with an inexpensive one. You get what you pay for. Good luck and dive safe.

 

[GUEdiver]

Sorry Rubba -
You mentioned that you want some questions to ask prospective DM instructors:
1. Can I meet with you to talk about the requirements for the course in detail before we both commit to this?
2. What opportunities will I have to interact with scuba students during my training/internship as a Divemaster candidate? (Better to assist with real students rather than having other DMs and instructors role-playing as students in simulated scenarios).
3. Will I have the opportunity to be trained in a variety of challenging dive environments during my DM course? (another good preparation for real life as a DM).
Good luck!

 

[jbisjim]

I agee depends what you are in it for. I became a dive master as a path to a leadership role and wanted to take a bigger part of the diving our shop did. It has also made me see that I wish to become an instructor.

 

[Northeastwrecks]

Personally, a lot depends on what YOU want to get out of it, and whether or not you plan to instruct.

There are a lot of DM's / Instructors who are in it for social reasons, but who don't know how to develop it as a business. If your goal is to make more than peanuts, take your course from an instructor who actually makes money teaching.

If your goal is for personal fulfillment...take your course from the store that has a lot happening, lots of trips and social occasions, camraderie, etc.

In my experience, best thing to do is walk in (you can phone first to weed out the definate no-no's) and see what impression they give off. Friendly? Professional? Knoweledgeable? Interested in your needs, or theirs?

Kind of like an interview, anyone can give a spiel - but you are looking for a long term relationship. If you want to make money and learn from hobbyists, you won't be happy. If your in it for the hobby, and learn from business-minded instructors, you'll probably be glad you got taught by someone who can teach you how to have fun AND make money.

In my experience, there's the two camps. I'm sure you'll get lots more info and advice re: standards, etc - but to me, that's a given..oh, (and I'm sure there's many who will disagree) in ain't the longest course that's the best - too many instructors simply blab the time away and aren't efficient with their time.

I'd agree with this statement.

Personally, I'm in it because (1) most of my regular dive buddies (and all of my tech buddies) are on staff at the same LDS; (2) I get some perks from the LDS (after hours access to the shop and the fill station and discounts on gear); and (3) I enjoy teaching.

I'd rather get the perks than another W-2.

As for things to do before you start, see if you can observe an OW class with the instructor who will be teaching your DM class. Observe how the instructor interacts with students. Is the class being run in a way that you would feel comfortable working.

Ask about gear requirements. Will you be required to use gear that the shop sells? What happens if you don't happen to own that particular brand? Will they loan it to you?

Ask about the shop's student retention rate and whether they teach AOW, rescue and specialties. Trust me, teaching OW gets on your nerves after awhile. Its fun to work with people who are a bit more along in their training.

Ask about compensation and/or perks.

 

[r37691]

Ask to attend a few pool & open water sessions with the shop your looking at. See how they treat their customers & staff. I once picked a shop based on a discussion at Dema. Big Mistake. Oh well, live & learn. Good Luck to you.

 

[Welsh_Dive_Pro]

i have called and spoken to a couple of dive centers, to ask them why they should teach me to become a divemaster
what questions should i ask them, and more importantly what should their answers be
some seem to be in it for the money
some seem to be in it for the joy of scuba diving
your thought's

i'm looking to decide where to do my course
so what would be a good questions to ask them, to sort the men from the boys {like }

Hi Rubba,
As someone has said earlier, one of the main things is not why they do it, but how. I teach in the UK and one of the main things to look out for is the organisation of courses, safety, and compliance with HSE requirements, but you also have to make sure you are having fun i.e. the instructor doesn't treat you like a scivvy, the course is great but if you don't have fun it'll pi$$ you off. If you can speak to some of the other DM's & DM Trainees.

I'm based in Cardiff, so a bit too far to come from London, but if you want to discuss anything at all PM me and we can exchange numbers, i'll do my best to try and help you find a good instructor.

 

[Mako Mark]

some seem to be in it for the money

:lol: