What's the hardest class you have taken, and what made it hard?

[k ellis]

Sort of like trying to teach someone with a balance problem to ski.

Cant comment. Ive never skied. Is it like trying to teach a kid to ride a bicycle?

 

[Tigerman]

Not to be a killjoy, but maybe we should get this thread back on track?

 

[k ellis]

Not to be a killjoy, but maybe we should get this thread back on track?

Agreed

 

[eponym]

Instructor-level training for the SSI Adapted Diver Instructor certification, hands down, was the worst.

I was trained by Stacey M., a wonderful person who literally wrote the book on this for SSI. Under some other auspices this is called Disabled Diver.

After the first pool session I thought I should just pack up and go home. We talked in the parking lot. God bless her for telling me to hang in there.

My tech courses to date have been much more challenging in terms of skills, but nowhere near as humiliating.



Good thread.

 

[sam1]

My hardest class (which I did not pass) was GUE Fundamentals, which I took nearly three years ago. Why: I described that class at the time (and still think so) as like going from high school to graduate school without going to college. I know some folks pass it the first time out, but I certainly could not (and neither could my other two classmates): too much to learn (skills) in too short a time. All in all, it was a great class, intense and intensive, but too big a step from previous training. (They have since added the GUE Primer.)

 

[k ellis]

Ok now sorry to get off track one more time but this is a sincere question. I keep hearing people speak of GUE fundamentals and how hard they are. 1. what is Gue Fundamentals and 2. what is the incentive for taking them? Sorry to hijack once more but its a serious question.

 

[Adobo]

Ok now sorry to get off track one more time but this is a sincere question. I keep hearing people speak of GUE fundamentals and how hard they are. 1. what is Gue Fundamentals and 2. what is the incentive for taking them? Sorry to hijack once more but its a serious question.

From GUE's website:

The GUE Fundamentals course is designed to cultivate the essential skills required by all sound diving practice, irrespective of level or environment. A prerequisite for all GUE classes, save Recreational Diver level 1 course, GUE Fundamentals performs a three-fold function:

• it provides the recreational diver, who does not desire further diver training, with an opportunity to advance his/her basic diving skills, thereby developing more comfort, confidence, and competence in the water
• it provides the diver with aspirations of more advanced diver training with the tools that will contribute to a greater likelihood of success
• it provides non-GUE trained divers with a gateway to GUE training.

The complete description of the class is available here.

 

[TSandM]

GUE Fundamentals is a class offered by Global Underwater Explorers. It's their entry-level class for already certified divers (although as mentioned, there is now a Primer, which is a non-certification preparatory workshop). Fundamentals takes divers from a variety of backgrounds and skill levels and puts them on the same page. Equipment is standardized (you can read about this on the GUE website) and procedures are standardized. The class involves very simple skills, most of which you have already learned, like mask flood and clear, or mask remove and replace, and the air-sharing protocol used with a 7' hose. The differences between Fundies and other recreational diving classes are that the standard of performance is very high -- you have to be able to do these simple skills while remaining intrim and in place, both over the bottom and in the water column, and while remaining in contact with your team. Clear and concise communication is stressed. In addition, the GUE approach to decompression and some information about Nitrox is taught (the Fundies card still, I believe, says the diver is certified to use 32% Nitrox, although I think some of the rescue skills have been removed).

What makes the class very difficult is that the majority of people have never asked themselves to remain still, and have never done skills while neutral and quiet. In addition, situational awareness drops with the challenges, so that even folks (like one of my Fundies classmates) who can DO the skills, will not pass if they lose touch with their team while doing so.

It's a class that shouldn't BE hard, but given where a lot of people come from, training-wise, it is.

 

[Sas]

OW was probably the hardest. I was not very well suited to diving and found it very hard to do anything. My buoyancy was terrible, I hated having my mask off (and nearly couldn't do it at all so I guess I nearly failed), and in general was very uncomfortable. I don't actually know why I persisted other than probably being stubborn and not wanting to fail.

I think it took me about 80 dives to get properly comfortable. I have found most courses fairly ok ever since with a few having difficult aspects but I have not struggled through a class since.

 

[Mayor]

A fine example of what's wrong with diving education as a whole. When a person who can't swim becomes a Divemaster. This is why I have little respect for anyone that's a DM or instructor. Show me the skills in the water not online and then I will put you in the 5% that gives quality instruction. Ok, I feel better now....