By Sean Harrison, Senior VP of Training at TDI
But this is not the best example to set for a new diver, or a diver taking a new course.
Over the past few years I’ve been diving mostly by myself or teaching classes with other, equally experienced, dive professionals, which allowed me to slip into a “they know what they’re doing” mindset. I recently dove with some newly certified divers, however, and doing so forced me to remember what it was like to be a student, and to teach students without my experience and knowledge. The experience was eye opening, refreshing, and was the catalyst for this article. So while there are many things we probably shouldn’t do in front of our students, there are at least five behaviors we should always exhibit in front of them — and privately, too.
1) If you need help, ask for it.
The longer we dive, the more independent we become when it comes to gearing up. This phenomenon can reach extremes among tec divers — I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve asked someone not to touch my gear. Over the years, however, I’ve grown to appreciate a helping hand when lifting a set of doubles or a rebreather onto my back. I have also seen my students struggle to throw even a single cylinder setup onto their backs and, upon reflection, realized they were copying my behavior, not what I had taught them. Someone “touching” your gear doesn’t include someone helping you get it on. Ask for the assistance you need, and set a good example so watching divers won’t feel the pressure to do everything themselves, which could in turn, lead to mistakes.
2) Be a role model for behavior you’re going to ask your students to perform.
When a diver reads about a skill in a book or watches a DVD of how it is to be performed, that is how he expects to see his instructor perform the skill, but when an instructor performs the skill differently — or not at all — it confuses the diver. A good example of this is the buddy check/S-drill. We teach the buddy check in every course, with the notable exception of the SDI Solo Diver Course. Even that course, however, requires a self-evaluation prior to the dive. So when an instructor asks the divers to perform the buddy check/S-Drill and then does not do one himself, it sets a poor example. Slight variations in how a skill is performed are fine as long as the objective is met, but do yourself and your students a big favor and perform the skill as you have asked them to perform it.
3) Get certified.
We often find ourselves wondering why divers don’t take continuing education and then when divers ask us what we are certified for, we have no good answer as to why we’re not certified for the dives we’re doing. Some old timers can respond with “when I learned to dive…there was no training for that kind of diving,” but those days are long gone and there’s no reason why we, as instructors, should not be certified in all aspects of the dives we perform. A simple solution, which has a lot of positive side effects, is to ask one of our colleagues to teach us. By doing so we see things from the student’s perspective and learn how another instructor teaches. So the next time a diver asks if you’re certified, you can say yes.
4) Dive with modern and serviced gear.
Another artifact of the past is the perception that if you are diving with old, worn-out gear, you look more experienced to your students — and your peers. This is not the case at all and does nothing to promote long-term safe practices. Instructors always sigh when a diver comes to class with a set of used or borrowed gear, which almost always needs to be serviced and is unsuitable for class. So why would we wear gear that looks the same? Part of being a professional in any industry is keeping the tools of the trade up-to-date. I know it can be expensive, but there are plenty of incentive programs out there for equipment purchases; this is why annual equipment-service fees and replacement costs are built into course fees. If all else fails, use the rental gear from the dive center; it’s usually new-ish and has been serviced. If you still feel the need to dive with a piece of equipment that marks your longevity as an instructor or dive guide, splurge on the Rolex Submariner, which has long been a symbol of the diving professional.
5) Never make diving look like work.
After teaching your first class or even assisting with a class, it doesn’t take finely tuned observation skills to realize that teaching a diving class, at any level, if done properly. While teaching is a lot of work — no disagreement here — divers should never see this. All they need to see is the fun and adventure of the sport. Everything you do should seem to be a part of the process, right down to cleaning your equipment after the dive. Divers will quickly pick up on the fact that you dislike this part of diving, and they will also dislike it. In order to keep divers diving and make diving a part of their lifestyle we, as professionals, must make it look fun and adventurous. So the next time you go to pick up that 100th cylinder or that stinky wetsuit – turn on that smile.
There are a lot of things we should never do in front of divers, whether we are teaching or just in the public eye. Set a good example by encouraging your students to dive within their certification level(s), and do the same for yourself. Promote good behavior and use common sense. There is a time and a place for adventure and exploration, just be sure to plan your trips with equally qualified divers, so that you can dive to your full potential.
