Physical contact between male instructor female student

[Otter]

I think most females are like you and are quite aware of what cojtact is incidental and what is not. That being said, some people just don't like to be touched at all. If I treat everyone that way, then I have no problems.

As for comments....I definitely like to keep things light to help with the stress level and have never found a need to introduce anything that may in anyway be construed as sexually oriented into the conversation....I usually have enough funny material about my own diving goofs to use :bonk:

Otter

 

[Soggy]

I'm not an instructor and have no experience DMing or anything of that like, but here is my unsolicited comment.

It's a touchy subject. However, there needs to be an awareness when taking a SCUBA class that some contact is necessary. Hell, last week I was holding hands with my buddy during a rough dive...people that are too uncomfortable to do that aren't safe and shouldn't be diving.

 

[jbd]

the oher respondents. I will add what CincyBengalsFan taught me during my Assistant Instructor training. First thing he did was to tell the whole class that we would be doing things that required him to touch the students for the most part incidently i.e. like getting a grip on the shoulder strap cumberbund etc etc.

For the ESA training he taught me to hold onto the cumberbund. I found that this works well and if you do the same for all your students male or female then it doesn't look out of place. Also the abdomen is considered relatively safe by most people.

 

[Coogeeman]

This is really sad.....anyone who thinks that an instructor could possibly cop a feel through a BCD and or a 5mm plus suit is dreaming. And if you can...then good on you! Folks..this is just silly.

We have to take a reality pill and stop potential legislation from becoming real legislation. Already we are an overly litigious society and issues like this just make it worse for all of us.

Take responsibility for your actions. If you take a SCUBA course be it OW, Resuce or Divemaster there is contact involved. There has to be purely by the nature of the sport. This isn't going to go away and anyone who undertakes to comit to a class has to be aware of it.

Making people sign forms just opens the doors for loopholes to be found and I for one as an instructor know thats not the route that I want to take. Be sensible about what you do when you are instructing and these issues will not arise.

Coogeeman

 

[Otter]

Anytime you are in a situation where there is confidence being placed into another, there is a risk of both (1) being taken advantage of and (2) being misunderstood.

It is sad....but a reality today.

Otter

 

[ZoCrowes255]

Lawman once bubbled...
Gym teachers are always getting in trouble for touching students. How much contact is acceptable?

I usually tell my female students that it may be required that I touch them and that I am not trying to do anything inappropriate or making a pass at them.

I had one last night who would NOT stop bolting while we were doing mask clearing (she had a very hard time) and I told her that I was going to grab onto her BC just to stabalize her (I had her just about neutral and she was having a hard time staying on the bottom because she was breathing too rapidly and shallow.) She had no problem with it and she finally got the skill perfected.

 

[OkieDiver]

Here is an actual news story about an instructor being to handsy.

Instructor arrested for groping(sp) female students

 

[devilfish]

What worked for me for over 20 years when doing skills, as a male, always pick a amle first, if there is a m/f couple, always pick the male first. Students are watching. Do excatly the same thing to all when necessary. Even if the male student is doing fine, make the same contact you might need to weith a trouble student. Then there is not distiction. Especially when there is a couple. after you get done with the b/f husband, he will watch and see that you did not do anything different to his spouse/gfriend.
In all the years I only had one problem. There was this girl who needed extra lessons and she could not make it with others. So we did a private. When we were in the pool the princess accused me of setting up the lesson on purpose to be alone with her. I bluntly told her "don't flatter yourself, you are fat and ugly, I have many better picks if that is what I wanted".
Anyway, be carfull, contact can lead to unwanted situations. For lady Instructors, do the opposite, always pick the female student first.

 

[GQMedic]

Hmm, I'm a male Instructor student, I recently met a female instructor that I sure wish would touch me! (and frequently!)*smirk*

-Dennis

 

[ZoCrowes255]

GQMedic once bubbled...
Hmm, I'm a male Instructor student, I recently met a female instructor that I sure wish would touch me! (and frequently!)*smirk*

-Dennis

I was out with a group of guys from the shop I work with and we went to Hooter's. Turns out our waitress is a NAUI Instructor from the Keys. We are on a campaign to get her to come work at our shop. She could touch me anytime!