What Teaching My First Open Water Student Diver Course Taught Me
This September, I finally taught my first Open Water Scuba Diver Course—and let me tell you, it was a steep learning curve! I wasn’t sure what to expect: what questions would come up, whether I’d have all the answers, or even how smoothly the course would run.
"I checked all the boxes and dotted all the T's to become an SDI Open Water Scuba Instructor..."
Back in January 2025, I checked all the boxes and dotted all the T’s to become an SDI Open Water Scuba Instructor after spending about a year as a divemaster with Spartan Scuba. Since then, I’ve been shadowing other instructors, learning the flow of how we teach, and getting a real sense of what goes into running a course. Luckily, I’ve had an excellent instructor team to lean on and an instructor trainer who is, as some would say, “chef’s kiss.”
But then came the real test!
My first student hadn’t been in the water in a long time and wanted something more robust than a standard refresher. Equipment has changed a lot since he last dove, and he wasn’t even sure if he still had his certification card. So, we got him signed up for the full Open Water course.
He flew through the eLearning portion, and when it came time for the classroom and theory sessions, my nerves started to kick in. But once I got rolling, I realized—I do know this stuff! That gave me confidence, and we moved on to gear fitting with ease. Mask, snorkel, fins, BCD, boots, a bag of weights – check. Then it was off to the pool.
After a warm-up in the shallows, we headed to the deep end. I reminded him to check his SPG, we practiced buoyancy control, and I could see the joy on his face as the skills started to click. The next pool session built on the first—more buoyancy work, skills practice, and even some fun with pool toys.
When open water day came, I settled into the rhythm: objectives, importance, briefings, and debriefs. Aside from a few gentle reminders about dropping knees when venting, everything went smoothly. By the fourth dive, it was compass time. He got so into it that he nearly forgot about the boat we were navigating to! Thankfully, he found it, circled it a few times, and then successfully navigated back to shore. Four dives complete, logbooks signed, paperwork finished—and just like that, Spartan Scuba had a brand-new diver to add to the ranks.
So, what did I learn?
What I learned from this experience is simple but powerful:
- Flow is everything. Having a teaching rhythm keeps both you and your students calm.
- A teaching “script” helps. Being prepared gives you confidence when nerves creep in.
- It’s okay not to know everything. What matters is knowing where to find the answer—or who to ask.
- Teamwork makes the difference. Having supportive instructors around you is invaluable.
Shameless
Plug
If you’re a diver looking to challenge yourself, improve your communication skills, and grow both personally and professionally, I can’t recommend the Spartan Instructor Course enough. It has been one of the best things I’ve done for my diving journey and for my own growth.
Best,
Reverend Randell, SDI Instructor #38027