???'s for DeepDiverBob or Atlaua

[juls64]

Hi ;)-

I followed a link to your LDS website. I liked the website by the way. It was well organized, full of complete information. Very nice!

Anyway, I noticed your shop does all the confined water dives in a full day at the pool. I had not heard of it being done that way. It seems that would help the students just flow from one thing to the next. On the other hand, it seems like people may be REALLY tired at the end of the day. Also, do your instructors team teach for this, or it one instructor with certified assistants? I am interested in hearing more how this is working. Anything pro or con.

The same for a full day of classroom. Its a long day I'm sure. Do students seem to lose attention later in the day?

I am interested because we are finding less and less people are wanting to do the one night a week, or even 2 a week. They seem to want to get through the entire course more quickly.

Any thoughts, opinions or feedback will be appreciated.

Julie

[Atlaua]

Hi ;)-

I followed a link to your LDS website. I liked the website by the way. It was well organized, full of complete information. Very nice!

Anyway, I noticed your shop does all the confined water dives in a full day at the pool. I had not heard of it being done that way. It seems that would help the students just flow from one thing to the next. On the other hand, it seems like people may be REALLY tired at the end of the day. Also, do your instructors team teach for this, or it one instructor with certified assistants? I am interested in hearing more how this is working. Anything pro or con.

It just depends on the class size, somtimes it's 2 instructors but usually 1 with a DM or DMC. It is a long day.

The same for a full day of classroom. Its a long day I'm sure. Do students seem to lose attention later in the day?

They actually offer 2 choices, 3 weeknights or all day Saturday. I've only sat through 1 classroom session and it was with 1 person who had done her homework so it wasn't all that long of a day.

I am interested because we are finding less and less people are wanting to do the one night a week, or even 2 a week. They seem to want to get through the entire course more quickly.

This is bascily the point of the way they do things. I did my training over 6 weeks, and IMHO that is vastly superior to 2 days. Not only do you get more time in the water but you setup and remove your equip 6 times, over all I think you are more comfortable in the water.

The problem is what you describe. People come in that are headed to the Carribean in 10 days and have to have the class quick. They just can't sell a 6 week class.

The shop I did the 6 week class charged $100 less for the class than anyone else in town. That's the only way they can sell it, but if you do the math, they were breaking even on the classes at best.

There are a couple of us trying to convince the shop to offer both, a multi-week course for those who recoginze (or need) the benefits and a 2 day course for those who have to have it now. I hope they will because I think I got a lot more out of 6 weeks than I would have the other route.

James

[Finally Swimming]

The same for a full day of classroom. Its a long day I'm sure. Do students seem to lose attention later in the day?

Julie

I was wondering how many younger students (our daughter is 12) have any of you taught with a 1 or 2 day class? We had our classwork and confined water over 2 days and she still had a tough time keeping her focus. She had a hard time with the test. Since we have three more to go as they grow old enough to take the class, I was wondering if there is any advice. I know they definitely have the advantage of being around us for the next few years before they have it.

Denise

[Atlaua]

I was wondering how many younger students (our daughter is 12) have any of you taught with a 1 or 2 day class? We had our classwork and confined water over 2 days and she still had a tough time keeping her focus. She had a hard time with the test. Since we have three more to go as they grow old enough to take the class, I was wondering if there is any advice. I know they definitely have the advantage of being around us for the next few years before they have it.

Denise

IMHO, it is rare that a younger student can sit through an 8 hour day of classroom without loosing focus. For this group, I definatly think that multiple shorter sessions are probably best.

As far as the test is concerned, the 1 day classroom thing requires you to do some independant study. You should come into the the class haveing read the materials and done the self study exercises (knowledge reviews, etc) and use the class to help with subjects you don't fully understand.

This is something that can easily be handled with your other two children as they will have 3 certified divers to work with. In fact, they will have a big advantage of being able to get help from your 12 year old, i.e. someone who has a better chance of speaking their language :D.

James

[nauifins73]

Denise -

You might want to look into the SSI Ranger course or the PADI seal course for your kids. I don't know anything about the PADI class but I am a Ranger Instructor. There are 5 levels/stages for the Ranger program. My shop does 2 levels of the 5 on one Sat and 2 the following Sat and then usually on the Sun we have the Demo Ranger class. This is where the kids demonstrate a skill for their parents and anyone else who can come.

They are then able to dive in the pool and in some very confined OW dives. I have not done an OW with my Rangers & I must admit I need to find out exactly what is included and required for a Ranger to do that kind of dive.

Just a thought - maybe if they have gone through one of these course the Jr OW would be more interesting???

Becky

[Finally Swimming]

Thanks James and Becky,

it seems that as in all aspects of parenting, the first child is the one we parents get to practice on and the others will benefit from our learning. (hopefully anyway). Right now, I don't think we will be doing much with the younger ones. The boys are interested and reading the text book and we'll just keep them in the water to get those skills built. The youngest, 5, is already a fish and can snorkel with the best of us. Thanks for the advice...

Denise

[decodiva]

Our lds also can do a private lesson. They work with the kids and if they seem to be having a rough time they let the kids go and then let them come back. If they get tired or whatever--------

[tom725]

I am not a fan of doing multiple classes on the same day. I have found that sometimes people who have a difficult time with a skill or concept will think about it between classes and actually improve just thinking.

It is alao a PADI requirement that during a OW class the student put together the gear five times. If you do it all in one day and do not break downt the gear between dives you have violated PADI standards.