Why not Fundies?

[jonnythan]

Agreed. Even if/when you pass, it will still take a year to get the card.

Unless they decide to retroactively fail you for unknown reasons

 

[mdb]

I thought we had a separate forum in here somewhere for discussion of topics like this one....

gangrel441: We do have such a forum-Whine & Cheese seems to be the proper place. The same posters post the same stuff over and over.

 

[GreenDiverDown]

Unless they decide to retroactively fail you for unknown reasons

We never heard the final outcome... what's the deal?

 

[jonnythan]

We never heard the final outcome... what's the deal?

There was no outcome, no deal.

GUE's answer was telling me to get lost, and Dan's answer was for me to drive up to Ontario some time he's not busy for a checkout dive. Those were both unacceptable, so that's that.

 

[Jason B]

gangrel441: We do have such a forum-Whine & Cheese seems to be the proper place. The same posters post the same stuff over and over.

So true.

 

[c555]

I would take it but im only 14 and you have to be 16. I want to take it later and am hoping to get a bp/w this year for birth day.

 

[TheRedHead]

Unless they decide to retroactively fail you for unknown reasons

That is certainly a case for "Why NOT Fundies?"

 

[TSandM]

First off, this doesn't belong in the DIR forum, which is for asking questions about the DIR approach to things and getting DIR answers.

Second, I really didn't want a "Why not DIR?" discussion. I was interested in hearing from people who want to take the class about why they haven't done so, and I have gotten a fair number of those answers. And this, to my knowledge, is a question which has NOT been asked and answered before.

 

[wedivebc]

Hmmm ... Dave, was that about four years ago? There was a group of serious ... um ... male genitalia ... who associated with the shop for a while, went through as many classes as they could, insulted everybody they possibly could, damn near destroyed the shop's reputation in the process, then decided they'd reached the pinnacle and went on to be "the best" at other recreational pursuits. Most of them don't even dive anymore.

The folks I know at 5th D these days are not at all like that. Many of them volunteer to take out newly-minted OW grads on the monthly mentor dives, and you couldn't ask for a friendlier bunch to hang out with during surface interval ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Those would be the ones...Not to paint all DIR with the same brush I have met UP, Snowbear,OE2X and they are really a credit to the sport. My reason for posting that was to address sparticlebrane's comment that all the buttwipes were on the internet. I have met a few in person.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

To an extent you've hit the nail on the head. Sure I've done things where there existed the possibility of failure, but I've never done something I KNEW I would fail at. I don't care what other people think because it's not them I'm doing it for, it's my ultimate goal in the end that must be met.

I had this all typed up for an earlier reply ... then the board crashed again and I lost it. Let's see if I can get through it this time ...

In order to take a GUE class you have to adopt a different mental approach ... not just to how you will dive, but also to how you will take the class. GUE classes aren't about passing and failing ... they're about providing you with tools by which you can achieve specific skills.

Actually achieving those skills requires practice that you will (in imost cases) need to put in outside of the classroom.

During the class, the instructor will discuss with you what the DIR approach is all about, why they do it that way, and what skills you will be working on during the in-water part of the class. He (or she) will describe what they want you to do and how they want you to do it. You'll have an opportunity to ask questions and get clarification.

Prior to entering the water, they'll go over some gear configuration stuff, have you "practice" kicks while laying on the ground, where you can start to train your muscles to respond in specific way and the instructor has the opportunity to "talk" you though anything he sees that you will need to change. Then you'll spend long periods of time in shallow water performing the skills you've been discussing and "dryland" practicing. They will video you.

After the dives you get to watch yourself on video ... that's the real feedback mechanism. To be honest, once you see yourself in action there'll be very little that will be necessary for the instructor to say ... you'll know based on what you see what you need to work on.

After the class is done, you'll do a debrief with the instructor. He (or she) will tell you exactly what they feel you need to do to improve the skills you demonstrated during the dives. In effect, they're giving you some tools and guidance on what YOU need to do to improve as a diver. The rest is up to you.

Most times, you'll be getting together on a fairly regular basis with someone else who didn't pass your class and practicing those things. You'll most likely notice a steady improvement as you continue to practice. At some point you'll feel like you're ready to pass ... at which point you contact the instructor and set up a time for a re-evaluation.

It's the way diving instruction SHOULD be taught ... because diving is all about muscle memory, and the only way you can ever attain a higher level of skill is to get out and practice.

I used to be a ski instructor ... and the most common thing I would say after a lesson is "OK, now you know what you need to work on ... go put some miles on your skis and let's get together after you think you've mastered that skill".

It's a similar approach.

Stop thinking of it in terms of "pass" or "fail" ... think of it more in terms of "improve".

... Bob (Grateful Diver)