I just love that James was was willing to say "Don't give certs to divers that aren't ready" and "Calm the F&C$ down a little" to any overconfident instructor. I don't love swearing but having the courage and passion to state the important in no uncertain terms makes me trust and James and love watching his channel. Good on ya, James.
A bit of a late comment but I appreciated your bit on backing yourself. I’m a new instructor, I’ve been certified for 4 months now, and at the shop I did my IDC with and now work at they require all new instructors to team teach/shadow their more experienced instructors for a few classes before they will let you teach solo. I was happy with my performance in my IDC and IE but was still very nervous about actually teaching a class and having brand new students put their trust and safety in me. Team teaching helped me build my confidence in my own abilities and taught me a lot that wasn’t covered in the IDC about the actual day to day of teaching. And when it did come time to teach my first class solo the fact that those more experienced instructors thought I was ready gave me more confidence in my abilities even if I was still a bit nervous.
I think focusing on OW, AOW, and the basics for a good bit of time after I became an instructor was super helpful. And talking openly about mistakes I make has been a great way for my students and myself to learn.
We where not ready for minute 5:05 but OHHHHHHHH what a burn!!!!! Never saw that coming but, it's true. Great Advise James! And even more true, if instructors are only teaching to the bare minimum we are doing our students a huge dis service. We should not be the Mc Donalds of Dive Certs.
I don’t teach SCUBA, but as an instructor for other technical skills I can say that continuing to be a student makes you a better instructor, and that being an instructor makes you a better student.
My 10 tips 1. It’s a part time hobby, you’ll make a few dollars.(That’s why James has this channel)😆 2. Be careful of ego divers. 3. Certifications don’t mean they or you are a good diver. 4. Experience makes a good diver, not the number of dives 5. Always listen to other divers, regardless of experience. 6. One on one is always better. 7. Just because they filled out the medical form, doesn’t mean they told the truth. 8. Expect the unexpected. 9. Instructors and students should never feel pressured. 10. If in doubt, don’t go out.
I'm guilty of No.7. Mainly because folks that don't know asthma freak out when they see it on there. However, I keep the med alert app current on my phone should EMT/P's need to know. I'm sure that's on the less critical side of your list though. When I was about a month post op for a rotator cuff/labrum repair/reconstruction surgery I tried to convince myself that diving would be ok because I don't use my hands often lol. Common sense won that fight and I have been dry for the past 6 months. I recently got back from a trip to Roatan where we snorkeled. The current worked my shoulder but that was just from it being so long since I swam in/against a current. No. 10 for me is the big one. If something isn't right scrub it all together.
@@JPINFV that’s right. Experience makes a good diver. 100 dives in the same dive sites doesn’t give you experience. I’d rather go somewhere new every time.
"She's in Montana" - but there are so many people in... Ohhhhh. How she got away with that, I'll never know, yet we have frivolous cases of poor diver buddies who have done their best being hounded... I'll be going for instructor at some point. I've only been diving for a 18 months or so I've got a long way to go yet but I dive as often in as many different conditions as I can, I gladly do what I can to assist my local/school club every week (hauling, gear sorting, filling, trip planning and photography). I love taking newer qualified divers in and doing what I can with my limited capacity to support. I learn as much as I can and progress as much as I can afford. I'm a teacher by day and enjoy the teaching aspect so much, I'm really looking forwards to doing it for something I'm especially passionate about. Thanks for the videos :)
I am in the same position. Math teacher by trade slowly working toward becoming an instructor. I think it'll be exciting to teach people something they WANT to learn rather than the math they are required to take.
interesting that didactics arent mandatory for instructors over there. where I live it's a necessity for anyone that wants to be an instructor to have taken a standard didactics course on how to give (sports) classes. it's literally a generic course on how to teach, which is actually mandatory for a lot of sports coaches and instructors over here. And they can only start their sports specific courses ( like diving instructor ) after passing the exam for that. anyways, full agree on the tips. at the end of the day, your instructor can either teach you right, or just teach you the bare minimum and lets you go make mistakes that could get you hurt or even killed. Like, a football coach could get you injured by doing a bad job. but for a dive instructor there's a fairly big chance that they'd get you killed if they do a bad job.
Not an instructor nor do I plan to be in the near future. However, there are several things I wish someone had told me. First in a long line is you don't have to be in the water to practice removing and replacing your mask. Also equalizing can also be practiced out of the water. Neither one exactly the same but helps build muscle memory so the only thing you are really learning is doing it in the water.
