Define what constitutes a good instructor?

[TSandM]

A question for you leapfrog, why does a good instructor have to teach for more than one agency?

I had the same question. It's expensive enough to teach for one.

 

[J.R.]

One thing I've always appreciated in an instructor is the ability to "let me fail"... or... more precisely, allow me to make mistakes during the learning process.

I know this may sound a bit wierd... but "safe" mistakes can be very educational... I'm particularly reminded of an instructor I had during the AOW course. We were doing the Wreck Adventure dive... the plan was to to follow the instructor out to the *wreck* (quarry dive... shore entry)... do the various "wreck stuff" and then *I* was supposed to lead us back to the dock...

So... out we swam... wreck we discovered... got ready to return and... FOR SOME REASON I picked up an incorrect heading from a sign on the wreck and begain leading the group (Inst., spousal unit and self) AWAY from the dock.... The instructor very happily followed along behind... probably grinning herself to death.

... after about 10 minutes I realized something was definately NOT right... we went to the surface... looked around and surface swam back to the dock.

Very humbling... but VERY educational... Even though I had taken a bearing... AND WRITTEN it on my slate at th dock... I ignorned it over later input...

Thanks Jackie... I've never made that mistake again... in my opinion... YOU are a 'Great Instructor'...

 

[leapfrog]

Well, before I answer your question, let me ask you (Ber Rabbit and TS and M) would you prefer to train with an instructor trained only by one agency or an instructor qualified by NAUI, PADI, IANTD, NOAA, the American Academy of Underwater Sciences, CMAS, ANDI and TDI?

 

[Ber Rabbit]

I'm happy with an instructor who is only maintaining (paying for) professional teaching credentials through one agency at the recreational level. When you get to the technical level then a second, tech based, agency makes sense. I sure wouldn't want to be the one paying to maintain credentials with all 8 agencies you listed.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[leapfrog]

I'm happy with an instructor who is only maintaining (paying for) professional teaching credentials through one agency at the recreational level. When you get to the technical level then a second, tech based, agency makes sense. I sure wouldn't want to be the one paying to maintain credentials with all 8 agencies you listed.
Ber :lilbunny:

Actually Ber Rabbit you are right at the recreational level but there are more agencies at the technical and emergency level.

I read your mail and I thought to myself "Who is the Best Instructor in the World?"

These are the credentials of the man I (INMO) consider to be the best instructor in the world who has currently trained thousands of divers and hundreds of PADI Instructors (I have left out some even more impressive credentials because he is a humble man and I know he wouldn't wantme to write them here):

First Aid and CPR Instructor Trainer
Emergency Medical Technician
Public Safety Scuba Instructor
Commercial Diver in the North Sea
PADI College - San Diego, California
Scuba Schools International Instructor
Equipment technician for Scubapo, Aqualung, Dacor, Oceanic.
PADI Course Director
Deep Diver Instructor Trainer - Night Diver Instructor Trainer - Equipment Specialist Instructor Trainer - Search and Recovery Instructor Trainer -
PADI District Director
NSS-CDS & NACD Full Cave Diver -Cavern Instructor - DOT approved hydrostatic technician - TDI Nitrox Instructor
PADI Regional Coordinator - FHA Excellence Award - Nitrox Instructor Trainer -
Nitrox gas blending Instructor Trainer - Scuba Instructor for his local Community College - DAN O2 First Aid for Aquatic Emergencies Instructor Trainer - DAN O2 First Aid for Scuba Diving Injuries Instructor Trainer - Peak Performance Buoyancy Instructor Trainer - Wreck Diving Instructor Trainer -DAN AEDs for Aquatic Emergencies Instructor Trainer - DAN Hazardous Marine Life Instructor Trainer -
DAN AEDs for Scuba Diving Instructor Trainer -DSAT Tec Deep Instructor Trainer -Rebreather Instructor - AED Instructor Trainer - PADI Hallmark & Excellence Award (every year for the last 15 years) -DSAT Tec Trimix Instructor Trainer - IANTD Technical Instructor - IANTD Trimix Instructor - Dry Suit Instructor - Diving Propulsion Vehicle Instructor - Trimix Gas Blender Instructor Trainer -DAN On-Site Neurological Assessment Instructor Trainer - IANTD Intro to Cave Instructor
Trimix Gas Blender Instructor Trainer Advanced Recreational Trimix Instructor
PADI Digital Photography Instructor PADI Fish ID Instructor

So you can train with him or just me, a humble new OWSI. Probably going to cost you the same!

