Ida - the PADI teaching philosophy is designed to help the student learn and retain what has been taught. Everything is covered three times to reinforce the learning process. And the philosophy of "tell you what we're going to teach you, then teach you, then tell you what we taught you" is uniformly followed.
It can be a bit tedious at times, but it's not for nothing that PADI has grown to be bigger (much) than all the other recreational scuba agencies combined. Unfortunately there are still instructors who cut corners and break the standards so carefully worked out. If you get a cert card without having gone through all this you haven't gotten a bargain - you've been short changed and should complain to PADI.
AmbergrisCaye.com 