Yeah, top points! Also, I've seen too many videos of people taking OW classes who forcefully blow out through their regulator to try to clear their mask. Somewhere along the way, the words "breathe out slowly through your nose" were not said. This can also be practiced on dry land. I also saw a video of a guy who got really bad mask squeeze because he didn't know you can equalise the mask by breathing through the nose. Totally shocked me, but we forget how little people without training know about what is 2nd nature to people with training.
I have been an instructor for 3 years. I learned the hard way to pay attention to the students in the swim assessment. Why, first you can see if they are good swimmers and if they are comfortable in the water. Two. You can assess their fitness level. The students who have had problems or paniced on me were not comfortable in the water and were not physically fit for diving. In warm water with 100 ft viz , is one thing but cold water in 10 ft viz can cause a lot of anxiety if you are not comfortable in the water. Nothing scares the hell out of you more than a student panicking underwater. I have seen many an instructor not pay much attention during this. Just my two cents.
Great video James, it’s echoing what my dad has said to me when I’m looking at doing an Instructor Course in the future. Have you done a video on your journey to diving ( from OW to I.E and Tech courses? ) if not I think it would be a great video!
Hi M att! I have talked about that on many different platforms. Check out my League Of Extraordinary Divers podcast episode 51 with Tec Clark. scubaguru.com/lxd051-james-blackman/
hoping to get an instructor towards the end of the year. I'd love to hear about if there are any significant differences between how to be a good tech instructor and what differences you need between them if any
I'm currently in a divemaster class and plan to do instructor later this year or beginning of next. I want to make sure I get some good experience assisting in classes (that's really all us inland divemasters can do) before starting the instructor process. I've heard from other instructors that assisting in the instruction of OW classes is a really good preparation. Right now, as part of my DM class, I'm also observing/shadowing a class and hope to shadow other instructors. I can't "teach" yet, but I can be a gopher and tank schlepper for the instructor. I hope to be the humble, teachable type. Mostly, I want others to love being in water and have a good experience on their upcoming trips. Hopefully I can inspire them to keep it up and not just do 2 dives on the cruise ship. I want to encourage them to continue diving.
Matthew Ecklund, having been in your shoes in the past, I will say that having empathy for your students and being calm and patient with them helps TONS! I have had Instructors myself, who have yelled at their students (me included), which in turn gives them even more anxiety and diminished confidence. I try to be calm and encouraging with my students until such a time as there is a need to be loud and forceful. Thankfully that time is very few and far between. It also helps to have confidence when speaking and know your craft. Practice your classes solo then in front of other people who you are comfortable speaking in front of. Knowing the material that you are discussing helps to instill confidence in the students. Also don't be afraid to tell them you don't know, don't try to BS your way around it or through it. But be prepared to find the answer and give it to them as soon as you can.
James, Once again you hit it out of the ocean.... The new instructor needs to learn how to teach and buddy up with senior instructors. They need to learn different ways to approach or explain something to a student. I agree with you that a new instructor is not ever going to be the worlds worse instructor and that she is in Montana -- (What a horrible and tragic shit show.....) Many of the instructors that come out of there IE with the "I'm a Scuba God, I can do no wrong" attitude make bad students, because they are bad students and don't want to get better. (i glad that you learned how to be a good if not great instructor!!!) I always encourage many instructors to take classes on how to teach better, take classes to enhance their own scuba knowledge, Sit in on other instructor classes ... always learn something new... If I'm doing open waters (and sometimes pool) with other instructors and we have time, I will have them run me through skills. I do this For a couple ways 1) lets me see it from a student point of view 2) it shows students that even their instructor can improve and is not in the ego sport of scuba. 3) I don't want to get complacent with my own skills. Many years ago I started diving and getting into the technical side and then stopped because my friends moved away and and now Im starting to get back into it. It is refreshing, to relearn everything and improving my skills and learning to doing more safely. I have been teaching for 37+ years (SSI) and SDI/TDI 27+ years.
The biggest thing that caused me to leave the dive industry in the 1990’s was the constant fight with dive shop owners and managers about standards and safety!
When looking for a job as an instructor. Interview the dive shop. Make sure that they are not a certification mill. That you will have the time needed to teach your students the skills they need. Not just the minimum. Teach smaller numbers of students at first if possible. Keep your eye out for good dive masters. Watch how good instructors teach.
