Going Above the Standards: The Fallacy

Like many people, I like to waste my non-diving time by going on various scuba on-line forums and reading scuba diving blogs. As I try to evolve as a scuba diving instructor, I like to read about what other instructors are doing. You never know, someone may have some good ideas about how to run specific drills or how to handle students in a particular way. When I read through a lot of this, much of what people advertise about their classes is that they go above and beyond what the training agency standards say. Heck, I’ve even said this about my own classes and I’m sure it’s written somewhere on my web site. As I’ve grown as an instructor, one thing has become obviously clear, going above the training standards just isn’t enough. [Read more...]

PADI’s Go Pro Program, the Final Nail in the Coffin?

Duane Johnson - Tech Instructor

Duane Johnson - Tech Instructor

I’ve been receiving many emails and have seen advertisements for PADI’s Go Pro program. Basically, PADI is encouraging more and more people to become Divemasters or move up to Open Water Scuba Instructors. There might even be some kind of reward for instructors and stores to certify more dive professionals. Is this program beneficial to the diving industry or is it doing more harm than good? I feel that this program may be the final nail in the coffin for the diving industry. [Read more...]

PADI Revises Business of Diving Section of the IDC

If you haven’t seen this announcement from PADI yet, here it is. I pulled it from here. Does PADI really think that this is the correct approach? Instructors can be good sales people, but they are instructors first. If PADI wants to revisit anything, how about defining mastery for their classes or lengthening the courses? The truth is, dive instructors should not be sales mules. We teach diving, as a training organization, that should be PADI’s primary focus. Not trying to make more sales. Just proof that there are more and more people selling out the sport of diving. OK, I’m off my soap box. I’m sorry if I’m being rude, but I am passionate about diving education. [Read more...]

Evolving Recreational Scuba Diving Courses: Mentoring and Coaching

Duane Johnson - Tech Instructor

Duane Johnson - Tech Instructor

As diving professionals, we discuss with our students the importance of continuing their diving education. Learning new skills to enhance their diving is a great way to keep people diving and enjoying our underwater world. However, continuing education must go further than just learning a few new skills. As diving professionals, we are supposed to have superior diving skills, we are supposed to be trained on how to present diving material in order to maximize student learning. We should be using the opportunity continuing education courses give us to help mentor and coach divers, not just give them a license to take another class. [Read more...]