Instructors should take some advanced training as well. Yea or Nay? Does it matter?

[Hawkwood]

Definitely not #1.

Can't say anything about #2.

You were right about #3!

 

[Diver0001]

I am putting this in the Advanced Forum so that everyone can access it and see the discussion. I don't want this moved to the instructor forum. The goal is to see how important it is to new and newer divers, as well as not so new ones, for their instructors to keep up their own education.

It has always been my personal philosophy and practice to take some kind of training every year for myself. If I am going to set an example for my own students how can I not do that? If I am going to tell you that you, the average diver, should take some form of training beyond Open Water (once you are ready for it of course) should I not be doing the same?

For those of you considering some form of advanced training, be it AOW, Rescue, a specialty, etc., how important is it that the instructor you choose set an example by adding to their own knowledge and skills? Be it a tech course, specialty in an area they are interested in, it might not even be directly related to diving. For example I am waiting for the next workshop at my local hospital on diabetes and exercise to take place. I once assisted with a student who was diabetic and obtained clearance to dive even though he wore an insulin pump. It may never happen again. But then again it might so I want to be prepared.

Three years ago I took the SDI Solo course, the year after that Doppler's Disaster Scenario Workshop, then did the SDI/TDI crossover which included several SDI and TDI on line courses as prep for that plus the crossover course itself. Last year SDI OW Sidemount, and this year I just sent in a deposit for my TDI Advanced Wreck Instructor class with Steve at the end of May.

Yes some of this is in order to increase my course offerings and as such my instructor income. But what also happens is that all of this knowledge gets distributed in every course I teach from my YMCA snorkeling and skin diver programs, through the similar program I offer for the Girl Scouts, on through OW to the other tech and pro classes I can teach.

I have seen other instructors who become OWSI and don't take a class after that. I get some of their students to train and the lack of additional educational training is sometimes apparent. I've always felt that my students are a direct reflection on my skills, knowledge, and abilities. So I had better work to continually update those.

I know it's important for me to do this. How important is it for you that I, or any other instructor, take the time to invest in our education to serve you?

I love you and you know that. But I don't fully agree with you.

I think that SOME instructors can do their thing day after day / year after year... and do it very VERY well...... These are specialists in the thing they do... whether it be deep, wreck, side-mount or even open-water..... it's IS possible to become better and better at it without taking additional courses.

In fact, I may be one of them. I specialize in teaching Open Water. I can teach all kinds of specialties but I seldom do it. Most of my dives are technical, most of my friends are technical, most of my passions are technical.... but I don't teach it.... I teach open water because this is the ONE course that I feel passionate about and even though I could teach students to do just about anything.... I choose to teach rookies to dive... to dive well... and to become divers.

Do I need to keep taking courses to do that? I'm not sure. I don't think so. I invest a lot of energy in becoming a better "teacher" but that doesn't always mean investing in more con-ed for myself.

R..

 

[rhwestfall]

I love you and you know that. But......

I thought my wife just showed up on SB...

 

[Diver0001]

sorry.

Bit of male bonding..... if your wife would like to participate then we're going to need pictures.. LOL

R..

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Rob, I see where you are coming from which is why I included the other items that may not be directly related to diving. A rebreather trimix course if you are never going to teach one would be IMO overkill. But simply doing some form of con ed that may translate into benefits for you and your students. Hence the example of the diabetes and exercise seminar. Just good general information. Like the free OWL resources on line from Purdue. (Online Writing Lab)

I decided to teach myself AutoCAD 2014 last fall. Starting with the 2D LT version. I already work with four other CAD programs at my day job. We don't use AutoCAD at all. So why learn it? Well, some other company willing to pay me more money might be using it. It's another skill and strangely enough, it is seeing some use for my dive business in the form of drawings for custom hardware that I don't want floating around on the computers at work. I take in a dwg. or dxf. file, cut it, delete it off the machine and my designs stay mine.

Con ed keeps my mind fresh and avoids stagnation. It helps me to be open to new things. Next year I may take another tech instructor course or I have one person who keeps wanting me to do Cavern and Intro to Cave. No interest in caves but certainly open to the skills.

