23/08/2026
🤿 As an Instructor, You Need to Think Underwater
Before every training dive, an instructor should have a clear plan for how to organize the students. Your position and their position should allow you to communicate, observe and maintain control.
But the moment you go underwater, the situation can change.
You may discover that the organization you planned on the surface doesn't work as well as you thought. Perhaps you don't have the overview you want, a student needs extra attention, or the environment makes another setup more practical.
Don't be afraid to change it.
Move yourself. Reposition your students. Try a different setup.
Changing your organization underwater doesn't mean your preparation was wrong. It means you are paying attention to what is actually happening.
This is something we focus on during the SSI Instructor Training Course at Oceans 5 Gili Air.
We don't want instructor candidates to memorize where they are supposed to stand.
We want them to understand why they choose a certain position, whether it is working, and when they need to change it.
An instructor shouldn't just execute a plan.
Observe. Think. Adapt. Stay in control.
That's what real teaching underwater is about. 🤿