Tipping Instructor

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I'm not complaining about the pay - in this area it's pretty much the going rate. All I'm saying is that it isn't really fair to say that instructors are being paid for the job and that's all they need. The pay is what it is and I wouldnt teach if I didnt enjoy it. My full-time job supports the dive habit. I do have a lot of respect for folks who teach for a living. I can't imagine that being enough to pay the mortgage, especially without tips.
I chatted with a DM/instructor on Maui last year. He barely made enough to pay his rent and food. I asked what kept him there and he said "look around, it's paradise". We all have our reasons.. (I tipped him, not based on perceived need, but on his great job and attitude).
 
I feel it is important to tip people when appropriate. But the purpose of tipping is to compensate someone in a standardized way for their personal attention to you when no other payment is made that goies directly to them.

Waiter is a prime example of who to tip.
Divemaster (on a boat or tour) would also fit this mold.
Divemaster working with an instructor for a class would fit.

Instructor does not fit the criteria of who to tip since you are already directly payig them for the class.

And is the figure of being paid less than minimum wage based on one student per class or two? Most classes I have seen average a minimum of 4-6 students and can contain as many as 20 something.
 
Some people see salty, crashing water, others see another world . . .

the K
 
As for instructors, I've only had one so far. I was thinking of tipping him until 2 out of 5 students ran out of air on our first deep dive. Then he got upset because the DM questioned why he was bringing students back OOA after hearing us talking.
These are the kind of guys who shouldn't be instructors at all. So how did you guys get back to the surface? Breathing off the other guys octo I guess? However, maybe he was a really good instructor trying to teach you something important about air consumption at depth
:rofl3:
 
On a dive boat definetly tip 10.00 to the divemastereach.As for the captain Id say most wouldnt except one or would give to the D.M.They usually mention tippingthe D.M on the trip back in.As for instructors I never have but Id say if you can and you were impressed with the instruction 20 bucks.Hey everybody likes money,I was surprised at the few who wouldnt except.
 
As an instructor, tipping is an option to a student depending on what kind of service they receive. I bet everyone that has replied to this thread has gone out and ordered a salad and left a tip for the waiter or waitress. We don't tip our wives or husbands so why tip a waiter or waitress that just brings the food and doesn't make it, Does the cook get any recognition? No because it is expected you do have a choice. They still receive a base pay it is lower than other positions but if you are a good server you will make it up and if you don't you may need to take a look at how you are treating others.

Instructors and Assistance or dive masters should be no exception. As instructors we spend countless hours and at times private hours in the classroom and pool as well as open waters to make sure a diver is comfortable and safe. We answer phone calls e-mails consult you and equipment purchases all to make sure you are a happy diver and safe diver. Now if you have an instructor that does not give you the attention you deserve don't take any additional training from them find someone you like.

Some believe that only Dive-masters do all the work, and they do work hard as do Assistant instructors and Instructors. As professionals we all have our duties and that is to keep divers safe by providing the best possible training out there. Some shops or resorts require that Instructors pay for all there expenses such as lodging and fuel to and from the destination therefore those high salaries that some think Instructors make is just enough to pay for the equipment they tear up in the pools and open water evaluations making sure all divers are happy and safe.

I hope this gives a better understanding to dives who might be under the impression that Instructors make a lot of money and don't deserve any recognition of some sort. I'm not bashing Dive Masters they play a huge role when assisting courses they are the eys and ears behind Instructors. All professional from Dive Masters to Instructor Evaluators deserve the same recognition depending on how you feel they treated you.

As an Instructor I don't expect tips and I make sure my staff doesn't expect tips but we don't refuse them either, if a diver wants to tip that tells us we did our job and we made a happy diver for that dive master that only leads a dive.
 
I've tipped exactly one instructor

Myself and my class mates felt that money was inappropriate and impersonal, so we bought him a Sirius satellite radio receiver and pre-paid for a year of service.
 
Tipping is tipping it doesn't have to be currency. Every trip I take or additional training I take I always contribute something, whether it's a new SMB that the dive master can use because of the minimal access to new gear or a dinner for the instructor. There are many ways of tipping besides currency it's the it's the idea of tipping that shows your appreciation to Dive professionals for there hard work and and or knowledge that they have taken time to pass on to you, and for the love of the sport.
 
What the heck is it nowadays that everyone expects to receive a "tip" for that which they were hired to do?

OK, so do I go in to my next job (Quality Assurance Manager) and say, "Hey, do I get tips too?".
Don't forget your friendly SB Administrator too. :)

Just PM me for my PayPal account...
 
The Scuba industry is NOT a tip expected industry but if people would like to tip for services, that should be there choice and because there are folks that believe tipping is a no no for certain fields leads to service that may not be what you expect. As I mentioned before there are many ways of tipping and if you feel someone deserves a tip of some sort so be it.
 
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