Tip for OW classes?

[beaverdivers]

As an instructor trainer and store owner, the question of tipping leads to interesting discussions.

In this specific case, I believe it was inappropriate. A person giving service should NEVER ask for a tip.

In general due to the fact that an instructor or DM is giving service, a tip may be appropriate.

Compared to ski instructors, dive instructors and DM are drastically under tipped.

Furthermore, dive instructors and DM are under payed for their efforts.

The dive industry has a lack of professionalism. We do not charge near enough for training.

 

[oly5050user]

Why doesn't the instructor just charge an additional $60. for the course then he can give the DM $60. per student? The way he is doing it will turn a lot of people off and make them think he is doing a "bait and switch" type thing or whatever you care to call it.

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.

 

[Nwcid]

I think part of this problem of when to tip comes from so many different ways to get your OW cert.

In the case of people saying the DM is not getting paid, how is a student to know this? I would assume that when I pay for a class that it is to cover the costs, including instructors.........

For my class there was 6 people in the pool sessions and we had one instructor. We picked up all of our gear at the shop and took it to the offsite pool took it in and set it all up as instructed how to do so properly. So in this case I paid for a group class and got that. If I wanted more one on one we would have paid for a private class. We did the same thing when we did the OW portion.

Now it sounds like other classes are very different and in that case a tip might be appropriate.

 

[TMHeimer]

Yes, customers generally would figure all class costs are covered by the fee. At OW 6 years ago I thought the DM ranked above the Instructor. Who whould know unless told. oly, your info. puts in perspective the problems faced by classroom school teachers these days.

 

[lsorenson]

I tip because I want to NOT because I need to... I have discussed tipping in the past and I am of the belief that the restaurant, cab company, hotel maid, or barber should be paid properly and not by me... That said, I tip very well!

FYI, I tipped my DM and assistant in the form of a couple of liter bottles of Jim Beam...!

lee

PS I wonder if those who expect tips; tip and McDonalds or Starbucks....? I don't...

 

[EastEndDiver]

HUH??

Where did the OP say anything about inferior course,inferior facility,barely a classroom,non payment to pool owners,etc.,etc.????
Maybe I missed the OP complaining about that?
Maybe I missed the OP saying his GF needed extra pool or class work and did not keep up with the others?
Did the OP mention the facility this took place at?

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.

 

[oly5050user]

HUH??

Where did the OP say anything about inferior course,inferior facility,barely a classroom,non payment to pool owners,etc.,etc.????
Maybe I missed the OP complaining about that?
Maybe I missed the OP saying his GF needed extra pool or class work and did not keep up with the others?
Did the OP mention the facility this took place at?

No the OP said nothing about inferior course /facility or such..Just using an example of what typically happens at some locations.
OP requested tip info and I provided examples of why they should and the steps many instr's/Dm's take to insure success for their students and are not rewarded for the extra effort and longer time it takes.Seems the students who are the most troublesome in learning skills are the ones who do not appreciate /show appreciation (tip), for the extra effort the staff has done for them.
I probably went off on a tangent and rambled too long on this..Sorry for going too long..

 

[highdesert]

Sorry ... there's no better way to get me to reduce or even eliminate a tip than to direct me to tip, and state the amount, no less. In the OP's instance, I think that was an absolutely wrong approach, IMHO. I've also been places where boatmen, resort help, etc., tell me that they'll "see me" on the last day of the trip in case I "have something" for them ... that does nothing but rub me the wrong way. This is not to say I have anything against voluntarily tipping a reasonable amount for the service, in the right situation, if it's deserved.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

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.

Should a teacher expect a "tip" for spending some extra time helping out a student?

 

[TMHeimer]

Should a teacher expect a "tip" for spending some extra time helping out a student?

I don't know. I never expected or received one as a Band teacher. But occupations vary. (classroom school) teacher vs. scuba instructor/DM. Different situations, different pay (I think), different expectations.