I´ve assisted instructors, new and seasoned, for years. One thing to make averything more easy is getting clear on the simple logistics. Some centers are good at this, many are really not. If something is messed up, timeplan, gear, spare gear, gas, transport or similar, it just makes everything more confusing for the students and the instructor. Everybody is more stressed and you spend a lot of time with the wrong focus. You are running out of daylight but are still not finished for the day, and it´s a bitch to have cold, tired and hungry students just because the promised snack bar was closed and you didn´t bring any food or shelter.
Hi James! Wrapping up Rescue Diver and am interested in Divemaster. Who would be a renowned Director or Divemaster who travels to teach the course in places like the Maldives or known dive sites. I prefer quality over cost. Thanks man
Ok…… a number of dive instructors have suggested that I become in instructor… I have experience teaching students in a “ elevated risk “hobby, but nothing like diving… My biggest issue is I don’t believe I’m in any position to instruct anyone about diving…
i'd add: don't let yourself be indoctrinated by sports diver random agency bullshit, but from experience, and learn tech diving techniques and incorporate them.
I disagree on the 4 fundamentals (breathing, buoy, trim, prop). This is all wrong. The most fundamental thing of all is: always looks cool. Seriously, we all know that 😂😂😂
OMG! I burst out laughing when you said that you're not going to be worst dive instructor, because she lives in Montana. BRILLIANT!
So true
“She’s in Montana” James you Rock!
I paused the video and came searching for this exact post! (I knew someone would post about it)
He really threw down the gauntlet!
I just love that James was was willing to say "Don't give certs to divers that aren't ready" and "Calm the F&C$ down a little" to any overconfident instructor. I don't love swearing but having the courage and passion to state the important in no uncertain terms makes me trust and James and love watching his channel. Good on ya, James.
A bit of a late comment but I appreciated your bit on backing yourself. I’m a new instructor, I’ve been certified for 4 months now, and at the shop I did my IDC with and now work at they require all new instructors to team teach/shadow their more experienced instructors for a few classes before they will let you teach solo. I was happy with my performance in my IDC and IE but was still very nervous about actually teaching a class and having brand new students put their trust and safety in me. Team teaching helped me build my confidence in my own abilities and taught me a lot that wasn’t covered in the IDC about the actual day to day of teaching. And when it did come time to teach my first class solo the fact that those more experienced instructors thought I was ready gave me more confidence in my abilities even if I was still a bit nervous.
I think focusing on OW, AOW, and the basics for a good bit of time after I became an instructor was super helpful.
And talking openly about mistakes I make has been a great way for my students and myself to learn.
We where not ready for minute 5:05 but OHHHHHHHH what a burn!!!!! Never saw that coming but, it's true. Great Advise James! And even more true, if instructors are only teaching to the bare minimum we are doing our students a huge dis service. We should not be the Mc Donalds of Dive Certs.
Good stuff! Being an instructor trainer, explaining to candidates this is IDC vs Real Life is crucial in courses. Thanks James.
As always, great content. I about spit my coffee out at the “she lives in Montana” comment. 😂
I don’t teach SCUBA, but as an instructor for other technical skills I can say that continuing to be a student makes you a better instructor, and that being an instructor makes you a better student.
My 10 tips
1. It’s a part time hobby, you’ll make a few dollars.(That’s why James has this channel)😆
2. Be careful of ego divers.
3. Certifications don’t mean they or you are a good diver.
4. Experience makes a good diver, not the number of dives
5. Always listen to other divers, regardless of experience.
6. One on one is always better.
7. Just because they filled out the medical form, doesn’t mean they told the truth.
8. Expect the unexpected.
9. Instructors and students should never feel pressured.
10. If in doubt, don’t go out.
I'm guilty of No.7. Mainly because folks that don't know asthma freak out when they see it on there. However, I keep the med alert app current on my phone should EMT/P's need to know. I'm sure that's on the less critical side of your list though. When I was about a month post op for a rotator cuff/labrum repair/reconstruction surgery I tried to convince myself that diving would be ok because I don't use my hands often lol. Common sense won that fight and I have been dry for the past 6 months. I recently got back from a trip to Roatan where we snorkeled. The current worked my shoulder but that was just from it being so long since I swam in/against a current.
No. 10 for me is the big one. If something isn't right scrub it all together.
@@bsdurden02 I love your honesty. Thank you.
