Final Thoughts From An IDC By Kevin

(Blog from DiveBuddy.com)

IDC’s are great.  They get the candidate prepared for the IE.  Ideally, the candidate should come with a deep knowledge of everything that was learned in the DM course...  Dive Master Conducted Programs (DSD, Snorkeling, and Skin Diving), Supervising Certified Divers, Assisting with Student Divers and dive theory: Physics, Physiology, Equipment, Diving Skills & the Environment, and Decompression Theory and the RDP.  The purpose of the IDC is not to refine these skills. It is to evaluate your knowledge at the time of the IDC.  Knowing the 20 skill is also essential.  Not being able to do them to a 5 level is okay, but being able do them is a must. What should take up the time during the IDC is learning how to do the presentations - not learning the DM material. 

In the IDC, we start with micro teaching and go on to prescriptive teaching.  Micro is a way of teaching only done during the IDC.  It prepares the candidate to do the Prescriptive teaching used in practice.  During evaluations, there are certain attributes the candidate MUST hit.  It is a very strange way to teach at first.  Once you start to realize that is a condensed version of how you will teach every class, it starts making sense.  When teaching, you talk about the local environment, dive gear, continuing educations in every class.  Maybe not as much as in the IDC and IE but you will do it.  In the pool and open water, positive reinforcement is VERY important as is identifying the problems and correcting them.  To a instructor candidate it all seems very strange unless they have previously worked with students. 

I have always set a standard that any DM candidate I have, once they become a DM can go straight to the IDC.  Knowing that all they have to do is learn how to do the presentations, and I make them talk a lot during their Internship.  Instructors are failing their DMs and for that matter, their AI’s if they do not set them up for success.

Anyone who wants to become and instructor, I have a few words of advice:

1. Teaching is not for everyone.  Just because you love this sport does not mean you will be a good   instructor.
2. Find a mentor.  Tell them from the start that going to the IDC and becoming an instructor is your goal.  Just remember, not everyone likes competition.
3. Get in the pool.  Work on the 20 skills.
4. The IDC does not make you a good instructor.  It preps you for the IE.  Being a good instructor is up to you.
5. Get familiar with the Instructor Guide.  The electronic version is easy, if you are computer literate.
6. Get in the pool.  Work on the 20 skills.
7. Be sure you understand what you are getting into.  You will not become rich as an instructor.  But, I would not want to do anything else.