Questions to ask potential Instructors

[Scooby64]

Hi Folks,

Seeing as this is only my second post please don't flame me if this is a redundent/stupid question!

I am currently looking for some place to get myself trained and certified for basic diving (yup...I have never actually gone scuba diving anywhere other than the local pool).

By lurking in the forums I have come to the conclusion that it doesn't really matter what type of certification a person gets, it's all more-or-less the same for the basic level. What counts much more is the quality of the instructor and facility.

Someone mentioned that there are 5-10 questions a potential student should ask a diving facility before signing up.

Now...what would those 5-10 questions be????
What should I look for in any instructional facility?

At the moment I am looking at two different facilities (one PADI, the other NAUI) and both seem equally competent from my newbie perspective.

Thanks to everyone for the replies!

Cheers,
Daryl

 

[sealkie]

how many students in the class
how much is the class
what do I need to buy or rent for the class
Are the books included in the price
Are the cert dives included in the price
How many hours in the pool
How many hours in lectures
What if I want more pool time
Where can I do my check out dives - how much - equipment ??
IS the class taught by one instructor or team taught by 2 or 3

 

[coberry7]

Do you like the instructor?
Do you have to buy gear to take the class?
Is the instructor familiar with the local dive sites?
How many students has the instructor/shop taught in the past month?
Do you get pool time after certification to brush up before a trip?
Do you get a discount if you decide to buy gear?
How many people are in the class?
Check out team teaching...Who will be with you the whole time?

 

[Karl_in_Calif]

1) WHO is teaching this class? Name & phone number.
2) How long have you been teaching?
3) How long have you been diving?
4) How many students in the class?
5) How many assistants? (D/Ms DMCs etc)
6) How many training dives?
7) Any freediving first?
8) How much does the next class for AOW cost?
9) How do you feel about dive computers vs dive tables?
10) How do you feel about nitrox vs air?
11) Do you also teach nitrox?
12) Can we combine nitrox with this class?
13) Will I have an assigned buddy or will we switch buddies?

 

[MikeFerrara]

If you do a search I've posted a list more than once. Once I think even in a thread with a similar title as this.

The questions should be centered around finding out the diving and teaching experience of the instructor.

Whether or not they reallt teach important skills like buoyancy control and how to dive with a buddy.

Making sure there's enough time in the pool to develop skills

And a few other things. There was a pretty long list of questions designed to find out some of this stuff.

 

[raviepoo]

THis is the list he posted in August in a thread called "New diver... questions for your instructor".

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=34202&highlight=instructor

I think this is probably the list that you are looking for.

****************************

Someplace I have a list that I posted before and I'll try to find it.

Off the top of my head though...
Ask some general questions about the instructors experience and what kind of diving and training they have been involved in beyond their teaching.

Ask about the experience of the assistants.

Ask how much pool time you get in the class. Many classes are rushing through in 5 or 6 hours. I've never seen that work well. We 15 or so.

Ask if they teach trim

Ask if the assist you in actually getting correctly trimed in the water.

Ask if they will have you practice emergency management skills lik free flow breathing, mask clearing and air sharing off the bottom. Also ask if the instructor will demonstrate these skills off the bottom. If they can't do it in 3 or 4 feet of water you've got the wrong instructor.

Ask what finning techniques they teach. It should be more than just a flutter.

Ask for a general description of how the class is run and how skills are practiced.

Size of the class and number of assistants.

Ask about the number and length of the OW dives. If they're giving students 20 minute dives go someplace else.

Ask if they teach gas management

Ask if there's classroom discussuions beyond going over knowledge reviews. An instructor who doesn't have anything to say to a new diver doesn't know anything.

Ask if there's a class going on that you can watch

Ask if the instructor has any video of himself in the water. If an instructor can't dive it's likely he can't teach. You'll have to find some video of good divers and bad divers first as a comparisson. I actually include that in my class so students see what it looks like in the water.

 

[bwerb]

How much diving do you do outside of teaching classes/doing check-out dives with students. What types of diving do you personally enjoy. Are you currently taking any further dive training yourself.