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Actually Ber Rabbit you are right at the recreational level but there are more agencies at the technical and emergency level.

I read your mail and I thought to myself "Who is the Best Instructor in the World?"

These are the credentials of the man I (INMO) consider to be the best instructor in the world who has currently trained thousands of divers and hundreds of PADI Instructors (I have left out some even more impressive credentials because he is a humble man and I know he wouldn't wantme to write them here):

The initial question didn't differentiate between recreational, technical and Public Safety instructors so that's left to the individuals who answer. I like your question about who we as individuals look up to and would like to emulate. I know who I would love to model my classes after but I don't know what his credentials are. I only know him from his posts that I read on here but I like his philosophy that matters more to me than any card. His program seems to turn out quality students, that's much more important than quantity to me as a student myself.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Dive-aholic]

Well, before I answer your question, let me ask you (Ber Rabbit and TS and M) would you prefer to train with an instructor trained only by one agency or an instructor qualified by NAUI, PADI, IANTD, NOAA, the American Academy of Underwater Sciences, CMAS, ANDI and TDI?

The agencies don't matter. I've come across a few agencies that require nothing more than me sending in my current instructor credentials and a check or credit card number and I can receive one of their cards, too. Big deal! As for technical instruction, I believe it's better to be certified through more than one agency only because it opens up your customer base in what's already a very small market. And no offense against your guy, but (and if he's truly humble, he'll probably agree) nothing on that CV matters. What matters is how he teaches. And the style would probably be very similar with or without all those certs.

 

[leapfrog]

The agencies don't matter. I've come across a few agencies that require nothing more than me sending in my current instructor credentials and a check or credit card number and I can receive one of their cards, too. Big deal! As for technical instruction, I believe it's better to be certified through more than one agency only because it opens up your customer base in what's already a very small market. And no offense against your guy, but (and if he's truly humble, he'll probably agree) nothing on that CV matters. What matters is how he teaches. And the style would probably be very similar with or without all those certs.

I agree. Having said that, the thrust of what I am getting at is to never stop your education but to continue to learn while you teach. To be a good teacher you should also be a good student always willing and eager to learn more.

I hope that clarifies it. As far as "nothing" on that CV matters.....well if he didn't have that he wouldn't be able to teach all those things.........if we want better students, IMHO, then we should aim to have not only "good" instructors but more qualified ones.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

I agree. Having said that, the thrust of what I am getting at is to never stop your education but to continue to learn while you teach. To be a good teacher you should also be a good student always willing and eager to learn more.

This is a very good idea and I agree completely. Just because you are learning something doesn't mean you need to collect a card for it.

I hope that clarifies it. As far as "nothing" on that CV matters.....well if he didn't have that he wouldn't be able to teach all those things.........if we want better students, IMHO, then we should aim to have not only "good" instructors but more qualified ones.

Certified and qualified are two completely different animals. Number of cert cards does not a qualified instructor make
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[leapfrog]

Certified and qualified are two completely different animals. Number of cert cards does not a qualified instructor make
Ber :lilbunny:

True but having said that, in this day and age the qualifications are usually followed by some certifications. Since SCUBA is a global profession where instructors and DMs can work anywhere, and divers can go anywhere, I would like to see a card.

Another point I would like to make which is not the object of this thread but I may start another one if there is interest in it is the number of divers, (from OW right up the chain) who claim to be ex military personnel (the majority special forces), members of SWAT squads, eaters of Great White Sharks, have logged a zillion dives, worked for an intelligence agency where they supposedly learned to dive, etc, etc.

So, to have divers qualify and get certified sounds like a good idea to me. It's just another check in a box that helps a dive professional assess the abilities and limitations of someone we've never met before ("Man, I was a CIA Combat Diver, how come you ain't gonna let me dive that wreck at 160ft?"................."Well it's because you can't fasten your tank to your BCD but I understand that of course you only dove with O2 Rebreathers...............so that expalins it, right?"