Thoughts about scuba instructors.

[captdave]

Ok Mike here is a question for you.

How would a great technical diver solve the following problems and complaints.
1. You have a woman student who is a good swimmer not afraid of being in the water can do most of the skills but cannot clear her mask.. What are some of the possible solutions and causes of her trouble.

or
!. you have a student that did great in the pool but in the open water complains they can't get enough air and that there is something wrong with the regulator..What are some of the possible solution and causes of their trouble.

 

[rstone]

I would also like to add.. there is a difference between being able to do a skill.. like mask clearing.. and being able to demonstrate it in a demonstration quality manner. Also there is a difference being betweening knowing how to perform a CESA and knowing how to do it with a student so he wont get hurt ie logistics of doing it safely, etc.

 

[Liquid]

Captdave, some great input!

Let me talk about a point I already mentioned again. Several people here (lostyoopers and several others)couse me to bring it up again.

An instructor with 300 dives is very likely to teach MUCH better and SAFER than any none instructor diver with no matter how many dives. An instructor is tought to foresee problems. Even more important, an instructor, along his instructing career will learn himself how to anticipate problems and how to deal with them, in peaople that have their FIRST visit to the underwater world. The question Captdave brought here, are just a drop in an ocean of exmples. Ofcourse a new instructor in his first few courses wouldn't be able to forsee/solve everything, but than, he'll have the suportive envirement of the dive-center/boat whatever to help him deal with problems. When I had problems in my first courses I consulted more senior instructors. Furthermore, when I did something that wasn't right, my boss watched me, and later called me and corrected me. She used to watch the pool and look after the instructors, and it was a great help. Any none instructor teaching will not have any of these benefits!

And for a completly different point:
There's no perfect instructor, no perfect diver. Everyone should aspire to improve their abilitys. Every dive I take, Evry course I teach I learn something new, I sharpen my abilitys. I alwais think I how I can improve myself and make my skills better. Even when diving with the newest/worst diver I learn something.

 

[Liquid]

Captdave-
Where are you from?

It interests me to know what country you are from and what kind of regulation you got regarding diving.

I am from israel and we have a very detailed law regarding diving that organizes the subject prety well (see my thread "recreational diving law").

 

[Lost Yooper]

Howdy Dave,

If you believe one has to be an instructor to answer those type of questions, then you have successfully reinforced my argument.

In a sentence, teaching/instructing is about being able to effectively communicate their knowledge to a person or group of people. That's it. The equation isn't mind boggling difficult here. Some people have a knack for it and others don't -- certified or not.

Take care.

Mike

 

[captdave]

I noticed nobody answered the questions..but a lot to say about how easy it is...\

put up or shut up!

 

[Liquid]

Lostyoopers, you keep going around with this same arguement, but that's not the whole thing. Read my last message, and the one that opens this thread. There's the matter of the instructing envirment and instructing experience that are obtained only by instructors and maibe masters that are emplyed with a shop on a regular basis for a long time.

 

[Lost Yooper]

We could throw each other theoretical questions and answers forever and never accomplish anything since the solutions would always be dependant upon the conditions and circumstances related to the problems. I've made my arguments, and I couldn't disagree more with the both of you.

Personally, I would rather be "instructed" by someone who actually has genuine diving experience, real diving knowledge, and a great personality. I couldn't care less about how many certs. they may or may not have, but that's just me I guess. I'll "shut up" before this gets out of hand for no reason.

See ya Dave and Liquid.

Mike