Ever since first learning to scuba dive, the rookie Editor has always admired leadership roles in diving — hoping to use their own skills to bring friends along into the underwater world and help them discover the ocean. After two years of relentless practice, the opportunity to take the Divemaster (PADI cert) course has finally arrived. Let's take a look at what to keep in mind throughout the Divemaster (PADI cert) training process!
For students who have never been in the water before, that very first class is truly nerve-wracking!
Observe, Observe, and Observe Some More
After sitting through a full winter of classroom sessions, the Editor finally got the chance to head to Kenting in January to assist as a teaching assistant (TA) for an Open Water Diver (PADI/SSI cert) course. The expectation was that it wouldn't be too difficult — just stand nearby and give the instructor the right support when needed. What actually happened? The nervous rookie Editor forgot to bring weights and had to quickly borrow an extra 1 kg from another TA to clip on.
A qualified TA must not only help the instructor keep an eye on students — they also need to keep themselves together.
During the first confined-water session, the students were extremely anxious, and things briefly descended into chaos. All the rookie Editor could do was watch as the instructor calmed the students down and got the class back on track. To become a qualified TA, you need enough observation experience under your belt so that when different problems arise, you can handle them with ease.
Before Helping Students, Get Yourself Ready First
You might think: surely helping the students comes before taking care of yourself? That's true — we can't possibly leave a student without assistance while we fuss over our own gear. So the key is to manage your time wisely: get yourself fully ready early, and avoid the awkward situation where the students and instructor have already geared up while the TA is still slowly pulling on their wetsuit.
Being ready at all times means you won't be scrambling when something goes wrong!
Beyond pre-dive preparation, the rookie Editor believes a TA should be in a ready state at every moment — that means staying warm, maintaining good physical condition, and being able to carry your own gear and scuba tank / cylinder independently. Getting yourself sorted first is what lets you become a role model for students — showing them what a competent diver looks like, rather than being a TA who can't even meet the standard they're trying to teach.
If you're aiming for a leadership certification, ask yourself honestly: am I ready?
Understand the Reason Behind Every Skill — Then It All Comes Naturally
There are a huge number of standard skills in the curriculum, and becoming a Divemaster (PADI cert) demands serious mental bandwidth to retain all of them. On top of that, every instructor has their own teaching habits. How do you fit all those details into your head? The answer is this: every standard skill and every instructional choice exists for a reason. Rather than trying to memorize everything, try to understand why a particular approach works better. Once you grasp the logic behind each skill, you'll find you don't need to memorize it at all — you'll just instinctively know what to do.
A dedicated instructor uses dinner time to demonstrate fin kicking technique to students in person.
Understanding the reasoning behind each skill doesn't just help you retain it faster — it also gives you the ability to adapt on the fly. Textbooks never include unexpected situations, so a single teaching method can be applied from start to finish on paper. In reality, however, factors like the dive site, the students, weather conditions, and visibility mean you can never rely on just one approach. The ability to improvise is a skill in itself.
Next time you're about to ask your instructor for an answer, pause first — think about what the possible answers might be, and why.
Seize Every Opportunity to Practice Teaching
You might understand all the concepts and have heard them explained dozens of times, and think it doesn't seem that hard — until you're standing in front of students with gear in hand and can barely remember how to set it up. Teaching and presenting in front of people is something that requires practice. Beyond conveying the correct information to students, you also need to keep them engaged and notice when any of them might be struggling — and none of that can be achieved just by listening.
Classroom sessions are all about listening — just don't fall asleep!
The Editor would like to take this opportunity to thank their PE teacher, who — upon learning about the Divemaster (PADI cert) goal — kindly allowed the Editor to sit in on school diving classes. It started with just observing, then progressed to the teacher delivering one session while the Editor practiced presenting the next class. The teacher always said: "Just give it a go — whatever you miss, I'll fill in." After a full semester of that, the rookie Editor now has far more hands-on teaching experience than fellow Divemaster (PADI cert) candidates, and no longer feels nearly as intimidated when it's time to present.
If an instructor gives you the chance to practice teaching, never use "I'm not ready yet" as an excuse. Opportunities go to those who are prepared.
From winter through to now, the rookie Editor has shadowed three complete courses in full. It was only once the hands-on experience began that the real learning of how to become a qualified TA truly started. If you're currently thinking about pursuing your Divemaster (PADI cert), or are already somewhere along that road, the Editor hopes this article gives you something useful — and you're more than welcome to share your own memorable moments from the journey to Divemaster (PADI cert)!
Taking the NTU Diving Club to Xiaoliuqiu for a course during the 228 long weekend
Further Reading:
- 【Taiwan Diving — Dylan Chen Column】Divemasters and Instructors Are Everywhere — How Do You Stand Out?
- 【Taiwan Diving — Dylan Chen Column】If You Want to Become a Divemaster, Here Are Three Directions You Can Start Preparing Right Now
- 【Taiwan Diving — Dylan Chen Column】Before Advancing to the PADI Divemaster (PADI cert) Course, Avoid These Three Common Pitfalls
- 'If You Can't Think Like an Instructor, You Don't Belong Here' — The Journey from Divemaster to Dive Instructor
- Find a Dive Buddy