Number 7 is especially true
4. There's a difference between someone who has 100 dives and someone who has 1 dive repeated 100 times.
@@JPINFV that’s right. Experience makes a good diver. 100 dives in the same dive sites doesn’t give you experience. I’d rather go somewhere new every time.
"She's in Montana" - but there are so many people in... Ohhhhh. How she got away with that, I'll never know, yet we have frivolous cases of poor diver buddies who have done their best being hounded...
I'll be going for instructor at some point. I've only been diving for a 18 months or so I've got a long way to go yet but I dive as often in as many different conditions as I can, I gladly do what I can to assist my local/school club every week (hauling, gear sorting, filling, trip planning and photography). I love taking newer qualified divers in and doing what I can with my limited capacity to support. I learn as much as I can and progress as much as I can afford. I'm a teacher by day and enjoy the teaching aspect so much, I'm really looking forwards to doing it for something I'm especially passionate about.
Thanks for the videos :)
I am in the same position. Math teacher by trade slowly working toward becoming an instructor. I think it'll be exciting to teach people something they WANT to learn rather than the math they are required to take.
@@richardkilburn2253 perfectly worded :) it's such a pleasure teaching people that really want it :)
I'm new instructor from Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 ❤️❤️ thanks
Couldn’t have come at a better time! I have my IE tomorrow. Wish me luck :)
Good luck!!
Good luck .. and well wishes
Thanks for the tips. Came just at the right time, as I am heading of to Dahab on April 3rd to do my ITC and take the IE.
Best of luck!
Good luck with your IE....
Good luck Nigel! Let us know how it goes!
@@DiversReady Many thanks James. I passed!!
Btw, you can say hello to my ITC instructor Andy Suess at the rebreather forum in Malta ;)
@@dive_with_matt Hey Matt, probably the most intense and challenging 12 days I have had in a very long time but I have passed my IE
interesting that didactics arent mandatory for instructors over there.
where I live it's a necessity for anyone that wants to be an instructor to have taken a standard didactics course on how to give (sports) classes. it's literally a generic course on how to teach, which is actually mandatory for a lot of sports coaches and instructors over here. And they can only start their sports specific courses ( like diving instructor ) after passing the exam for that.
anyways, full agree on the tips. at the end of the day, your instructor can either teach you right, or just teach you the bare minimum and lets you go make mistakes that could get you hurt or even killed.
Like, a football coach could get you injured by doing a bad job. but for a dive instructor there's a fairly big chance that they'd get you killed if they do a bad job.
Not an instructor nor do I plan to be in the near future.
However, there are several things I wish someone had told me. First in a long line is you don't have to be in the water to practice removing and replacing your mask. Also equalizing can also be practiced out of the water. Neither one exactly the same but helps build muscle memory so the only thing you are really learning is doing it in the water.
Yeah, top points! Also, I've seen too many videos of people taking OW classes who forcefully blow out through their regulator to try to clear their mask. Somewhere along the way, the words "breathe out slowly through your nose" were not said. This can also be practiced on dry land. I also saw a video of a guy who got really bad mask squeeze because he didn't know you can equalise the mask by breathing through the nose. Totally shocked me, but we forget how little people without training know about what is 2nd nature to people with training.
I have been an instructor for 3 years. I learned the hard way to pay attention to the students in the swim assessment. Why, first you can see if they are good swimmers and if they are comfortable in the water. Two. You can assess their fitness level. The students who have had problems or paniced on me were not comfortable in the water and were not physically fit for diving. In warm water with 100 ft viz , is one thing but cold water in 10 ft viz can cause a lot of anxiety if you are not comfortable in the water. Nothing scares the hell out of you more than a student panicking underwater. I have seen many an instructor not pay much attention during this. Just my two cents.
Great video James, it’s echoing what my dad has said to me when I’m looking at doing an Instructor Course in the future.
Have you done a video on your journey to diving ( from OW to I.E and Tech courses? ) if not I think it would be a great video!
Hi M att! I have talked about that on many different platforms. Check out my League Of Extraordinary Divers podcast episode 51 with Tec Clark. scubaguru.com/lxd051-james-blackman/
I’m a relatively new bsac instructor, so some of the more commercial aspects of this don’t apply in quite the same way - but all are very good points!
hoping to get an instructor towards the end of the year. I'd love to hear about if there are any significant differences between how to be a good tech instructor and what differences you need between them if any
I'm currently in a divemaster class and plan to do instructor later this year or beginning of next. I want to make sure I get some good experience assisting in classes (that's really all us inland divemasters can do) before starting the instructor process. I've heard from other instructors that assisting in the instruction of OW classes is a really good preparation. Right now, as part of my DM class, I'm also observing/shadowing a class and hope to shadow other instructors. I can't "teach" yet, but I can be a gopher and tank schlepper for the instructor.
