A very bad week in Florida

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Learning plays a major role in the development of competent, adaptable divers. Some human strengths, abilities and limitations are genetically determined:however, skills, knowledge and reasoning abilities as well as aspirations, attitudes and values are recognized as being learned.
Learning sometimes happens naturally, but for the purpose of cave diver training and education, conditions can be and are deliberately manipulated to create an environment conducive to learning specific skills, knowledge or attitudes. Thus, the training techniques used are the combination of all instructional strategies required to deliver the entire training programme.
Learning cannot be guaranteed because it is an individual thing. Cave diving instructors use Accident Analysis to determine instructional techniques and methodologies needed to instruct knowledge and skills required of a cave diver student.
While some training has pre-determined and quantifiable standards some does not and thus are harder to define. Such learning includes problem-solving, evaluation and acceptance of new concepts.
This is important because some training does not impose content but rather develops in the student their own learning experience and because of this learning becomes more relevent and the students abilities to reason increases in depth and detail both for academic and physical skills. In the end a individual should learn to respond in more stressful and unpredictable situations the same as they would in a more novel situation.

The instructional techniques used should be a combination of methods, media and environment. Training especially individual training such as cave diving, is a human process. The instructor causes a behavioural change in the student. To the student who is eager and impressionable, every action undertaken by the instructor is significant, that includes the instructor's statements. All of these mannerisms by the instructor contribute to the students character and ethos. Good Instructor/Student Function = Good ethos, Bad interaction = Bad ethos. This result defines the challenge to instructors, who are looked upon as a role model.

All instructors should strive to become experts in their teachings and should expect the same of their students. This process of learning never stops for either one. Good divers are always training. Scuba Instructors must become mentors and leaders in thier sport. The instructors character is critical and thus the student must select the instructor for compatability as well as knowledge and skill. The instructor must inspire, challenge, motivate, ecite, enthuse, critique and sustain in order to unlock the full potential of each student. Here again each instructor student relationship causes different reactions but with the intent to achieve a common goal, in this case cave diving certification
 
Ana:
Why would an adult require another person to call him names or "get on his case" in order to come back to the path. Maybe I'm reading a tone in some of these responses but all of this "life or death" drama is a bit exagerated. Cave diving should be taking seriously but driving a motor vehicle to the cave provides just a much (or more) chances to get kill.

Drill-seargent style teaching may work but in no way should be considered the "ONLY" way.

Ana,

As a cave diver, I trust cave instructors to prepare students to safely dive in caves that I myself may currently be in. I trust them to instill the ettitique and ensure proper skills prior to entering the cave. These factors do impact me and my capability to return from my dive.

In one of the reports, the CI quoted disconnecting another teams primary reel. If true, at that point, my continuos guideline was compromised, which is a direct threat to my safety. (especially if visabiltiy also was compromised) Divers have training to respond to those situations but I personally never want to do a lost line drill for real.

Now, what does that have to do with instructor student conversations? Its simple. At some point, the instructor must get information across to a student. If nice debriefs/discussion didn't work, perhaps stronger drills. Eventually, it will turn uglier and uglier in the effort to get that message across. There are people who are adults but sure don't act like them with critsism is directed their way. (and we all suffer from this to a degree despite our own best efforts)

Me, I want an instructor who won't hold back his honest thoughts. To date, I haven't had an issues with this. (although a couple times, it took a bit of time to relax and remove the emotional reaction to get the full message)
 
in_cavediver:
Ana,

As a cave diver, I trust cave instructors to prepare students to safely dive in caves that I myself may currently be in. I trust them to instill the ettitique and ensure proper skills prior to entering the cave. These factors do impact me and my capability to return from my dive.

...cont...

Now, what does that have to do with instructor student conversations? Its simple. At some point, the instructor must get information across to a student. If nice debriefs/discussion didn't work, perhaps stronger drills. Eventually, it will turn uglier and uglier in the effort to get that message across.

This is when a student should thank the instructor for all that he was CAPABLE of offering and move on to a different instructor with better teaching skills.
 
Good grief now its the instructor's fault. For being unable to complete valve drills, putting fins and hands in the silt, disconnecting other teams primary reels and tangling himself in his own reel? Those are all student responsibilities and there's little to "teach" either the student gets it or they don't.
 
rjack321:
Good grief now its the instructor's fault.

It's the instructor's fault for taking an unprepared student, and his money, into an advanced course the first place.
 
TSandM:
When you are teaching critical material, you have to be picky and hold standards. There is never any good reason, in my opinion, to go out of your way to make someone feel as bad as possible, unless that person has demonstrated a bad attitude or a failure to learn from less civilized teaching.

As a surgical instructor, I have stood in the middle of the ICU and screamed at a resident, but that was after three weeks of seeing the same kinds of mistakes made (out of laziness and lack of care) with no improvement despite my efforts to sit the resident down and calmly explain where he was falling short and what I expected to see instead. Screaming was the last resort, and that didn't work, either.

I have to disgree with you on this. A student should always be treated with dignity and respect. If a student is not cutting it he should be taken aside privately and told so. You explain what needs to be corrected, when you expect the corrections to be made, and the consequences of not making them. If the student gets beligerent then it is time to end the relationship. You never need to scream, just tell them to go home.
 
daniel f aleman:
It's the instructor's fault for taking an unprepared student, and his money, into an adanced course the first place.

Holy smokes I agree with Daniel! Cats and dogs are probably playing together as we speak. :wink:

Actually assuming they discover the unpreparedness on day 1, then what :huh:

I would suggest: 1) refunding the class minus travel expenses or 2) reworking the class into something else. In this case, maybe cavern and intro cave. Or maybe just intro to tech (or whatever IANTD calls this kinda thing).
 
daniel f aleman:
It's the instructor's fault for taking an unprepared student, and his money, into an adanced course the first place.

I agree somewhat. If they are both from the UK then why didn't they just meet up before hand for some preliminary work while still there. Also if the OP has such a bad rep in the UK why did the CI accept him as a student?

And somewhat disagree. Given the OP's certifications would it not be reasonable for the CI to assume that he has reasonable buoyancy skills and can shut off a valve?

I suspect there is way more to the story than either side is telling.
 
ams511:
Given the OP's certifications would it not be reasonable for the CI to assume that he has reasonable buoyancy skills and can shut off a valve?

Can't assume. That's why instructors perform a "check-out" dive with an unfamilar student prior to instruction for skill level evaluation - standard.
 
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