I've had a change of heart recently.
I used to (and still do) maintain my electronic log (Macdive). So like
@stuartv I'll either merge short dives (whether they be a training dive, an anchor bounce etc) so as no to give them a dive number, but to record total bottom time. Other "non dives" will get a zero as their dive number.
However now, as a shiney new instructor, I keep a written log book just for training dives with students. The dive numbers don't tie up with my electronic log, nor have they any real relevance (actually they do tie up with my book of notes I make away from the student). However it was a tip given to me by an experienced instructor.
1 Seeing the Instructor log the dive, encourages the student to do so. While all the interesting stuff they see on a dive is nice, I reinforce the importance of recording weights used, exposure suit thickness and gas used. Obviously the weighting is a good reference for future dives, but also with gas usage, the student can see some imrovement over time
2. The look on the students face is priceless when
you ask
them to sign
your log book. Its just a littel thing but it means a lot to them (as I've seen with my own eyes)
My electronic log is great, and perfect for recording and sorting data, but it's very impersonal and sterile
I hope that in the future I'll be able to skim through these written log books and then the notes and signatures will evoke memories