Quote:
| Originally Posted by nickb A good, honest critique Mark. I confess, like Lou, I'm a bit puzzled now about the 'turn-up as a blank canvas' approach.
A few of us are down for this in May and, aside from getting in the water a bit more often than I normally want to early in the season, I wasn't planning to practise all these drills, expecting to be taught to 'Do it Right' on the course. I'll have to reconsider. |
Then there is a lot of reconsideration going on - from both angles.
When I put my name down to do DIR F, I was already diving with DIR divers and thus learning the drills from them. We all learn from our own experiences so my "experience" was that one "trained'" for fundies.
When I got to the course I did find that I had been taught one small element of one of the drills incorrectly but that was put right by Rich within minutes.
I was chuffed to pass and felt that the preparation I had done beforehand had helped me immensly. This seriously influenced me when responding to requests to go dive with others before their courses.
Hmmm....
Last weekend I was able to sit in on a DIR F. And have had a bloody hard rethink ever since.
I was so preoccupied on my course with the idea of 'demonstrating what I had learned' that I missed out on some of the finer points of the learning experience itself - which is a shame.
Last weekend, without the self imposed stress of being a student, I saw that there is little point in trying to give someone what can only be
a pale imitation of the course in advance.
There
is enough time on a DIR F to learn the Standard skills and reach the standard required. The fact that all dives are assessed does not mean that a mistake on day 1 will mean a provisional or a fail on day 2 -improved understanding, enhanced skills as the dives progress will demonstrate competance.
So with regard to preparation - I've changed my mind (women's perogative don't you know).
I now think that one should prepare for DIR F like one should prepare for any other course - and no more. Get weighting right, get used to any new kit, get comfortable in the water so that you can keep still when you need to. Learn to read your buoyancy in the shallows, especially when doing any skills like mask removal. If you can get this basic level of comfort sorted then you will maximise your ability to take on board the detailed instruction that you can get on the course. In this way DIR F is no different to any other agencies course - get wet, get comfortable and then use the instructor time you have paid for to learn.
If in order to do that you feel you want to dive with GUE divers, then there are many who will be happy to go for a dive (some of us seem to live in the water permanently). And if you go and get a provisional pass on DIR F, there will be loads of divers all around the country who will be happy to do some diving and help you get up to standard.
My 2p worth (which like all advice is worth exactly what you pay for it
)