New diver... questions for your instructor

[BartBe]

Hi All...

After reading a lot of discussion on the forums about good and bad agencies and good and bad courses I tought it could be interesting to have a 'questions for the instructor' thread.

I start my OW next week and decided to go with PADI. The goal is not to get in to endless discussions again about what course leaves what out... or about what ageny itsn't accurate.
I'm interested and motivated to become a good and safe diver. The idea is to give us new divers some input on the things we can ask our instructors if ever it is not covered by the course or the things where a bit of extra training effort is a must.

So if any of you experienced divers out there have any helpfull info for us please don't hold back...

One more thing... If you have some tips on a certain technique try to give us a bit more than just the name of it... doesn't have to be much but we have to make shure to be able to tell our instructor what we are talking about.

I bet there are a lot of New Divers out there who are motivated and who are not interested in a quicky 'course' but in becoming good, safe divers and take this sport serious !

Maybe in this way we can all help eachother to become better divers...

 

[WaterDawg]

Hi there,

Its great that you're thinking what questions to ask the instructor, I think that they matter more than the particular agency.
Here's one:
How many dives does he/she have, excluding class dives?

The reson I think this is a good question is that when an instructor takes students out on dives he really isnt challenging him self (could you imagine what that would mean for the student!). i could be wrong Im not an Instructor.

Another one:

How often does he/she dive w/o students?

Good luck

 

[Walter]

The most important questions to ask are those which help you find the best instructor. If you have found a good one, you'll get a good class. If yours is not a good instructor, questions won't help at this point.

 

[BartBe]

Thats all fine but the thing is...
As a starting diver i decided on a club (DS) and inlist for my course. First of all i don't know if at that stage i'm qualified to determine if an instructor is good or bad as i don't know much yet.
Second I think it is easyer said then done to just say he's no good let's change... What do you do then, tell him thanks and go to completely different course... don't think you would get your money back ??? and i'm not gonna pay twice... The cash is not growing in my garden

 

[Walter]

"i don't know if at that stage i'm qualified to determine if an instructor is good or bad"

There is information available to help you, lookhere.

"don't think you would get your money back ??? and i'm not gonna pay twice... The cash is not growing in my garden"

That's why I believe it is important to be careful in choosing your instructor. If you've already done so, good luck and I kope you've found a good one. There are good instructors.

 

[WaterDawg]

Thats right these are questions you ask before choosing an instructor. A tool to help you select wich one apeals to you.

You wouldnt hire a nanny/baby sitter, pay him/her THEN ask them about them selfs would you?

You could always get your $$ back just say your not gonna start diving now or something.

 

[Diversauras]

BartBe once bubbled...
Thats all fine but the thing is...
As a starting diver i decided on a club (DS) and inlist for my course. First of all i don't know if at that stage i'm qualified to determine if an instructor is good or bad as i don't know much yet.
Second I think it is easyer said then done to just say he's no good let's change... What do you do then, tell him thanks and go to completely different course... don't think you would get your money back ??? and i'm not gonna pay twice... The cash is not growing in my garden

Does your club have more than one instructor? How long does it take to complete your course? Chiara on the board here is an instructor in Belgium and familiar with the club set up, you should PM her.

 

[Juls64]

WaterDawg once bubbled...
Hi there,

Its great that you're thinking what questions to ask the instructor, I think that they matter more than the particular agency.
Here's one:
How many dives does he/she have, excluding class dives?

Another one:

How often does he/she dive w/o students?

That is really interesting. I feel the same way. My dive shop is encouraging my husband and I to pursue Divemaster. They are a Padi shop so you only need 20 dives to begin. I think that is ludacris. Granted some people catch on quick and all, but how confident or comfortable would you be when the divemaster assisting or demonstrating a skill or whatever has so little experience. I am setting my own goals and will pursue that when I feel I am ready.

The other thing I notice is a few instructors are out at the lake every weekend with students. There is one in particular who I don't think ever does any diving on his own, only teaches classes. While I can't quite put my finger on the reason why, that just seems strange to me.

You brought up a good point that I had been thinking about myself.

Julie

 

[WaterDawg]

Juls64 once bubbled...



That is really interesting. I feel the same way. My dive shop is encouraging my husband and I to pursue Divemaster. They are a Padi shop so you only need 20 dives to begin. I think that is ludacris. Granted some people catch on quick and all, but how confident or comfortable would you be when the divemaster assisting or demonstrating a skill or whatever has so little experience. I am setting my own goals and will pursue that when I feel I am ready.

The other thing I notice is a few instructors are out at the lake every weekend with students. There is one in particular who I don't think ever does any diving on his own, only teaches classes. While I can't quite put my finger on the reason why, that just seems strange to me.

You brought up a good point that I had been thinking about myself.

Julie

Julie,

IMO a DM should be just that...a Dive Master! I hadent mastered anything when I had 60 dives!

Your very smart, go with your gut!!!

 

[MikeFerrara]

Someplace I have a list that I posted before and I'll try to find it.

Off the top of my head though...
Ask some general questions about the instructors experience and what kind of diving and training they have been involved in beyond their teaching.

Ask about the experience of the assistants.

Ask how much pool time you get in the class. Many classes are rushing through in 5 or 6 hours. I've never seen that work well. We 15 or so.

Ask if they teach trim

Ask if the assist you in actually getting correctly trimed in the water.

Ask if they will have you practice emergency management skills lik free flow breathing, mask clearing and air sharing off the bottom. Also ask if the instructor will demonstrate these skills off the bottom. If they can't do it in 3 or 4 feet of water you've got the wrong instructor.

Ask what finning techniques they teach. It should be more than just a flutter.

Ask for a general description of how the class is run and how skills are practiced.

Size of the class and number of assistants.

Ask about the number and length of the OW dives. If they're giving students 20 minute dives go someplace else.

Ask if they teach gas management

Ask if there's classroom discussuions beyond going over knowledge reviews. An instructor who doesn't have anything to say to a new diver doesn't know anything.

Ask if there's a class going on that you can watch

Ask if the instructor has any video of himself in the water. If an instructor can't dive it's likely he can't teach. You'll have to find some video of good divers and bad divers first as a comparisson. I actually include that in my class so students see what it looks like in the water.