Club Instructor Training - 1999

A Club Instructor is the first grade of a BSAC qualified instructor. To become one means that you have to attend a two day Instructor Training Course (ITC) followed by a one day exam. So what is the experience like, and are these badges worth having?

First bit - the ITC.

Three Totnes members (Lister, Marcus and Richard) attended an ITC at the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth. Not that it involved the navy - we just used their pool which is ideal for training. Over twenty trainees were there with six instructors. As we assembled for the initial coffee and briefing it became obvious that this was going to be a thorough and professional two days with quite a few surprises. 

Probably the biggest surprise was the emphasis placed on classroom teaching as well as pool work. Diving requires a proper understanding of theory as well as practice and it is important that the theory is communicated accurately and that it is understood. Another surprise was that all training is broken down into bite sized chunks. As potential instructors we were told that it was our responsibility to assess and monitor the needs and abilities of our trainees and to modify the training accordingly. If in doubt break the lesson down in manageable portions. Don't go rushing off and assume that the trainees have understood. 

The first morning was about pool work. We were divided up into groups of 4 with an instructor. She took us through a number of pool lessons - ranging from snorkelling, mask clearing, duck diving, air sharing, lifts and so forth. Emphasis was made on breaking the tasks down so that everyone (ie. the real trainees) could achieve them. Working as a group was stressed as was proper and meaningful communication underwater. We worked hard, although the cool waters of Dartmouth pool aided concentration.

The afternoon brought classroom work. Effective teaching techniques were introduced and demonstrated. Visual aids were given a high profile and considerable time was taken to show the advantages and disadvantages of flipcharts, overhead projectors, exhibits and humour. Classroom management was another important aspect. We learnt that you cannot assume too much about trainees, and that different people have different needs. By the end of the afternoon it felt as though we had attended a teacher's training course rather than a diving instructor's. That was a surprise.

In the evening we went home with homework. We had to research and prepare a 10 minute lesson for tomorrow.

The next morning saw us in the pool delivering lessons. We all had to do a 20 min lesson on each other. We learnt quickly that this wasn't as easy as some of us had assumed even though we were all attentive trainees. Effective communication underwater was vital, but the most difficult bit was having a lesson plan that included all eventualities. Placing people in the right places so that everyone could see what was going on was not easy. What added to the problem was having to demonstrate the lesson twice - first with one trainee and second with another - and ensuring that everyone could see and understand what was happening. It's all about shepherding people properly underwater.

In the afternoon we had to give our 10 min lessons. This was fun - until it was your turn. Standing up in front of people to give a presentation turned many of the most hardened divers into a gibbering wreck. Not easy - and we began to appreciate the value of lesson preparation and visual aids.

We went away having learnt an awful lot. We were advised to prepare all our pool lessons properly and to produce laminated summary sheets that we could use underwater. Good advice. 

Second bit - consolidation.

Having attended an ITC our club was only too keen to use us in the club's diver training as Assistant Instructors. To start with with we did a pool session with our DO and TO in order to consolidate and communicate what we had learnt at the ITC. Then we were given a number of lectures to do. These required quite a bit of preparation and instead of 10 minutes they were up to 1 hour long. However, the value of the ITC training came through, and after two or three lectures we got into the swing of things. 

Then came the pool lessons. We worked with one or two trainees plus an instructor. Straight away we could see that every trainee is different and that it is important to have an established and consistent way of training that is sensitive to the needs of each individual. Effective pool management is crucial.

The exam loomed. Our regional coach (Carol) was happy to take us through some pre-exam preparation. We accepted. This was incredibly useful. After three pool sessions at Seaton (Plymouth) with Carol we understood what the exam entailed and what we needed to do. 

Three weeks before the exam BSAC-HQ sent us the classroom lesson we had to present. It was up to us to design the lesson using appropriate visual aids. The lesson should take no more than 10 minutes.

Third bit - the exam.

Although this was an exam day it was quite good fun. We were all in it together so there was a lot of camaderie. We turned up at Dartmouth on a Sunday morning. We met our instructors /examiners who put us at our ease as best we could be. Like the ITC we were placed into groups of four. After the initial coffee and briefing we assembled at the poolside - a very nervous bunch. Our examiner had 4 bits of paper which he scrolled up and asked one of us to select it. It contained the title of the 20 minute lesson that he had to give and be tested on. Our buddy was allowed 2 or 3 minutes to gather his thoughts and any resources that he needed and then we were off. The test was on alternative air supplies. We listened attentively to him as he told us what he wanted us to do. Time passed quickly for us - maybe not for him. Then came the second test, the third and finally the fourth. Our examiner stayed quietly in the background throughout. We had no idea how he rated us, although all the tests seemed to go OK. The adrenaline level was very high! 

After a short break we had to give our 10 min presentations. The examiner was changed, but now we had to give our talks to our poolside buddies. The following hour was a mixture of laughs, dread and embarrassment as erstwhile hairy divers tried to tell us things that we all knew anyway. We listened, nodded and tried to be serious, knowing that our turn would soon come and we all needed a good audience. One presentation on decompression was particularly memorable. It involved a bottle of Tango, a stirrup pump and effective lighting. At the climax of his talk the room was nearly cleared as we feared a fountain of Tango would spray all over us from our enthusiastic buddy.

After lunch came the written test. This was multi choice and an hour long. Although it was less stressful than the previous tests, we knew that we had to perform. In practice, it was rather like an Advanced Diver exam.

At the end of the day we had a short debriefing and left our instructors with our fate in their hands. Well not strictly true, because apparently they make strong recommendations to BSAC-HQ which is up to the Chief Examiners to accept or not. Anyway, we could only guess whether we had passed or not. 

Fourth bit - the results.

This was a trial. Since the Club Instructor exam was in early December, we were told that our results may not be sent to us until after Christmas. We couldn't wait that long - the tension was too great. A phone call to BSAC-HQ followed and soon the A4 envelope appeared in the post. We had all passed!

Fifth bit - conclusions.

The whole process was really worthwhile - and not just for the diving bits. Many of us felt that we were now better able to stand up and make presentations about non-diving subjects. The quality of the instruction in the ITC was very high. Our club now has more instructors.

And for anyone who wishes to do the exam.

• Make a set of waterproof summary sheets for each of the 10 or so lessons
• Prepare the pool lessons well in advance. If you can use regional coaches / instructors then do so.
• Use effective visual aids for the talk.
• Watch the clock! Don't waste time in the pool lesson or ramble during the presentation.

And the badges? Well the Club Instructor one is nice to have. But we won't be sewing them on just yet. After all, the Open Water Instructor course lies ahead.