I hope to be the humble, teachable type. Mostly, I want others to love being in water and have a good experience on their upcoming trips. Hopefully I can inspire them to keep it up and not just do 2 dives on the cruise ship. I want to encourage them to continue diving.
Matthew Ecklund, having been in your shoes in the past, I will say that having empathy for your students and being calm and patient with them helps TONS! I have had Instructors myself, who have yelled at their students (me included), which in turn gives them even more anxiety and diminished confidence. I try to be calm and encouraging with my students until such a time as there is a need to be loud and forceful. Thankfully that time is very few and far between. It also helps to have confidence when speaking and know your craft. Practice your classes solo then in front of other people who you are comfortable speaking in front of. Knowing the material that you are discussing helps to instill confidence in the students. Also don't be afraid to tell them you don't know, don't try to BS your way around it or through it. But be prepared to find the answer and give it to them as soon as you can.
James, Once again you hit it out of the ocean....
The new instructor needs to learn how to teach and buddy up with senior instructors. They need to learn different ways to approach or explain something to a student.
I agree with you that a new instructor is not ever going to be the worlds worse instructor and that she is in Montana -- (What a horrible and tragic shit show.....)
Many of the instructors that come out of there IE with the "I'm a Scuba God, I can do no wrong" attitude make bad students, because they are bad students and don't want to get better. (i glad that you learned how to be a good if not great instructor!!!)
I always encourage many instructors to take classes on how to teach better, take classes to enhance their own scuba knowledge, Sit in on other instructor classes ... always learn something new... If I'm doing open waters (and sometimes pool) with other instructors and we have time, I will have them run me through skills. I do this For a couple ways 1) lets me see it from a student point of view 2) it shows students that even their instructor can improve and is not in the ego sport of scuba. 3) I don't want to get complacent with my own skills.
Many years ago I started diving and getting into the technical side and then stopped because my friends moved away and and now Im starting to get back into it. It is refreshing, to relearn everything and improving my skills and learning to doing more safely.
I have been teaching for 37+ years (SSI) and SDI/TDI 27+ years.
1. do not harm anyone.
2. open your mind because we are learning the whole life.
3. train and work hard.
Another great video!
The biggest thing that caused me to leave the dive industry in the 1990’s was the constant fight with dive shop owners and managers about standards and safety!
Sometimes an Instructor, always a student.
💯
When looking for a job as an instructor. Interview the dive shop. Make sure that they are not a certification mill. That you will have the time needed to teach your students the skills they need. Not just the minimum. Teach smaller numbers of students at first if possible. Keep your eye out for good dive masters. Watch how good instructors teach.
I´ve assisted instructors, new and seasoned, for years. One thing to make averything more easy is getting clear on the simple logistics. Some centers are good at this, many are really not. If something is messed up, timeplan, gear, spare gear, gas, transport or similar, it just makes everything more confusing for the students and the instructor. Everybody is more stressed and you spend a lot of time with the wrong focus. You are running out of daylight but are still not finished for the day, and it´s a bitch to have cold, tired and hungry students just because the promised snack bar was closed and you didn´t bring any food or shelter.
Hi James, do you have a new discount code for Matthias course?
Need your recommendation sir
Hi James! Wrapping up Rescue Diver and am interested in Divemaster. Who would be a renowned Director or Divemaster who travels to teach the course in places like the Maldives or known dive sites. I prefer quality over cost. Thanks man
Are you just looking at DM, or Instructor also?
I’m actually looking at both sir
Ok…… a number of dive instructors have suggested that I become in instructor… I have experience teaching students in a “ elevated risk “hobby, but nothing like diving… My biggest issue is I don’t believe I’m in any position to instruct anyone about diving…
i'd add: don't let yourself be indoctrinated by sports diver random agency bullshit, but from experience, and learn tech diving techniques and incorporate them.
“She is in Montana” 😂
I disagree on the 4 fundamentals (breathing, buoy, trim, prop). This is all wrong. The most fundamental thing of all is: always looks cool.
Seriously, we all know that 😂😂😂