Worth it or just a $$ making scheme

[Jim Lapenta]

The furthest I've had students come for my class was 700 and 250 miles. The first also brought 3 dogs and
Spent at least 3 times the cost of the class just getting here and staying in a motel for 3 nights. I set up a special
All day classroom for them and added more on site classroom instruction to meet their needs. I still am in contact with them and they want to do more training with me. I have a nav class in June or early July I may see if they want to do. I have two signed up for it now. It will require 3 days with one being all day classroom. I guess mu feeling is if they are paying me to teach them I should. Not give em a book and say here go home and teach yourself then we'lll do some dives.

 

[Quero]

Wow, Jim, it's great that you are so attentive to students' needs! It does depend, though, on how students learn whether an all day classroom session will benefit them. I personally don't learn well in that sort of setting. Give me a book and time to work through it at my own pace, then I'll be ready to clarify any bits and pieces I need to with my instructor. I have never needed an entire day to clarify my questions. Even for more advanced professional levels and tech training this has been my preferred learning method. Lectures do absolutely nothing for me. Neither do videos. I just sit and fidget and watch the clock wishing it were over.

I have been an educator (and a teacher educator) for decades, so in my own classes I talk first with my students to find out their preferred learning styles, and we do the course accordingly. Some love the powerpoint presentations and can't focus on a book; others need to watch a video early and then read, with reinforcement through the powerpoints. Others don't need the powerpoints at all. And so on....

I've also had students come to me from great distances (even from different continents) largely because in our pre-course discussions they felt they were being heard in terms of their learning needs. The longest I've spent on an AOW course has been 15 dives (with no specialties awarded); the student was a banker from London. I have to admit that this 15-dive AOW course had a different pricing structure from the typical AOW courses I teach! But this was a student with particular needs whose objectives were met by designing and delivering the course in this way.

I really think we're all saying the same thing: listen to what the learners' objectives are and do whatever you can to meet them.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Exactly. I could not agree more. The ONLY reason I agreed to do it that way was based on several phone conversations and emails that convinced me they were motivated enough and intelligent enough to handle that type of setting. We did take breaks, I broke up the lectures and power points with some short stories, had them handle gear, and made sure to answer questions during our time at the lake.

The AOW class I have tonite actually started back in January when the student and I worked on buoyancy and trim prior to his trip to Cozumel. The time we spent and the things we covered are the reason he is coming back for more. The effects on his diving that those 3 hours had according to him were dramatic in terms of comfort, awareness, and air consumption. I cannot emphasize enough the results when you get away from the book and teach to the students needs while still meeting standards and more so exceeding them. Normally the AOW classroom is two sessions or even three if time and student needs dictate that. AT NO EXTRA COST.

THankfully I don't do this for a living so I can take as much time as they need if I want to. I have an OW class starting next week that was initially one person. That went to three at 9 last night, and 5 at 4 this afternoon. Because of the way I teach the class and where my emphasis is. The class is now full. I will not take any more OW students until this one is done in mid June. And it looks like that one is full as well. 4 of the people will be driving an hour and a half each way twice a week for it. I'm cutting them a nice break on tuition in appreciation of them doing that.

One of the OW students next week talked two other people into taking the class. As a result she is getting $50 off the cost of her course. I have a policy that since I do not have the budget to advertise in the paper, radio, tv, etc that any time a student refers someone to me and they take a class at full price, even a specialty the referring student gets a $25 check. My class is $289. Refer 12 people and you just paid for your class plus.

 

[Garth]

more dives with an instructor. . .

for me I became friends with my advanced open water instructor. Now we dive together. I like diving with him not only because he is an experienced diver that can mentor me but he has likeminded sense for safety and gear.

 

[mksmith713]

In my honest opinion, AOW, Nitrox and Rescue are all well worth the time.
I live in SE Florida and 100% of the boat dives I do require AOW and Nitrox.

 

[inked59]

Doesn't PADI require the AOW and EFR before you can take Rescue Diver? That's how it works with our LDS. So the answer to your question would be check with your LDS and see what they require for you to take before you get to Rescue Diver.