The Instructor route...

[Rhode_Island_snahm]

afternoon all, very open question
When I got certified, the main things that called out my name is to reach instructor level, actually my goal is to instruct divers with disabilites, anyhoo, im interested to know from the right folks out there, how long it took from their first certification, until they received their full instructor cert, obviously time/$ constraints affects everyone differently, and its not something that should be rushed, but in general what is a realistic timeframe? i know i know, probably impossible to put a timeframe but im curious/interested to hear some instructors experiences/how they started out/went about reaching that level

 

[scubajoh44]

I'm finishing up my DM in February and will complete my instructor's certification by June. I've been certified 15 years but didn't dive for 9 of those years. I have 300 dives. I was certified when I was 16 with my Dad and he toted the bill back then through my Advanced card. Now....since my Rescue to my Instructors card.....I will have spent about $3,000 on classes alone. That includes my classes, books, IDC and IE. (not travel to do my IDC?IE)

This is just me. Everyone is different. I don't think there is a "right" way to do it. The only requirements is that you have to have 60 dives to finish your DM and 100 to finish instructor. Anyway.....good luck. Where are you planning on doing your IDC?
Jo

 

[Vayu]

The institution I was certified with puts people through a speed course straight to the danger zone. The instructor portion is generally completed within 1 to 3 years of being certified and the end result is incompetent divers and incompetent instruction.

If you have 100 dives, IMHO, you are still a student. Although the number of requisite dives will vary with agency: For example, The aforementioned group will certify a DM with less than 50 dives (50 is the requirement for AI).

I am not trying to lessen your goals here; you should follow your dreams. Just don't instruct until you are ready to teach something worthwhile.


-V

 

[Diver0001]

I think it depends on what kind of instructor you want to be.

If you're starting from scratch with the goal of becoming an instructor then you'll be able to do it in about 2 years realistically. At that point you will have about 120-150 dives, most of which will be local and one or two 10 day trips to the tropics. At this level most divers are just starting to get the basics sorted out and if you become an instructor at this point you will basically be an inexperienced diver *and* an inexperienced instructor.....ie blind leading the blind. Perfect for working as a "disposable" instructor in the tropics doing guided diving and cranking the certification mill in exchange for beer and sex, but hardly the kind of instructor you *should* be in order to teach divers with disabilities.

If you want to know what you're doing then you need a few years of diving experience in different environments and a year of actively dive-mastering. That will extend the time frame out to about 4 years and 250-300 dives. At this point you're probably an experienced enough diver but you still don't have a foundation to move from instructing able-bodied people to people with disabilities.

Ideally, before you start teaching disabled divers you would want to have some experience as an instructor too. Maybe 2 years of active working. That would put your dive count up to about 500 and you'd have a year of DM-ing and 2 years of instructing as a foundation. AT this point you're probably a decent diver and you've been committed to this goal for about 6 years on a hobby basis.

R..

 

[LavaSurfer]

Sometimes I act like a totally ignorant teenager who thinks he knows everything and this is that time for me. I am going to show my ignorance or make a point.

Teaching/Instructing is NOT a skill that required a million zillion dives to do right. In fact, a good teacher is a good teacher because of many other skills unrelated to the subject matter they are teaching.

I work with an instructor doing my DM internship and watch his every move. He is an awesome instructor and knows how to work with people. He is caring when necessary and tough when needed. He has a great sense of humor and knows when to be serious. Sure he relays his past experience but how much of that can he present to students when they have not even seen a reef let alone dove to 60 feet. Any experience he relays to a student is confusing until after the open water dives. The students have no reference point anyway. He has a zillion dives behind him but those dives DO NOT make the classroom and Pool sessions more effective. He has people skills and good fundamental knowledge of PADI, NAUI, YMCA and probably every other school of thought and teach the knowledge and skills required with precision.

What I find interesting is that he can tech a class, take them to the pool and perform the pool sessions, take them to the ocean and get them certified and never get wet until the open water dives. Of course he does because he loves to dive but leveraging other people he could do it.

