10/8/2007 - Teaching children
It is highseason here on Koh Tao. The summer holiday in Europe started and more than ever is Thailand a holiday destination. More than ever families are enjoying Thailand and Koh Tao. A couple of weeks ago 3 families from Holland came to Koh Tao to dive. In total there must have been about 7 kids. All of the kids, ages from 12 to 16 were divers. They all learned diving on Koh Tao, always at the same school. The school where I work.
The youngest to learn this year was only 11 years old and tiny. Her name is Isa. I became her instructor.
I really love teaching children. They are honest, and as an instructor you have to work hard to keep their interest and make it a lot of fun. You first have to become their friend and they have to trust you completely. And then children give you so much positive energy.
For Isa it must have been very difficult to be the last one to learn.
Everybody was already a diver. All her life she heard dive stories at home.
All the parents and all the kids. All of them with great stories and Bob, 12 years old, had the biggest mouth. He had no fear and was already working on his advanced course. Can you feel the pressure?
The first day was fine. I took her into the swimming pool for the confined session. All the other kids surrounded us in the swimming pool. They were playing around, trying to make airrings and Isa couldn’t be bothered. She kept on being concentrated on the skills.
The second day we went into the sea. After some trouble with her ears and being unlucky with shit viz, she managed. She told me then for the first time the pressure that she felt from everybody.
But she did it and she was great!!!
I was really proud of her.
It was so cute to see this tiny girl in extra small equipment, with a half size tank, going scuba diving. I am sure I wouldn’t have done that at her age, especially not with all that pressure on her.
Isa, I am proud of you.
Also, I had a great time to take all the other kids to Chumphon Pinnacle, to go see the sharks. All the kids saw the big ones. The grey reef sharks must have been about 2 meters. About 1,5 times the size of the kids. Although kids can be tiring (asking questions all the time) the kids were excellent. So comfortable in the water.
So I was thinking of starting a kids program on the island. Kids diving from the age of 8, kids snorkeling, kayaking, tressure hunting etc etc. Not a bad idea. Anyone interested?
xxx
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