I've been muddling through a Six Sigma on line class. Not going to help at work (they don't seem to care for the method as it requires teamwork and cooperation from everyone) but it has had a huge impact on classes I teach. The methods of identifying areas that I may be spending too much time on and those I need to spend more on or add material to is why I like writing my own courses and having the flexibility to tweak them as these things are identified. It has changed the content and focus a couple times and resulted in the classes I will be offering this season.

 

[TMHeimer]

I love you and you know that. But I don't fully agree with you.

I think that SOME instructors can do their thing day after day / year after year... and do it very VERY well...... These are specialists in the thing they do... whether it be deep, wreck, side-mount or even open-water..... it's IS possible to become better and better at it without taking additional courses.

In fact, I may be one of them. I specialize in teaching Open Water. I can teach all kinds of specialties but I seldom do it. Most of my dives are technical, most of my friends are technical, most of my passions are technical.... but I don't teach it.... I teach open water because this is the ONE course that I feel passionate about and even though I could teach students to do just about anything.... I choose to teach rookies to dive... to dive well... and to become divers.

Do I need to keep taking courses to do that? I'm not sure. I don't think so. I invest a lot of energy in becoming a better "teacher" but that doesn't always mean investing in more con-ed for myself.

R..

Agree. Again with my Band Teacher analogy: I was offered a job once that included also teaching a core subject (English, I think). The Superintendent said I should accept because teaching something else would improve my Band teaching. Maybe in some small way--Don't know exactly how.

 

[LowVizWiz]

It definitely helped me become a better teacher.

I'm a fairly new instructor (2 years) so one of the main reasons I continue to take classes besides improving my own skills and advance my diving is to pick up teaching tips from those instructors I actually seek out to learn from.

Is it important to continue taking classes?

I believe that's important to refine your teaching ability and continually find new ways of transferring knowledge to students. Co-teaching a class is one way to do this!
I know good instructors who didn't start teaching until they were very experienced divers in all kinds of environments and I also know a lot of good instructors who are really happy and busy teaching OW & AOW classes and diving recreationally. In both cases, when they have time off they just dive for pleasure, don't care to take classes or rather spend their money traveling to dive.

Keeping your love, passion or whatever you wish to call it, for the sport alive is the most important thing for an instructor. How one does that, really depends on the individual.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

I will use that same logic. On my last two dives in Hawaii last month there were five divers on the boat including me. No backplates but two i3's. Can I draw a conclusion from that?

Sure: you were on the wrong boat At least three of the main operators on Oahu have their guides/DMs/instructors in BP&W, and a significant number of the tourist divers and local dive club members I see on those boats are diving them, too. Those of us showing up with doubles, deco bottles, DPVs, and/or CCRs are still in the solid minority, but simple BP&W is not.

 

[FinnMom]

We have requirements regarding active diving, students taught etc. to retain your instructor rating. I think this is an exceptionally good idea. I'm not completely sure whether these rquirements are CMAS's or the Finnish Divers' Federation but I strongly suspect it's CMAS's rules.

I've only trained as an assistant instructor but the training discussed on several different occasions how important it is for an instructor to stay current in both knowledge and skills.

 

[dive_turkey]

Jim, as usual, you're not wrong. It is paramount that instructors continue their education. Not only so as to develop a greater knowledge of the subject they're teaching, but also to learn new instruction technique, stay abreast of current events otherwise not encountered, and sometimes just to keep their mind sharp.

Most of my certifications require a minimum Continuing Education requirement each year in order for me to renew them. I see no reason why diving instructors should be any different. There are so many subjects that one can apply to diving: Courses in physiology, pharmacology, physics, chemistry, emergency management, sport therapy, yoga, swimming, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, management, psychology... the list is almost endless.

I don't even think it needs to be that complicated a process. There should be a list of subjects, courses, schools, etc that are already approved that anyone can pick from. Any diving course beyond OW1 or OW2, any medical course such as BLS, ACLS, EMT, etc..., and then maybe a list of pre-approved college course subjects, like physics or Anatomy & Physiology, maybe even include pre-approved workshops offered by diving organizations, or attendance to conferences, trade shows, whatever. Then, should an instructor decide to deviate from the path, all they should need to do is write short justification for the course they took and how they intend to apply it to their instructor technique.