Point-for-point on what's missing from OW Classes

[wb416]

WreckWriter once bubbled...


The party line only goes so far, then you have to fall back on your experience. Tough, huh?

WW

I must say that the experience part IS a big deal to me. I want to make sure that I have plenty of real dive experience to pass along to students 'cause I've had it up to my eyeballs with instructors that read the class outlines to me and get that "deer in the headlights look" when you ask a question beyond their pathetic outlines.

I talked with a guy that was a DM in my OW course and became an instructor a few years ago. He hadn't had ONE SINGLE non-student training dive in the last few years, and has a couple hundred students certified. Where, I ask you, is he adding value to classes? I would offer that without experience, he's adding absolutely NOTHING....

Sorry... you hit a sore spot....

wb

 

[MikeFerrara]

DiverBuoy once bubbled...
Giving a head's up to the ugliness in this thread.

Hey wait a minute! Is it legal to maderate your own argument? Isn't that like being the ref for a fight you're in?

 

[WreckWriter]

cwb once bubbled...
I must say that the experience part IS a big deal to me. I want to make sure that I have plenty of real dive experience to pass along to students 'cause I've had it up to my eyeballs with instructors that read the class outlines to me and get that "deer in the headlights look" when you ask a question beyond their pathetic outlines.

Exactly my point, and exactly my point in every disagreement I've had with our resident "PADI expert", without having done it, you can't teach it properly. The biggest disservice done to the diving community by the training agencies is allowing these "90 day wonder" instructors.

WW

 

[WreckWriter]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...
Hey wait a minute! Is it legal to maderate your own argument? Isn't that like being the ref for a fight you're in?

He wants someone else to jump in and chew on me. He might be surprized to find that at least a few of the other mods agree with me on this.

WW

 

[DiverBuoy]

That's why I keep diving, and training. When I heard that DIR required fitness 4 months ago. I changed my diet, lost 27 pounds and work out 3 times a week. In just the last 60 days I've dove in the BVI's, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, to add to all the Channel islands, Del Coronados Islands, Monterey, Wreck Alley San Diego, and over 50 mainland dive sites between San Deigo and Los Angeles. I've dove just shy of 100 times since I started on this board 5 months ago - NOT counting training dives! I love the sport and can't get enough of the experience. I believe experience is key. That is also why I dive with Course Directors all the time and tech divers and ask them thousands of questions. My inexhaustable desire for more knowledge and experience drove me to find this board in the first place. I look forward to all the years ahead with wide open arms.

On the subject at hand can training alone (and check-out dives) produce the divers everyone wants to see. IMO - no. Experience is the only way for the fundamentals to sink in and get perfected. I've stated before adding more to the OW course, when you see beginning divers who can't even put into practice what's already in the class won't help. On the other hand, making a serious advanced course, and under-inflating BOW students egos by reminding them they really aren't even real diver's until they take a "real" advanced course in diving, would be a start.

 

[wb416]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...


Hey wait a minute! Is it legal to maderate your own argument? Isn't that like being the ref for a fight you're in?

I've wondered that everytime I see the posts split off into a new thread the past few days or "facilitated" back to topic. Seems a bit self serving and "hands on" to me.

 

[DiverBuoy]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...
Hey wait a minute! Is it legal to maderate your own argument? Isn't that like being the ref for a fight you're in?

I didn't moderate anything here. I merely addressed WreckWriter's comment on how many posts I've made to the moderators forum. I stated that I've made 1 concerning this thread. One of the requirements in being a reg is to give a courtesy head's up to the rest of the group on anything you feel should be. That is all that was done.

Sheesh, again WreckWriter takes us off-topic. Will it ever end?

 

[MikeFerrara]

cwb once bubbled...


I must say that the experience part IS a big deal to me. I want to make sure that I have plenty of real dive experience to pass along to students 'cause I've had it up to my eyeballs with instructors that read the class outlines to me and get that "deer in the headlights look" when you ask a question beyond their pathetic outlines.

I talked with a guy that was a DM in my OW course and became an instructor a few years ago. He hadn't had ONE SINGLE non-student training dive in the last few years, and has a couple hundred students certified. Where, I ask you, is he adding value to classes? I would offer that without experience, he's adding absolutely NOTHING....

Sorry... you hit a sore spot....

wb

Hey! finally a good argument for doing it all with home study. If the student knows how to read and the instructor doesn't have anything to say anyway... You might as well do it without the instructor.

 

[TCDiver1]

I thought the topic was what was missing from OW?

 

[WreckWriter]

DiverBuoy once bubbled...


I didn't moderate anything here. I merely addressed WreckWriter's comment on how many posts I've made to the moderators forum. I stated that I've made 1 concerning this thread. One of the requirements in being a reg is to give a courtesy head's up to the rest of the group on anything you feel should be. That is all that was done.

Sheesh, again WreckWriter takes us off-topic. Will it ever end?

Always my fault, huh? I think this is actually on topic, instructor experience or lack thereof.

Sure you didn't moderate anything here. You have, however, edited your own posts after they've been replied to about 10 times in this thread alone.

btw- when moderators edit their own posts it doesn't show on the post like it does for regular members

WW