Are you ready for your PADI Instructor Development Course?

As a way of sharing knowledge and the top tips for passing your IDC. PADI spoked to a selected group of PADI Course Directors and Staff Instructors about what it takes to pass an IDC with flying colours. Below you will see their best advice!

Spend time familiarizing yourself with the PADI instructor manual.

“Definitely be prepared to go through the PADI Instructor Manual. You’ll need to know where certain information is (such as standards and minimum ages for courses).”

Before The Waterhoppers IDC there is ample time for you to review the course content and the instructor manual. Also, our course director Norbert Hoeger and Jill Simmons our Master Instructor are there for 24/7 assistance.

You still have one month before we start our IDC in April, contact jill at info@wterhoppers.com to check candidate numbers, course options, accommodation and post course teaching opportunities.

Work on your trim.

Know your weighting for where you will be training and demonstrating, for the pool and in open water. “People are so used to diving one way, as an IDC candidate you need to know your weighting for every scenario.”

But don’t feel like you are going to be rushed to get this sorted, during your IDC we have the time and facilities at your disposal, so you will get this right from the start.

Go through the Diving Knowledge Workbook.

Read over the materials (aka Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving). “Go over it with someone early, as opposed to waiting until class starts.” If there’s anything you don’t understand, just ask. Norbert and Jill are there to assist you.

Nail your buoyancy.

Can you hover well? If not, practice! “You want to be as neutrally buoyant as possible—as opposed to planting down in the sand.” Again you will find you have the time and guidance to master this and the other 23 skills you will need during the IDC.

Practice demonstration of quality skills.

“There’s an IDC saying: ‘There’s slow, slower and a five.’ People tend to rush through their demonstrations of skills such as mask clearing, and that doesn’t get you a good score.”

Not sure which skills to practice? The list of 24 basic scuba skills you will need to model are found in the PADI Instructor Manual. Also here is a nice 25 minute you tube video showing them - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THVn4GQjk7k&t=45s

Know dive theory.

“Find practice questions and sample exams online and have a go at them,” If you want a little extra practice, you can get the Dive Theory online (eLearning) from us, just let us know.

Spend time assisting instructors.

“Any instructor would love the help of an insured divemaster. Time with an instructor buys you hands-on learning, including gaining tricks for handling a lot of situations that can happen with beginner divers. Instructors can tell you what the most common things are that can happen with any skill, and what you need to do to handle those situations.”

We are very lucky at The Waterhoppers, as our team has several instructors who have worked with us for over 10 seasons and have a wealth of knowledge, which they enjoy sharing. There’s not much they have not seen!

With that in mind……

Choose a good instructor to shadow.

“Take your time in finding an instructor to learn from.”. Not all are created equal, and you want to be sure you’re gaining experience from someone who packs the skills, as well as patience.

If you would like to be part of The Waterhoppers instructor team, why not join our IDC this April?

Want to know more about our Course director Norbert Hoeger? Check this out https://www.waterhoppers.com/blog/Your%20Padi%20Course%20Director