RStone and all,
Page 80 of the DM Handbook... Under "Candidate-Instructor Relationship"
"As your mentor, your instructor will give you opportunities for hands-on teaching experience (under supervision) with student divers in training. Your instructor will help you to learn about decision making and judgement by sharing the experience and thinking that go into the decisions during the instructor/supervision process. You will handle logistics and other duties that fall under your instructor's ultimate responsibility, not just because doing so aids the instructor, but because doing so gives you experience and understanding about these facets of teaching that will one day be your responsibility as an instructor. "
As I recall, I HAD to assist in a few (5???) classes both in the pool and out for my DM. It was never a problem for me because I love to help people. The whole thrust of the paragraphs before and after this one develop the Candidate-Instructor Relationship as one of Mentor/Protoge! I take back what I said about PADI being somewhat vague on this subject... I just had to find where they wrote it!!!
BTW, where I found Rescue diver fun and challenging, I think I found the "work" for my DM far more rewarding. I was really made to understand diving physiology and science, as well as to help relate it to new students. I know there are MANY instructors who are afraid of "losing control" and will not let a DM (or candidate) assist them at all. If I can not learn while helping out an instructor, then I might as well go dive elswhere just for fun. I will not help them again, because, I do not feel challenged as an underwater babysitter! Your payment for my help is to teach me something along the way!!! Yes, the instructor has to do the initial training/demonstration, but then they should use their resourses, and let those DMs who are eager and willing to help do so. Critique them and help them improve (it has to be under YOUR supervision and that means you gotta watch 'em) but let them interact with the students. You won't be so worn out after a class if you don't carry the whole thing on your back!!!
Stepping down off of soap box, looking for something else to rant about! :tease: