Question for instructors

When you are working with an assistant instructor; what are your expectation of that assistant?

Under what circumstances?
If all is going smoothly, my assistant helps students practice what I have introduced. If all is not going smoothly, then the assistant does whatever is necessary to allow me to continue the *class* while taking care of the problem.
Is that what you're asking?
Rick

There IS a difference between an AI and a DM. Are you talking about Certified Assistants in general, or specifically about AIs?

~SubMariner~

For Rick--things are not going smoothly, you need the AI to handle the "problem" Can you give an example?

For SubMariner--Speaking specifically of an Assistant Instructor.

JBD,
When there's a problem, the AI takes the class for some practice (assuming we're in the pool) and <I> handle the problem. I don't believe in handing off problem students to assistants of any kind, that's my job.
There is also a difference in what AI's can do depending on what agency I am teaching through. PADI and NAUI AI's have different duties. Hard to keep track of sometimes.

Here's something only slightly off topic that burns me.
When teaching a NAUI course, a current dive leader (AI, DM, Instr.) from ANY agency qualifies as a certified assistant. When teaching PADI, only PADI leaders qualify. What's up with that?

Neil

for the info. As to your ending question; we'll have to pass that one to SubMariner. I'm starting the Naui AI course as soon as the books come in at the end of this week hopefully. Would you care to mention the differences in the duties of the AI between PADI and NAUI?

Gotta go for now lightening threatens and I'm on my 3rd modem this year due to lightening.

And some say they're all the same. For one thing the progression is reversed.

In NAUI it's AI, DM then instructor. There are provisions for skipping the AI step. The emphasis is totally different. AI's are there specifically to assist in classes. DM's are truly DM's. They are in charge of diving operations either for a group, or a boat or at a specific location. They are qualified to assist with classes, but it is not their primary function. As mentioned above NAUI accepts certified assistants from other agencies.

In PADI it's DM, AI then instructor. AI is not required and is usually skipped. While a DM does handle DM duties from time to time, most PADI DM's actually assist with classes as their most common duty. PADI accepts only PADI certified assistants.

In YMCA the progression is in the same order as PADI, but the duties much more closely resemble those of NAUI. There are no provisions for skipping either AI or DM. YMCA accepts only YMCA certified assistants.

Every instructor has their own approach to using assistants. As long as they stay within their agency's standards, this is not a problem. I personally use assistants not so much to help me with a class, but instead to give the assistant experience and to teach the assistant how to teach, how to recognize problems and how to deal with problems. If I need help, I have too many students or I shouldn't be teaching. Early on, we work together close to 100% of the time. As the AI gains experience, I allow them more and more independance to help them develop as an instructor.

WWW™

There are two things an AI cannot do... Introduce a skill and evaluate (for the purposes of "pass/fail" toward certification) a skill. For this reason, taking the instructor off line from the class to handle a problem brings the whole class to a halt, especially early on where there's little that's been introduced and therefore little to practice.
A common problem is with the student who just can't clear a mask ("won't" is a better word). My AI's are excellent at working with the problem child while the class moves on, and I can catch the problem child up one-on-one later - and quickly.
Pulling the instructor to handle one of these problem folks more than a couple of times will get the whole class angry with the student that's holding them up, and angry with the instructor who abandons them constantly for the one demanding individual attention. The rhetorical "why doesn't that guy just take a private class" becomes legitimate quickly.
Rick

My POV is basically the same as Rick's, so I won't reiterate. Having said that, I tend to use my assistants in something of a blend of BOTH Rick's & Walter's ways. You have to be flexible and work as a TEAM.

"Here's something only slightly off topic that burns me.
When teaching a NAUI course, a current dive leader (AI, DM, Instr.) from ANY agency qualifies as a certified assistant. When teaching PADI, only PADI leaders qualify. What's up with that? "

[shrug] Ask PADI. THEY make the rules, not me.

But seriously, I think it may be an insurance/liability issue as well as an issue of the Agency's standards. Each agency has different set of General Standards & Procedures, performance requirements, etc. If I am teaching a PADI course, then I want my assistant to be on the same wavelength as am with regard to how the course is taught and what is expected from the dive leadership as well as the students. Since we are only affiliated with PADI, this isn't an issue with us.

BTW, I don't think CMAS accepts anyone but their own either.... so PADI isn't alone in this philosophy.


~SubMariner~

In my case, it depends upon the AI abilitys. I will usualy let him have the greatest amount of responsibility he can handle, and keep a good eye on him. I may let him work a problem himself with a student, or may not, depends on the circumstances. In dives deeper than 10 meters I will alwais lead and let the assistance close lines, though in shalow water I may let the assistant lead, so I can inspect the groupe from behind (you'll be amazed how many things you can notice while watching a groupe from behind). I also tell the assistant to take a slate with him, write down on it the names of all the students, than during the dive I expect him to write down anything he can notice that needs improvement with the students, or any remarks remarks he has, even for me). I do the same, and after concluding a session I sit with the assistant and we go through our slates (I have another one the same) and I can talk to him about what he saw, explained about things he didnt notice. Sometimes, actualy quite frequently, I learn from that something that I didnt notice. I belive this way he get's the maximum experiance he can from the dive. I also give him comments, n the dive-leader level, as I expect him a certain level of handling during the dive.

Assistants in SSI- I'll write about SSI's assitant, as this is my agency- in SSI it goes- Dive Control Specialist (a nice long term for divemaster), Associate instructor, Instructor.
The Divecon is considered an assistant, and associate instructor, is actualy someone that had an instructor course, but hasn't completed his duties yet.
-SSI accepts only their own.

P.S-
I'm quite an individualist in my teaching methods, so the chances to encounter someone the same are rare. But after all- evry instructor teaches differently.