Unacceptable Instructor Behaviors...

[The Chairman]

Geez! In one post Pete took all of the fun out of going pro.

Too close to home, Trace???

Actually, as an instructor I've never learned from, @Trace Malinowski has my utmost respect due to his reputation for thoroughness, fairness and thinking outside the box. Word gets around. The same can be said for @Capt Jim Wyatt, @kensuf @Capt Tom McCarthy, Edd Sorenson, Lamar Hires, the Kierens, Pam Wooten and more. Yeah, yeah, I've left a number of people out, so don't shoot me. I'm sick and in the middle of mowing my almost 11 acres so I can't think of everyone. All these pass my "Loved One's Test" and I would not hesitate to let them teach a loved one how to dive. Sure, a few of these don't teach OW anymore... most, maybe, but they are the real deal in my book. Please, if you take a class from an exceptional instructor: TELL US ABOUT IT. No, not this thread, but please do a class report and tell us why you think they're so good. It will help other prospective students find an instructor and help the instructors out by inspiring us to do things even better.

 

[Akimbo]

When I worked for Goodyear, I only drove on Goodyear tires. I believed they were the safest, so I sold them as the safest.

It is the believing part that matters the most. Backing the belief up with the reasons is a very close second. Just saying it because you get a kickback would be objectionable.

 

[boulderjohn]

Frankly, it would be a violation of my duty of care if I took the position, 'I will not discuss gear purchases, or future training, etc., etc. with you, because I am an Instructor and I don't do that.' In doing that I would be leaving them to make uninformed, or poorly informed decisions (I do have more experience, probably far more knowledge, than they do, after all). I would be leaving them to potentially being taken advantage of by others who might not see a 'duty of care' responsibility.

Whenever I taught a scuba class, part of my instruction was to go around the shop and talk about different options. For example, when I got to the fin section, i would discuss the pluses and minuses of the different designs. I explained my preferences, but I also told why someone might prefer something else. Since I was going around the shop where I worked, the only choices they were seeing were brands the shop sold, but I did not discuss brands--I discussed design differences. I not only don't see anything wrong with that, I think I was providing a valuable service.

 

[Colliam7]

Sometimes, real life can't be made up.

Juxtaposed to this thread in the list of threads in 'New Divers . . .' is one started by an individual who had some bad experiences in her OW training (Messed up my OW dive - advice for the future please?).

Now, there are usually (at least) two sides to every story, and we are only readings hers. But, reading her description of her experience, and then comparing it with with Pete's initial anecdote, and subsequent list of descriptors, suggests that this lady could possibly be a poster child for what it is like to be a 'victim' of bad instruction.

I found myself getting angry, just reading it. YMMV.

 

[Olariuas]

It was John Reseck, the great pioneer diver and an early NAUI instructor, author of the 1975 dive instruction book SCUBA Safe and Simple who often stated "There are people in the SCUBA diving world who can speak indefinitely with great authority about a subject they have never experienced and have only minimum knowledge"

Any chance to found this books somewhere?

 

[Colliam7]

Any chance to found this books somewhere?

Scuba: Safe and Simple: John Reseck: 9780137968305: Amazon.com: Books

 

[Olariuas]

Scuba: Safe and Simple: John Reseck: 9780137968305: Amazon.com: Books

1.50$ without shipping price, seriously? Wow that cheap thanks. I have no clue why I didnt find it on amazon myself. I found on Google Books but had no clue how to buy it.

 

[Sam Miller III]

I should be available on the used book market. It was a very popular dive training book when published 40 plus years ago.
It was published in US, London, Sydney, Toronto, New Delhi and Tokyo-- but not in France!

I was a contributor to and featured in the book. The author and I are in occasional contact, However he is really totally retired and travels a lot, therefore difficult to contact.

SDM
Thank you @Colliam7 -- our post evidently were made simultaneously but yours was posted first sdm

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I should be available on the used book market. It was a very popular dive training book when published 40 plus years ago.
It was published in US, London, Sydney, Toronto, New Delhi and Tokyo-- but not in France!

I was a contributor to and featured in the book. The author and I are in occasional contact, However he is really totally retired and travels a lot, therefore difficult to contact.

SDM
Thank you @Colliam7 -- our post evidently were made simultaneously but yours was posted first sdm

Thanks Sam.

I just ordered a copy. When I move overseas, the only books I'm taking with me are the scuba ones! (and they are starting to stack up!)

Kosta

 

[Olariuas]

Will order a copy soon too.
Any ebooks / PDF version to buy?

This remind me my old old cooking book I was able to read during my training 10y ago already. Quality and notions inside were far better and more enhanced than current one who look to be simplier.