Tricky student

[Bob DBF]

Considering his lack of focus on the training, I'd try to find out why he even wants to dive since he won't be certified without the training. If you don't find out what his thinking is, and solve the issue(s), there is no reason to get back in the water with him.



Bob
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I may be old, but I’m not dead yet.

 

[Allan C Smith]

Might be a Good idea to have him dive with another student. Instill a since of competition on skill mastery as well as the structure that comes in to play when you have more than one student in the water.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

One other possibility to consider: is this person a plant deliberately trying to frustrate you for purposes of your training or evaluation as an instructor? The described behavior is unusual, to say the least, and certainly not typical of dive students with whom I have worked. It is time for the student to reveal the truth, and if he is in fact just a student who is disregarding instruction, it may be time to cease instruction, return to a confined water setting, and deliver some form of ultimatum. Perhaps another solution is to engage in one on one instruction, insisting on buddy proximity of "touching distance" as a condition. If he cannot comply, he should not be certified.
DivemasterDennis

 

[Zieg]

Squirrel!!!

 

[pasley]

Unlikely but remotly possible senario is Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). If the student has experienced trauma to the heat (auto accident, fall, blows in karate, been blown up a few times (common in veterans from the current wars) they may have a TBI. TBI often results in short term memory loss. Short term memory loss means they don't remember the immediate past (say what you said say 10 minutes ago), but remember things just fine after about 2 weeks (give or take a bit). This would explain being able to repeat your briefing within 1 minute of hearing it but not able to execute it at depth due to the passage of time (5 minuets). Long shot but possible.

End of the day it may be time to tell this student, not your sport. Not saying you can't teach a TBI, as I teach almost exclusiivly TBI but sometimes it just does not work out.

 

[wedivebc]

I had a student with similar issues. I had him write all my instructions down prior to the dive and he became much better at retaining the information. I believe this guy was a genius too.

 

[dbulmer]

To the OP,
I think wedivebc has a good point here.

If the bloke really is a 6th Dan Karateka then he will be accustomed to performing Kata. Kata is a set sequence of drills/movements which he must perform with great precision.

One thing you could do is write down on a slate/wetnotes the set of movements/underwater drills you expect him to perform then demo the movements and ask him to repeat them. Point out to him that you will expect him to do the movements exactly as shown and that the exercise will be performed 3 times.

Then ... explain that you will do the drill a 4th time and that his job will be to write down the mistake on a slate/wet notes - this forces him to be in close proximity. If he doesn't spot the mistake (it has to be an obvious one ) then he has to redo the exercise again etc ad nauseam.

Obviously you have to decide what the exercise is but if he keeps wandering off then you are entitled ever so nicely to tell him to go forth and multiply since you doubt he would be safe in the water.

 

[wedivebc]

One thing you could do is write down on a slate/wetnotes the set of movements/underwater drills you expect him to perform then demo the movements and ask him to repeat them. Point out to him that you will expect him to do the movements exactly as shown and that the exercise will be performed 3 times.

Then ... explain that you will do the drill a 4th time and that his job will be to write down the mistake on a slate/wet notes - this forces him to be in close proximity. If he doesn't spot the mistake (it has to be an obvious one ) then he has to redo the exercise again etc ad nauseam.
.

I should mention this only worked when the student wrote down the steps, not me.

 

[cnar]

My latest student is a lovely, if very quiet and self contained, man. He is a sixth dan black belt in karate so I assume does not lack self confidence.

Just as a by the way ....

I knew a number of people who got into karate etc simply because they lack self confidence. So don't let the belt fool you. Note you also said he's quiet and self contained, while this could be a good if not great character it could also be the exact opposite. Best advice is not to make assumptions and focus on all aspects including confidence and training drills. Personally I'd give him tasks to complete to keep him focus. Starting first in the pool.

 

[Beanbag1]

Thanks for all the advice, I have some possible new strategies now at least.

the comments about giving him a focus and similar strike a chord. I have emailed him tonight to set up a meet prior to our next lesson, which I have told him is back in the pool, to have a discussion about why he wants to dive and what he wants from it. Hopefully I can get to know how his mind is working better than just assuming we are on the same page!

thanks once again. I will report back!