All the experience in the world doesn’t make a great teacher. People make great teachers.

Personally I would prefer a DM with a ton of experience over an instructor with any level of experience.

Take for example a great Law professor. The can be terrible attorneys and spend their life teaching and produce wonderful lawyers. Would you want the practicing lawyer defending you or the teacher? Both may have passed the bar.

Fast tracking to instructor to me sounds like something you ought to do. You will learn so much on that path and if you get headed down the path and find you need more experience then do a lot of diving and have a great time.

 

[LavaSurfer]

Just don't instruct until you are ready to teach something worthwhile.
-V

Most certifying agencies have a very strict curriculum’s that instructors are required to follow. I would not take a class from an organization that hasn't really thought out the best ways to teach and created a solid, easy to use and teach system that produces the best results.



Are you saying those curriculums are not worthwhile?

 

[MoonWrasse]

I think it depends on what kind of instructor you want to be.

If you're starting from scratch with the goal of becoming an instructor then you'll be able to do it in about 2 years realistically. At that point you will have about 120-150 dives, most of which will be local and one or two 10 day trips to the tropics. At this level most divers are just starting to get the basics sorted out and if you become an instructor at this point you will basically be an inexperienced diver *and* an inexperienced instructor.....ie blind leading the blind. Perfect for working as a "disposable" instructor in the tropics doing guided diving and cranking the certification mill in exchange for beer and sex,

Sign me up!

 

[Hank49]

Teaching/Instructing is NOT a skill that required a million zillion dives to do right. In fact, a good teacher is a good teacher because of many other skills unrelated to the subject matter they are teaching.



All the experience in the world doesn’t make a great teacher. People make great teachers. .

These are very good points I think. An OWSI is like a car driving instructor in many ways. He/she teaches you where the gas and brake pedals are, how to go forward, reverse, park etc etc. as well as the rules of driving such as right of way etc. Other than that he may not be a great driver at all relative to an F1 driver. Cave and wreck divers are the same level relatively, I believe,as an F1 driver, but that doesn't make them great entry level instructors. Of course, that COULD be a really fun course.

 

[Diver0001]

Sometimes I act like a totally ignorant teenager who thinks he knows everything and this is that time for me. I am going to show my ignorance or make a point.

I certainly agree with you to a point about this. Teachers who become instructors invariably have a head start and if you're a total dud then you're still going to be a dud even if you have loads of dives. That much is true.

But let's just change the context a bit and let me ask you a question:

Suppose you're signing up for a martial arts class because you signed up for a special martial arts vacation and you're leaving in 6 weeks. You know nothing about it and you sign up for the quicky 10 day "stomping" to get you ready on time.

Would you feel more comfortable in your 10 day "stomping" if you were greeted on day 1 by a skinny pimply-faced weenie eager to show off his brand new yellow-belt or by the confident old master who had stomped the guts out of some of the best fighters in the hemisphere and has had his black belt for so long that it's turned grey and started to fall apart?

Who do you think would have a better chance of getting you ready for your competition on time?

R..

 

[Hank49]

But let's just change the context a bit and let me ask you a question:

Suppose you're signing up for a martial arts class because you signed up for a special martial arts vacation and you're leaving in 6 weeks. You know nothing about it and you sign up for the quicky 10 day "stomping" to get you ready on time.

Would you feel more comfortable in your 10 day "stomping" if you were greeted on day 1 by a skinny pimply-faced weenie eager to show off his brand new yellow-belt or by the confident old master who had stomped the guts out of some of the best fighters in the hemisphere and has had his black belt for so long that it's turned grey and started to fall apart?

Who do you think would have a better chance of getting you ready for your competition on time?

R..

If I may, I think this would depend on the student as well as the instructor. Some will just learn faster than others. If you already wrestled or boxed or were just a natural fighter anyway, the old master would work. Same with diving. If you surfed, snorkeled and were totally comfortable in the water, a hard core could move you ahead faster. On the other hand......You could have a very advanced instructor in either case but you may be able to learn only so fast. Or even want to attain a higher then entry level. Does this make sense?