Advice for a Future Instructor?

[MurphyMurphy167]

I'm pretty new to Scubaboard but I have been diving for about 2 years. I'm taking my advanced open water training right now. I'm only 16, but I work in a local dive shop and spend all that money on dive gear. From all you Super, Scuba Steves and Staceys out there, is there any advice you can give me as to which classes I should really take or places I should go? Everything is appreciated, thanks guys.

[Bubbletrubble]

Do a lot of dives under varied conditions within your ability.
Don't rush your training. The more experience you have when you become an instructor, the more you'll be able to offer your students.
Enjoy the sport.

[TSandM]

I heartily agree with BubbleTrubble. Take your time. Get experience diving in a number of different places, under different conditions. Build your own skills. Look up the 5thD-X videos on YouTube -- work on your stability and balance in the water until you can do skills like that.

Over time, take Nitrox and Rescue, and then, I would highly recommend taking a class like Fundamentals or Intro to Tech. I think all scuba professionals should have the training in dive planning, gas management, and situational awareness that comes out of such a class. Since you are in Missouri, a cavern class might be another option.

Don't rush things. We need GOOD instructors in the scuba world, and shops are all too willing to march new divers through the "Go Pro" mill, before they have much to offer their students.

[tstormdiver]

Yes! Yes! Yes! What Bubble Trouble & TS&M said!!!! It is the absolute truth. I know you are excited about your new passion! Keep that passion going! But, don't let the excitement blind you. Be honest with yourself & your skills as you progress. As TS&M said the "dive industry needs GOOD instructors". That keeps the excitement & passion going for future divers!

[Jim Lapenta]

Try to get as much experience in different environments as you can. By the time I began my instructor course I'd been in fresh and saltwater, cold, low vis, current, caverns, wrecks, kelp, and nice easy stuff. While doing it I tried to dive as many different gear configurations as I could. Some worked well while others not so much. But the idea is that I could dive them all at any time. I'm looking to do some sidemount stuff this year if possible as well as vintage.

I see instructors who week after week are in the same gear regardless of conditions. Nothing wrong with that except when their students ask them questions about what I am using and they truly cannot answer them. As an instructor you should at least be familar with any configuration enough to intelligently answer why that may or may not be the best choice for your students. By the time you make instructor I feel you should be able to take any BC, of any size that you can get on and in few minutes be able to figure the weighting out, get neutral, and get in trim.

Once you become an instructor plan on continuing to learn new things. I took an Ice Class and am planning on more training in different disciplines from those I respect in them. Also keep your eyes open for things you would not want your students to see in an OW class. Plan on teaching your class so that your students are not swimming single file with no buddy, that they are not tearing up the bottom, and they are self sufficient. You really can only do that by becoming that type of diver yourself. Work on skills every dive at some point. Even if it's just holding trim and depth with no more than a variation of 2 feet for 10 minutes while swimming. Then do skills while maintaining it. Mask R&R, reg R&R, weight remove and replace, etc.

And as the others have said - Don't rush it!