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Looking for an Instructor?
Those interested in becoming scuba certified and experienced divers looking to continue their education, need to look at their options when choosing an Instructor. The following is a list of tips and questions to use while conducting your research in choosing a Scuba instructor: This applies to the new diver and those looking for continuing education. Ask for references. If you know someone who is certified or has taken the training you are interested in, ask them about their instructor. Instruc...
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Day After CDTC
So here I am at the airport with a little time to reflect and a battery that can die at any moment. Let me start with the over all experience. The DomRep is a nice country, it is like many Caribbean islands in that it is poor my US standards. However, the people that I dealt with at the hotel and out side the hotel were great. Friendly and willing to help you get what you need or what ever. The one thing to remember is that the country will nickel and dime you to death. Upon arrival you pay a $1...
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Day 10 CDTC
Final Day! There were a few make ups in the pool this morning and them we had a quick meeting in the big room. After a short meeting we broke to go to our break out rooms to do our FINAL presentation. Mine was Boat Diver Instructor class. I only got threw the first 2 sections before he cut me off and had me do the summery. Always a good sign. You could tell everyone was more relaxed and I think that made our presentations better. We broke until 3 for our final counseling. It was short and to the...
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Day 9 CDTC
Today was open water. We went back to the same beach we used for the AWARE dive, only we stayed shallower. After the bus went down a one way street the wrong way and almost not make a turn we arrived. We broke into our groups and briefed our skills. Then our evaluator did a decent workshop. Good information. We suited up, swam to our buoy and did a decent workshop. Returned to the surface and I did myt skill. Rescue Diver exercise 2apnik diver. I did good, except, I did not talk to my dive maste...
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Day 8 CDTC
It was good to have a day off. Today we did more on Marketing and we presented our marketing plan to the other groups. We really did not spend as much time as others but we had a good presentation. They gave us the plan for tomorrow open water sessions and then we went to our break out rooms to do a presentation. I did not restate one objectives but my book did not match the slides. This is kind of strange since I JUST bought the new CD manual. I knew I had made a mistake but I could not place m...
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CDTC 7 Day Off
Nice 100+ feet wreak dive. Current was not too bad. The boats were….well, small. It was easier to toss the gear over and get into it in the water, always a good skill. Nice life and a good size grouper. About 19 minutes with safety stop. After a return to the beach to change tanks we did a shallow reef, north wall, I think. It sets about 10 yards from the beach. Lots of life, but there was a lot of silt damage. Did see 2 Lion fish hanging out on a small boat that was setting about 47 feet. One o...
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CDTC 6 Day off
Day off. Go figure a day off and it rains! Only off and on in the morning then it cleared up. We did an AWARE coral monitor dive. The trip to the site took about 45 minutes. It is the same place we will do our Open Water presentations and workshop. Lots of sand, not much reef. We were told to collect data around 30 feet. John and I ended up going to 60 just to find a good reef. We were not the only ones. The brief was to go down the line, 330 degrees swim 5 minutes and you will find a bucket wit...
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Day 5 CDTC
Today we presented our IDC presentation. Yesterday they advise was given to try they way they suggest to teach it and if you make a mistake you still have 2 other presentations to make it up. We I tried it their way and I did not do well. The idea is to review the objective at the end of each area before you move on. Sounds good, however, when this is not the way you teach it does not work as well. See were I am going. I scored a passing score but I was not happy with my performance. I also, did...
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Day 4 CDTC
Today we did more standards and then an IDC presentation workshop. After lunch part one of Marketing IDC. We then went to our breakout room to present and score our first knowledge presentation. I gave one from the DM course, responsible diver characteristics. What can I say, they were short and I am fairly sure we all scored 5. I did not match 6 out of 6 on the scoring. I missed one point. I was sure he said it but I could not recall it to write it down. Must have had an out of body moment....
