Supervising training question

[eod]

I was doing the DM internship thing in the pool earlier this week. It was CW 5 in a PADI OW course. The instructor was evalutating some skill with one student while I was supervising the other 3 students right next to the instructor. The students I supervised were all doing the fin pivot to get a better feeling for bouyancy when suddenly one of the student managed to loose a fin. I was on it when I noticed she was totally calm and started to put the fin on herself. I thought, well, if she isn't panicking and can manage to put it on by herself underwater it must be very good for her feeling safer underwater. Of course I was right next to her and could help if it was needed. When the instructor saw it he went there right away and put it on. I didn't want to talk about it with the instructor while the students were present, and I forgot it later in the evening. So my question is, did I do wrong when not helping her?

 

[The Kraken]

I'm not a scuba instructor, but worked for many years as the council aquatic director (read that Boy Scout Camp waterfront director) for the Central Georgia Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Based upon my experience with working with many people who had challenges to meet, you acted perfectly.

First, there was no danger present in the situation as it occurred.

Second, the student exhibited no signs of excitement or anxiety (from what I gather given your description of the incident)
, the student was under control of her/his dive.

Third, the student took considered and proper action to remedy the situation.

Kudos for you for good judgement and, evidently, an innate ability to understand the art of teaching.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

You did the right thing not helping her. Students need to be liberated from depending on the instructor, DM, etc. as they move through their training. Divers must be able to depend on their skills once they start diving on their own and the best way to learn to do this is in a controlled environment. The more the students are coddled the more dependent on the instructor they become when it's time to solve a problem. Remember the students are not stupid, they are free thinking humans and by the time they are done with their training they should be able to take the skill set they are given and solve most if not all problems with it. That is exactly what that student was doing and since there was no danger as The Kraken said there was no harm in letting her work her way through the problem at hand. You did good.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[MB]

Far too often instructors just go through the motions without thinking or actually teaching. Looks like you encountered a "teachable moment" and exploited it well. In the absence of any sign of danger or anxiety, particularly in a pool, you did well to back off and give the student a chance to correct his/her own circumstance. If the student had encountered some difficulty, you might have prompted or demo'd what should be done, but replacing the fin for the student (and similar actions) is probably unnecessary. AND, what lesson does it teach: to depend on someone else?

Of course, a whole new line of logic is needed when swimming down this lane. Where should the "grown-up" be during stuff like this? What's the "correct" supervision model? Being within a couple of kicks is fine - if the student gets weird, or starts to acsend, you can intervene if needed. Of course the standard changes when you're doing regulator drills, or air sharing, but for gear adjustments and exchanges, staff usually need to get out of the way so students can learn.

Ms Rabbit's obsertaion is that instructors will inadvertantly create dependance in students. We do no favors to students when that happens.

Oh, one other observation: Your decision to avoid this discussion with the instructor while the student was present was an excellent one. Sounds to me like you've got good instructional instincts. I hope you also get good instructional models.

 

[FatCat]

IMHO you did just fine. Letting students solve their own problems (within limits of course) is the only way to get them to gain both experience and self-confidence.

 

[webjr]

So my question is, did I do wrong when not helping her?

If a student is calm , handling the problem themself , and in no danger , the best thing to do is just maintain a good position to move in quickly if needed . Sounds to me like that's exactly what you did .
You did great !

 

[skeet]

Don't forget to discuss it with your instructor, which he should have brought up himself after the session was over

 

[Mako Mark]

we learn from our own mistakes and from solving our own problems, so you did right. Had the student had trouble, then you should have helped, but this wasnt the case.

Good call, I would discuss it in future with the instructor when the right situation arises, ask him whether there was any particular reason he helped her, was there something he saw that you didnt? Was he in a rush and just decided it would be quicker if she had assistance??

Your instructor is your mentor remember, and it is good to ask questions, he may have had a very good reason, or he may have done it for no particular reason. If you dont ask for his advice, you wont know..

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Was she pretty???

 

[fmw625]

Al, you know that no one is pretty/handsom under water with mask and reg.