AOW Disappointment

[Thalassamania]

Well alright then; I'll just continue to learn from my own experience, as I suspect you did. I was trying to learn a trick or two from you - taking a shortcut, I suppose...

kari

A list of tips and thoughts from many instructors and many threads is being complied and will be available shortly.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Yes, I was thinking about that and I've posted a bunch of stuff, tips for mask clearing and such that would translate. I wonder if even the don't touch the sides, don't touch the bottom, don't surface thing that we do would work in the 20 hr. world. I have my doubts.

It depends. For example, I just had a class of nieces and nephews, two boys, two girls, 12-15. In our family swimming well and comfort in the water come before walking... these kids had the mid-water concept down before ever getting in for pool one, and the skill to do it within about the first hour on scuba. Indeed, skills-wise they were done by the end of pool three and we spent two sessions just fine tuning, practicing and playing around. By the time we went for checkout dives at Vortex they were able to accomplish everything without ever touching the bottom, and were amazed and distressed at the rototillers around them mucking up the place.
On the other hand I've had classes where I had to watch like a hawk during the swim test for fear someone would drown, and was wishing I had some dynamite handy to blast 'em off the bottom and into mid-water during skills. While those folks couldn't reach mid-water mastery in the normal class time, they were at least low-level silters and not rototillers by the time we got to checkout dives, and more importantly, determined to get to be non-silters. So I think it's worth a try, even if you can't afford the extra time to make it "real" for everybody.
Rick

 

[Tigerman]

It depends. For example, I just had a class of nieces and nephews, two boys, two girls, 12-15. In our family swimming well and comfort in the water come before walking... these kids had the mid-water concept down before ever getting in for pool one, and the skill to do it within about the first hour on scuba. Indeed, skills-wise they were done by the end of pool three and we spent two sessions just fine tuning, practicing and playing around. By the time we went for checkout dives at Vortex they were able to accomplish everything without ever touching the bottom, and were amazed and distressed at the rototillers around them mucking up the place.
On the other hand I've had classes where I had to watch like a hawk during the swim test for fear someone would drown, and was wishing I had some dynamite handy to blast 'em off the bottom and into mid-water during skills. While those folks couldn't reach mid-water mastery in the normal class time, they were at least low-level silters and not rototillers by the time we got to checkout dives, and more importantly, determined to get to be non-silters. So I think it's worth a try, even if you can't afford the extra time to make it "real" for everybody.
Rick

Is your impression that young people generally learn easier than older people?
There is of course some people that just take certain things easier than others as well..

 

[Rick Murchison]

Is your impression that young people generally learn easier than older people?

Only if they want to. I'd say that in general a youngster's mind is more "supple" and able to grasp new ideas with ease, more from a lack of preconceptions than any innate ability to process information. A youngster with a thirst for knowledge is the easiest student ever. On the other hand, there's no worse student than a testosterone filled teenage boy trying to impress the girls with preening and showing off.
Rick

 

[Tigerman]

Only if they want to. I'd say that in general a youngster's mind is more "supple" and able to grasp new ideas with ease, more from a lack of preconceptions than any innate ability to process information. A youngster with a thirst for knowledge is the easiest student ever. On the other hand, there's no worse student than a testosterone filled teenage boy trying to impress the girls with preening and showing off.
Rick

Haha.. women+testosterone never equaled rational thinking

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Is your impression that young people generally learn easier than older people?
There is of course some people that just take certain things easier than others as well..

I would say there are youngsters with the proper mix of intangibles that learn the basics of any adventurous activity easier, but that doesn't nesseccarly mean better. Some people don't have the right mix until older, and might also not learn easier, but they might be able to learn better.

I had a 12 yo student who was promised a fairly advanced scooter dive if he was an outstanding diver upon completing his Open Water certification. I did not have to make him master every skill, he demanded that of himself. I have rarely been so comfortable guiding that scooter dive. The boat divers at that site nearly swallowed their regs when I scootered up with this midget (short for his age).

After a properly tailored AOW he could (may) be crazy good. He could not however make a good rescue diver until he grows quite a bit. Of every age group there are easier students and harder students, and different classes break them up differently. The younger ones usually have less bad training that needs to be un-trained first.