Question Out of state, looking for AOW class in FL

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

I am well aware of PADI standards and many of us will agree to disagree about them being lacking in more ways than one.

I think the standards, as written as are good as any training agencies OW standards. Applying the standards and making students achieve "Mastery" is the real problem.

During confined and open water dives, mastery is defined as performing the skill so it meets the stated performance requirements in a reasonably comfortable, fluid, repeatable manner as would be expected of a diver at that certification level"

Again, I see this as the real problem. Just because the student cleared his mask once does not mean he has "mastered" the skill. PADI standards require the student master the skill.

Some instructors may not be good teachers

No doubt this is true. Some just suck at the job, some don't care and just want to get through it. But I don't think this is true of only PADI instructors, I have seen it across the board.