probably because the instr/ld is afraid to charge what the true value is because the facility down the block who teach's inferior course in a facility that is inferior (barely has a "classroom" does not own a pool on site but tries to rent one and gets thrown out for non payment to the pool owners) is charging less...consumer usually does not know this,just knows this place is $20. less!! Want a experience like that where you do a classroom one place then drive 30min to a pool that may you may be locked out of when you show up, and have very limited pool time, to save $20?? NOT to say all facilities that rent pools are bad.MANY are VERY good.But when you have a choice of a one stop facility that has a pool on site and instructors who have an average of 15 years teaching experience, and they teach 2-4 courses a month or more, vs a place that has no pool and instructors have little experience and teach maybe 2 ow classes a year, which do you as a consumer choose??
YES tips are appreciated and at times actually expected. Some students learn a skill after 1 demonstration and 1 attempt and do it repeatedly correct after that.BUT when I have a student who needs 2 sessions just on mask clearing or some other simple skill that others in the same class get immediately and he/she needs additional 1 to 1 time from a instructor/dm throughout the course they really SHOULD realize they received extra attention and SHOULD tip without being asked.. Maybe we as instructors should limit the number of attempts we have a individual uses in a group class setting and not hold up the rest of the class time for a student who cannot perform.Advise that kind of student that we cannot continue with them in a group setting as they use up too much of the time others in the class paid for and charge that student appropriately for private time.Tough call ..I usually just continue with the session and keep class moving.I inform the slow student that they need to improve before being allowed to go on ow training dives. I may even advise them to show appreciation in the form of a tip to my assistant who maybe working on the side of the pool with them to succeed.If they do not give the assistant a tip at the end of the night I know I must charge them a fee after they fail the initial group course time for private session time if they wish to continue. If they reward my assistant then I offer a reasonable time for them to get with the program at no charge,if they do NOT tip assistant then I simply recycle them into next group course usually at no charge.
They pay for a course,not a certification, they have to EARN a certification.