Beyond the Minimum: The Meaning of a “Reasonably Prudent Instructor” by Richard Thomas

We need to rethink what a standard actually represents.

Just because an instructor follows standards to the letter does not mean they are conducting a quality, or even safe, course. As a Course Director for multiple agencies, I regularly receive calls from instructors looking for solutions to logistical hurdles. Too often, they are searching for workarounds to force bad logistics to fit the rules. That is where a reliance on the bare minimum breaks down.

Our primary consideration must always be: What provides the best learning experience?

Sometimes that means educating students that their desire for convenience does not align with a course taught by a Reasonably Prudent Scuba Instructor. Every Instructor Development Course emphasizes this standard of care when teaching candidates how to interpret agency guidelines. Yet, when real-world pressures arise, our commitment to holding that line is tested.

Let’s look at a prime example of where we can do better – and why it matters.

The Absolute Minimum vs. Real-World Learning: Under RSTC/WRSTC and aligned ISO standards (ISO 24801-2), the absolute minimum timeline for an entry-level Open Water course is two calendar days. This is constrained by basic in-water rules:

• A minimum of 4 open water training dives are required for certification.
• A daily maximum of 3 training dives can occur in a single calendar day.

Therefore, the open water training must span at least two days, preceded by knowledge development and confined water training.

There are rare instances where a compressed two-day schedule can function. For example, at a dedicated dive resort where a student stays for a week post-certification, their initial training is immediately supplemented by consecutive days of guided, professional diving that builds fluency.

However, in non-destination markets – like here in Dallas, Texas – this model falls apart. Inland divers rarely follow a compressed weekend certification with days of immediate “fun diving.” When a class is rushed over 48 hours without immediate follow-up, the foundation simply isn’t there.

Mastery vs. ‘One and Done:’ In scuba training, we often cite mastery as the benchmark for signing off on a skill. But true mastery is not performing a skill correctly once or twice under ideal conditions.

True mastery means executing a skill repetitively, fluidly, and with ease.

A 48-hour course does not allow enough confined water time to achieve genuine mastery, no matter how efficiently it is taught. We build the diver and forge their muscle memory in the pool, where the environment is controlled, safe, and conducive to immediate feedback. Open water checkout dives should never be a high-stress scramble to learn fundamentals; they should simply be an opportunity for the diver to demonstrate established mastery and adapt to the open water environment.

Instructors often cite limited pool availability or shop schedules to justify compressed formats. But before we demand changes from training agencies, we must ask ourselves: What would a reasonably prudent instructor do? What kind of culture are we creating if the bare minimum is our daily benchmark?

The Science of Spaced Learning and Deliberate Repetition: Most instructors instinctively know that training spread over multiple days produces superior divers. Educational psychology and motor learning science strongly support this:

1. Memory Consolidation and Sleep: When training is distributed across multiple sessions, students have time to process information. Sleep is a vital component of neural consolidation, moving physical skills and cognitive concepts into long-term memory. Under “massed learning” (cramming everything into one or two long days), students might parrot a skill back in the moment, but long-term retention drops significantly.

2. Dedicated Practice Windows: A proven instructional approach is teaching a manageable cluster of skills (5 to 6 at a time), followed by an uninterrupted block of 30 to 45 minutes dedicated strictly to practice, repetition, and comfort-building under supervision.

The Buddy Challenge: Removing Evaluative Pressure: One tool I have used with significant success is structured peer practice: The Buddy Challenge.

After demonstrating a skill set, I step back and give students dedicated time to test each other. I set only a few simple parameters:

• Maintain neutral buoyancy.
• Practice whichever skills they want.
• Challenge their buddy with the skill they personally find most intimidating or dislike the most.
• Have fun with it.

Once the framework is set, the dynamic changes entirely. Because I am observing safely nearby rather than standing over them as an evaluator, the pressure of formal judgment disappears.

During these short peer sessions, I have seen accelerated growth and confidence. Students stop trying to mechanically replicate what they just saw to pass a test; instead, they problem-solve together, discover the subtleties of the skill, and take true ownership of their ability.

Mentorship and Diver Retention: The value of long-term mentorship cannot be overstated. Sending newly certified divers out into the world after a hurried weekend is a disservice to them and our industry.

While modern consumer culture often demands quick, “bucket-list” checkmarks, we cannot take the lazy route and deliver a hollow social media moment. When we cultivate an environment of mentorship, we foster genuine diver retention. We show students that certification is not the finish line, but the entry point to a continuous journey of learning, community, and adventure. If a student comes to me to get certified for a vacation and I don’t see them again for years, I consider that a missed opportunity. Our job is to plant the seed that diving is a lifestyle from day one.

To facilitate this, we should rethink our course structures:

• Embedded Post-Certification Dives: Look at successful models, such as destination operators who offer heavily discounted charter rates during a student’s first 30 days.
• All-Inclusive Course Packaging: For inland and non-traditional dive centers, we can package classes to include follow-up guided “fun dive days” or local events directly in the course tuition, ensuring new divers stay wet during the critical month after certification.

Conclusion: If our goal is to develop safer, more competent divers who remain active for a lifetime, we do not need to rewrite the rulebooks. We need to stop rushing the process.

We must provide students with adequate confined water practice, spaced learning intervals, and the repetition required to build true muscle memory. It is time for instructors to take ownership of our craft. Every student comes to us with unique needs and learning curves; meeting those needs requires teaching to true competency and mastery – something that looks vastly different from merely checking off bullet points on a slate.