Completed open water certification with Joe and Sara as instructors. I found both instructors to be exceptionally competent in their knowledge and instruction. Sara is great at instilling the confidence you need as you move along with your skills and Joe is a good teacher – making sure you get what you need in order to be competent in the water. Can’t wait to get back to the FKDC and dive in again!
Steve Brown
“Don’t change your teaching style. I learned a lot about training people from your IDC. Your praise, patience, and encouragement made me feel more relaxed and confident. A lot of what you taught me I can use in my training at my job. I especially want to thank you for the ‘Fisher Price’ physics lesson you conducted in your home on Thursday evening. Thanks for a great experience, see you soon.”
Russell Fleming
State Trooper
New Jersey
“I have taken dozens of instructor’s courses in my time, but your IDC was the best ever. You took the time to explain every detail and how it pertains to a real life-teaching situation. Most other instructors I have had always talked in hypothetical situations. The course was well structured and presented in a meaningful way that we could understand. I also appreciated your willingness to help us after hours if we had any difficulty with our homework.”
Rick Lindner
Detective
Minnesota
Mike Ames
“The course instructor was always on hand and helpful, answering questions and queries. The course taught at FKDC was much more than a prep course for the IE, but aimed at teaching us to be a competent and effective PADI Instructor. I have already recommended you and FKDC to several of my Divemaster friends. I will be back in the fall to complete the PADI MFA, DAN O2, and Enriched Air Instructor Specialty Courses.”
Mike Ames
Graphic Artist
England
“Very enlightening class. A very professional and friendly staff at FKDC, which is a direct reflection of the Course Director and management of FKDC. The class was well organized and thorough. All areas of standards and teaching methods were covered very well and easy for us to understand. Thanks for a great course!”
Julie Schott
Registered Nurse
Maryland
John Synowski
“The staff at Florida Keys Dive Center was very professional and always took the extra time to make sure we understood the material. Our Course Director, was always available to answer any questions at any time. His focus during the IDC was teaching in real life not passing the IE. I have already taught several classes and have used a great of the information learned in the IDC.”
John Synowski
Scuba Commissioner
Florida
Dr. Rob Loeffler
“Thanks! I have not studied so hard since medical school. What an experience!! The course content was sometimes boring, but your unique style of teaching made it come alive and made us want to learn. You kept us on the ‘edge’ of our chairs wanting to learn more. Thanks for a great learning experience that I will never forget.”
Dr. Rob Loeffler, MD
Orthopaedic Surgeon
Colorado
I have done a lot of traveling over the years and through my travels I have taken various dive courses at various locations through multiple agencies. I can honestly say without any doubt in my mind that Florida Keys Dive Center and it’s staff was the best and I learned the most during my class. True, it was the most intensive course I’ve taken in my dive career, but it was also taught very thouroughly and all my questions were answered. It went above and beyond any of my expectations.
Both Jason and Bert were very professional and were very willing to help us learn. They taught us what we needed to know and if we had any trouble spots they didn’t think twice about taking the time to clarify things and work with us until we were comfortable with our skills.
I’ve taken courses at other dive shops and I never got the impression that the instructors cared about their students as much as the instructors at Florida Keys Dive Center. I felt like my learning and understanding of the material was a priority for them.
I also liked the way they taught us how to teach and not just how to pass the IE like a lot of other dive places sometimes do with their IDC candidates. This way I feel like I am prepared for real life situations since real life doesn’t always follow “standards” and an instructor has to be prepared for anything.
Even though I am through with the IDC I know that I can still ask Jason and Bert questions if I have any and I know they will help me.
Thanks for all the time, effort, and care you put into our IDC to make sure we were prepared so that we are able to go out and teach others the incredible sport of SCUBA!
Christi
I took my IDC with Florida Keys Dive Center a few months ago and just wanted to extend a big thank you to everyone at the shop. Jason and Bert are incredibly professional course directors and I felt very confident walking into my IE. They spent a lot of one-on-one time with everyone in my class and tailored classes to fit our needs, which may be why our group finished at the top of the class on every part of the exam. I can’t thank them enough for all the time and effort they dedicated to us. Plus, they’re a great cheering section at the exam!
Thank you to Joe and Erin. My son Richard and I completed our Open Water Certification under their supervision and guidance. They are thoroughly professional, excellent instructors. who demonstrated enthusiasm for the sport, excellent group leadership and teaching skills, and safety awareness. We thoroughly enjoyed our weekend and came away with new skills, excitement and confidence for our first recreational dives.
Mark Madras, Toronto, Canada
