Training levels - when do you stop?

[davidofaustin]

At what level should you stop? I am not talking about LEARNING, that should be a continuous process. :banging:

For example... I am a PADI DM - I am thinking about plunking down the $$$$ to get Assistant Instructor, and possibly going on to Instructor. :huh:
Heres the rub - I enjoy helping with dive classes of all levels, but I really DO NOT want to be the teacher..

I will get more opportunities to dive with students as an Assistant, but will be able to make a little equipment money as an Instructor.

So, help me out -- Where do "I" stop?

Dave

 

[The Chairman]

is NOT worth the effort for a DM. It has no impact on number of students allowed in a class or what classes you may teach or help with. I see them as near equals, with no discernable differences. Both can go on to being instructors as well. BTW, I am a PADI DM who will be doing his Instructor training with NAUI this February.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by davidofaustin
So, help me out -- Where do "I" stop?

Hi Dave,
You've asked two questions...

Only you can answer the second one....

I'll give you my answer for the first one in the post subject line:

When the objective has been met or further progress toward it has proven futile....

I'll add that sometimes in the course of pursuing an objective I have realized that the original objective was flawed ... I then make adjustments.... and pursue the correct objective...

You have to ask yourself:
1. What do I want?
2. Why do I want that?
3. OK...now what is it that I really want?
4. OK...how can I achieve what I really want?

Actually re-reading your post I think I see the answer to your second question....

Hope you can too...
BTW... I read your profile and web page....

 

[bradymsu]

SSI combines they're Dive Master and Assistant Instructor ratings into one thing called a DiveCon. I'm not sure why PADI keeps them seperate since they're essentially the same level of training. I don't seem to ever be satisfied with the training goals I set for myself. I didn't think I'd ever want to be an instructor either but now I'm getting ready to drop the big bucks for the course.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Yours is a very interesting question, especially for me and my contemporaries. We are caught in a narrowing window of opportunity, for even as the horizons of diving are broadening into deeper, longer, more exotic gasses, fancier computers to safely handle them, our years are dictating some throttling back from the halcyon days of being "Aquaman."
I fear the time may come when I'll have to abandon taking any more tech stuff and settle for learning more about things in a shrinking envelope of dive parameters.
The good news is that there's more to learn in thirty feet of water than can be learned in a single lifetime, so I'll never have to stop.
Such is life...
Rick

 

[davidofaustin]

Originally posted by NetDoc
is NOT worth the effort for a DM. It has no impact on number of students allowed in a class or what classes you may teach or help with. I see them as near equals, with no discernable differences.

Wow, theory AND practical application!

NetDoc has hit on the line reasoning I've used all along, and the cause of my original question.

The posts from Uncle Pug, Brandymsu, and Rick are helping tie it all together. It seems that Uncle Pug has put the overall issue into perspective. Bradymsu has shown that our desires change as we do. And Rick added a dimension I had not considered; how much time will I have to learn and utilize the new rating.

This is great, I appreciate the replies, and will muddle through them, and any others that come in. Nothing like a bunch of sharp people, to help someone focus.

Dave

 

[diverjohnz]

I guess everyone one has 2 cents to put in
as a AI you can teach part or all the class except the inwater by yourself which a DM cant also the AI can be a MFI. I know a lot of instructors dont like to teach that one. it will help to put a little money in your pocket. but as a DM or AI you still have to have your own insurence so I had to do some thing to help with the cost

and NETDOC I also start my instructor class in feb I hear its different then padi, I look forward to the challenge
diverjohnz

 

[Lost Yooper]

Depends on where you want to go or what you want to see, I guess.

Mike

 

[Ber Rabbit]

When I got my NAUI DM it seems to have cancelled my AI. They only bill me for the DM now. I paid for that and they sent me the AI card. When I called they said "Oops!" and sent the DM card but didn't ask for the AI back. They sent a second AI card and, after I called about the error, a second DM card for me to my instructor--can't figure that one out??? So now I have two AI and two DM cards that expire at the end of this year. I'll have to get back into the standards and policies manual but I think NAUI pretty much treats the AI and DM as equals with students when working under an instructor. Please correct me if I'm not remembering correctly.

Ever thought about helping out at a university? If you really don't want to be "the teacher" that might be the way to go. There are lots of students to interact with, you usually get to spend more time with them than you would at a shop and if the instructor has trouble finding help because of the time the class is offered they might be darn glad to have you! I help on Tues/Thurs mornings and I'm the only one who is there without fail. Our other helpers are college students and sometimes their class schedules conflict with scuba.

Just my .02, good luck with your personal quest! Listen to your heart, it will take you where you should be.

Ber

 

[The Chairman]

Originally posted by diverjohnz
and NETDOC I also start my instructor class in feb I hear its different then padi, I look forward to the challenge
diverjohnz

I am doing NAUI, which agency are you doing???

BTW, I have figured out that -IF- I can do a s-l-o-w continuous crawl that I can beat the clock. As of today, I got to the 200 meter mark (220 yards) so I just have to double it by next Friday. And that was AFTER a pretty intense workout on the machines. Just think that I could only do 50 meters continuously last Tuesday. I think that I am on track to accomplish this by the time I start my class down in Stuart Florida.