Technical Diving Instructor Trainers - where, when & how?

People have been asking me for a few years now why I don't teach instructor-level classes in tech. The answer has always been simple, I love tech diving and have no desire to 'climb the PADI CD tree'. I've already 'not bothered' to send in a 'Staff Instructor' rating, despite having done the course several times. It's a 'null' certification level... little/no benefit for the money IMHO. But I'd have to become a 'recreational' course director, in order to teach technical diving at instructor level (with TecRec). That frustrates me.

From what I see, being a successful course director and being a focused tech instructor seem quite mutually exclusive. Most course directors live in a classroom. Most tech instructors live on a deco bar..

What background matters most?

What 'current' and primary experience matters most?

Do all agencies require instructors to reach a generic/recreational instructor trainer level, before they can teach tech instructors?

What's most important, in your mind, being a focused and experienced technical instructor... or being qualified to teach recreational instructor level classes?

Poll has some options, but please feel free to amplify your thoughts in the thread...

I'll take the highly experienced tech diver as an instructor any day. PADI's TecRec isn't the only way to teach tech. Why are you limiting yourself to their programs?

616fun:

I'll take the highly experienced tech diver as an instructor any day. PADI's TecRec isn't the only way to teach tech. Why are you limiting yourself to their programs?

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I'm not. Look at my sig block

I'm just investigating alternative agency approaches... and what factors matter most to other members of the tech community.

What I see is that:

1) Trainee technical instructors are already experienced dive instructors - they don't need to be trained as 'instructors'.
2) Trainee technical instructors are (should be) already experienced tech divers - they don't need to be trained in 'tech'.
3) Course directors/ITs are primarily concerned with training 'instructional technique', which is already there at tech instructor level.
4) Trainee technical instructor most need specific direction on how to teach tech courses - that experience lies with active tech instructors.

DevonDiver:

I'm not. Look at my sig block

I'm just investigating alternative agency approaches... and what factors matter most to other members of the tech community.

What I see is that:

1) Trainee technical instructors are already experienced dive instructors - they don't need to be trained as 'instructors'.
2) Trainee technical instructors are (should be) already experienced tech divers - they don't need to be trained in 'tech'.
3) Course directors/ITs are primarily concerned with training 'instructional technique', which is already there at tech instructor level.
4) Trainee technical instructor most need specific direction on how to teach tech courses - that experience lies with active tech instructors.

Click to expand...

Sorry. Reading from Tapatalk so I don't see sig blocks

I think there is an exception to the CD rule with technical diving IT in PADI. I know there was a course run at PADI UK in Bristol to become a TECREC IT and I know for a fact that a lot of the guys were not PADI CDs. However that may have been PADI just trying to push the TecRec angle and are not doing it any more. I'd contact PADI UK ( sorry EMEA, stupid abbreviation) about it.

Andy like you wrote someone wanting to become tec instructor is already an instructor, so I see no need for the trainer to be CD. In my opinion it should be possible to achieve TEC IT rating based on experience.
If the trainer is a good and experienced Tec Instructor, he will know how to share his knowledge with other instructors.

Also if we would honestly look at how things are with our organization, not even course directors have the primary duty to show instructors how to teach, the IDC is focused on other priorities! but this is a different topic...

Very Interesting Discussion! I've seen Instructors get passed on Tec training by minimum standards without redoing dives and basically because he/she is an Instructor. We know this is also a problem on just a regular student taking a class as well. So, now, this Instructor (skating through class), being able to apply and not take and Instructor Course would definitely not be a good thing. It is one thing to do a Tec dive but it is another thing to teach it and understand explaining academics, skills and positioning, so I see an IT as being one last stop to make sure that the Instructor is ready for this on a Tec level especially to show that the skills are there. Now my whole theory is also provided on the fact that an IT should hold this Instructor to the highest standard and not just sign off on him/her because the class was paid for.

The whole issue with this discussion is what we face on recreational side of SCUBA Training as well! Instructors are just signing off on people and are afraid to tell people that they need to go practice more or that they have to redo a dive. This is especially highlighted 10 fold when the Instructor travels to teach the class or vise versa ..... student travels to take class!

Summary:
If you run a Quality (evaluate teaching presentations, gear config, good personnel skills and can debrief the student) IT Class and the Instructor is just not getting signed off on, then it is worth it to have this course in place.

This might be an area where there are big differences in how agencies approach things. The local tech diving gurus are all instructor trainers with their respective agencies - very few of them ever teach anything but technical divers and technical instructors. Look into TDI and PSAI specifically - they seem to have good programs that promote the kind of active diving agenda I think you're alluding to.

It boils down to " walking the walk, and not just talking" A technical IT should be out there doing it, and have a broad depth of experiance teaching it. The last thing that is needed is a lot of sign offs for sub standard instructors, who will then sign off sub standard students.
Eric

I think anybody teaching something ought to be active in doing it -- so if you want to be a technical instructor trainer, you should be an active tech instructor AND tech diver.

I do think, having taken a lot of diving classes, that there are people who are very good at diving but who are not particularly good teachers -- and if someone is one of those, moving up to teaching other instructors is not a good move for the sport as a whole. So an instructor trainer really ought to be a VERY good teacher, able to pass along ideas on how to teach effectively.

I have worked under people who were very good at the kinds of dives I wanted to do, but not good at passing that skill along; I have worked with people who perhaps aren't as perfect in their diving skills (although still competent and safe) but were much better at figuring out how to help a student overcome her own problems. Since, as a student, I prefer the latter type, I think the training of an instructor trainer should be focused on teaching someone how to create that kind of instructor.

What any of it has to do with being a recreational CD is beyond me, though.