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Day 3 CDTC
Day started as normal, breakfast at the Malibu. Then, to class for a thrilling class on IDC paperwork, how to fill it out and the need to have good hand writing. Next, the staff presented knowledge presentations as we “scored” them. After each, we dissected each presentation and compared our score to the staffs control score. It was very enlightening to know what an IE evaluator is looking at. We need to match 4 of 6 areas, just like when we did our IDC Staff work. If we did not, then it came do...
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Day 2 CDTC
Started with the review of our online Knowledge Reviews, plus the Standards and Procedures Exam. I hate true and false. I had a candidate once that always missed them, now I can see why. Plus, make sure you check the quarterly updates and update the CD manual…now I know. Next we had a great prescriptive teaching workshop, which really cleared up a number of conflicting information that I had. Then we had a great class on psychology of evaluation & counseling. It brought to light many circumstanc...
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Day 1 CDTC
PADI Course Director Training Course. Puerta Plata, DR. Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\:{behavior:url(#ieooui) } / Style Definitions / table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#040...
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"He who stops being better stops being good." (Oliver Cromwell)
"He who stops being better stops being good." (Oliver Cromwell) I think of myself as a competent diver. I have, what I think, as good skill sets. As an instructor, I have always strive to keep my skill set sharp and to challenge myself. I have found the best way to do this is to dive with people of the same or greater skill set. Without this, skill can dull and you can become complacent in the way you do things. Not unsafe, just complacent. While evaluating my skill set a few months back, I felt...
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Solders Undertaking Disabled Scuba
If you have never heard of the groups SUDS you need to check them out. It is an all volunteer organization that is working with Wounded Warriors. There is a program at Walter Reed and at Bethesda. Check out the web site: www.SUDSDiving.org Here is a link to the story that ABC news did. It showed Sunday morning 22 March. Swimming Soldiers http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=7143416...
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IDC: Final Thoughts
Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 / Style Definitions / table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:0400; mso-fareast-language:0400; mso-bidi-language:0400;} IDC’s are great. They get the ca...
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IDC Day 7
Thursday: LAST DAY! We went to open water. The skills were from the advance or rescue class. It made teaching a little different. One candidate did out standing, but the wrong skill. Miss reading the book can cause major issues. Class room was great everyone scored over a 4.0, OUTSTANDING! The improvement over the week has been great. I am sure all will pass the IE with flying color, or at least 4.0s. Since I cannot seem to get a pic to post, I will add them to my pics....
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IDC Day 6
Wed. Today we went over the Rescue course, I gave the block of instruction and since I really enjoy teaching it, it made it easy. We also did the Dm course. We did the Confined water presentation and no one scored a 5. it was a little different since they did a rescue skill, it made it a bit harder. Prescription teaching was the same. Everyone did very well....
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IDC Day 5
Day 5 Tuesday: Today there was more classroom and more pool. The skills are getting better as are the presentations. Jason scored the first 5, and as far as I know the only one so far. Hope it does not go to his head. But that is why I am here to keep him in reality. We had one that gave bad info. Messed up on how to buddy breath. Said he read it wrong in the book. Still, it goes back to the 20 skills. Class room lectures on PADI Con Ed and other instruction. Tomorrow is more of the same. Rescue...
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Day 3 & 4
Day 3 We have been VERY busy! Sunday: They did Confined Water Presentation 2 and the Microteaching presentation 2. All did very well. Microteaching is a form of teaching only used in the AI course and the IDC. The Candidates also prepped for the Open water presentation. We spent lots of time in the pool with them. The Staff was also told NOT to help as much as we have been. We have a few who have become VERY dependent on us for input and support. But we must cut that cord. Day 4 Monday: Openwate...
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IDC Day 2 (Saturday)
Saturday: We started the day with pancakes, thank you Justin. We had a late night. Carl stayed up till 3 am helping one candidate review. I was in bed by midnight. Today we did Confined water presentation and Knowledge development presentation. You could tell the candidates that got help from the staff and those who either went to bed at a good time or felt they did not need it. Needles to say we had a full pool tonight and the classroom is still bussing with people. No one failed but there were...
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