Define what constitutes a good instructor?

[Ber Rabbit]

Patience.
Truly loves the sport; that's infectious and motivating.
The ability to help a student to reach goals that are set just a shade higher than what the student thinks they can achieve.
Pays attention to a student's current ability and sets goals relative to the individual.
Tells you what you did right as well as what you did wrong and provides time to improve.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Teamcasa]

Patience.
Truly loves the sport; that's infectious and motivating.
The ability to help a student to reach goals that are set just a shade higher than what the student thinks they can achieve.
Pays attention to a student's current ability and sets goals relative to the individual.
Tells you what you did right as well as what you did wrong and provides time to improve.
Ber :lilbunny:

A good instructor is one that actually instructs, not just tests you on your skills. Like AmBer says has the patience and a passion for both diving and teaching. A good instructor wants you to leave with the same passion and excitement they have. One that when you are finished, all you want to do is go out and work on the skills they taught you.

To find a good instructor is another challenge.

An instructor that doesn't grab the front of your BCD for a lil feelsky at the same time.

I too am a father of a daughter and a husband (30+years with my bride!). If the instructor deliberately coped a feel from my daughter or wife, he may not be able to resume teaching until a he visited his dentist.

 

[Andy077]

I'm a very new diver, but I'm getting ready for my 12'th year as a ski instructor, and while the skills are different, teaching them is the same. My thoughts are as follows:
First, a good instructor has to realize that, while safety is first and foremost, the student is there for a recreational activity.
Every student learns differently, we are taught in PSIA (professional Ski Instructors of America) that the 4 basic types of learner are "Seer", "Doer", "Thinker", and "Feeler" there are technical terms, but i don't go too much for jargon Anyway, the instructor must be prepared to deal with all types (most people are a combination of the above) simultaneously in the group. This is hard at first, but eventually the instructor builds the "bag of tricks" to help most of the common situations.
The customer must be dealt with with respect, what is obvious to an instructor with years of experience is new to a rookie. Example, I never laugh at a student who puts their ski boots on the wrong feet, it happens.
A good instructor must be able to deal with a student who is nervous, or a student who is overly cocky, without making them feel bad about themselves, or let them get into trouble.
A good instructor must be aware that every human body is different, and deal with that on an individual basis, for example, when a student has trouble with cold, or heat, or equalizing (like I did) to give specific technique tips, not "just equalize and go down" like MY instructor did.
A good instructor knows that there are no stupid questions, and answers each one patiently and without condescension.
The good instructor treats staff with respect, especially in front of students.
He cal allay the students concerns with knowledge, and takes the time to do so without taking them lightly.

There is more, but thats my general idea.

andy

 

[Catt99]

I've seen Walter post this excellent advice a couple of times -- http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/3771603-post5.html It's framed in that link as selecting an instructor for OW certs, but I think Walter's advice is applicable to additional instruction as well.

 

[Dive-aholic]

First, a good instructor has a be an instructor 2nd, a diver 1st. If an instructor does 300 dives a year, but 290 of them are all in the same quarry with students, then that's not good. There's not a whole lot of experience to be brought to the course that way.

The next required attribute is patience. Forget about the rushed McDonald's drive thru courses. A good instructor doesn't have a definitive schedule. If it takes longer, then so be it.

A good instructor keeps an open mind. There are many ways to accomplish things. A good instructor is always looking for a way to make his/her instruction better.

A good instructor lives for diving and this is evident when you spend a little bit of time with him/her. You shouldn't need to ask this.

A good instructor is a good student, always learning and bettering him/herself.

 

[texdiveguy]

Real world diving experience not a bunch of silly bounce dives to qualify.

 

[ianr33]

Real world diving experience not a bunch of silly bounce dives to qualify.

Totally agree with that.

When I asked my deco instructor what his deepest dive was he replied 450 feet. I figured he knew what he was doing at 150.

 

[billindenver]

I have a pretty solid opinion on what makes a good instructor, instilled in me by those who taught me to teach others. Skills and knowledge go without saying but what separates the good from the decent is the ability to read your student. When teaching a new driver on the race track I have them slide their mic up until I can hear their breathing in my headset..I can tell how much stress I am putting them under and gauge how comfortable they are by how they breath. When teaching skydiving you can't hear them breathe, but you can see their eyes and the eyes tell all when it comes to stress levels. When a student is standing in the door of an airplane and is on the edge of panic it is easy to see if you are looking for it, and then you laugh and joke with them until that look fades. They will leave the plane with that look in their eyes if you say to...but they will nearly always screw up the jump and have to repeat it. Help them into the right mindset and more often than not they get it right.

Scuba is much the same thing. I watched our instructor do exactly the wrong thing with my girl and kept my mouth shut. When she got out of the water and would not go further, I got out and talked with her...explained what she had been feeling and why and she got back in. The difference between an instructor who can regurgitate what he has been taught to a student and one who can read someone's mental state and help them past a block....that is what makes a good instructor. I believe a good instructor is not about the skills they teach, it's about the mindset they put their students in.

 

[Noboundaries]

What defines a good instructor?

Knowledgeable, not just about the procedures, but also about the reasons the procedures exist and has the experience to offer examples.

Patience, understanding that every person is different with their own unique learning curve.

Uncompromised integrity to the standards of expected performance.

Possesses the ability to recognize the mistakes a student is making and can make simple, corrective suggestions to eliminate the mistakes. Also can recognize the limits of what would challenge a student and ensures the student explores those limits.

A multi-tasker.

Respect for others.

A love for diving, diving equipment, diving environments, divers themselves, and people who want to get into diving.

Here's a warning for those who want to instruct. Long ago I learned "we teach best what we want to learn the most." I don't remember who said it. I've ended up instructing just about every profession and hobby I've ever become involved with, but I won't become a diving instructor. Personally, the responsibilities associated with instruction eventually diminished my relaxation and enjoyment of the profession/hobby and in time I moved on to other pursuits, literally abandoning my acquired knowledge and skills. I don't want that to happen with diving.

My wife on the other hand is a teacher, administrator, executive with a strong desire to teach scuba to women and kids. In the 31+ years she's known me, she's witnessed my experiences and still has a strong desire to instruct diving. She has my complete support because she is a different person than me and will be great instructor when it happens.

 

[HenryG]

For me it is simple , I have to get the feeling that they love what they are doing and actually want to be teaching.