instructor tip

[Drew Sailbum]

NetDoc once bubbled...
...and MAKE SURE you let the LDS know how valuable he is.

Perhaps the best tip I have received as an instructor was a handwritten letter thanking me for helping one student overcome some difficulties and earn a certification.

An excellent way to express appreciation for exceptional instruction is to express your gratitude in writing to the instructor, the LDS, and the certifying agency.

 

[Scubamedicjoe]

well as a new divemaster who just assist in my first class ,
I yesterday recieved a gift certificate to a local restaurant and a letter of appreciation from this couple who was having a extremly hard time clearing there mask , what i did most all would of done is move them to the side and took time to work with them one on one but some reason they realy thought it was special and guess what they both passed there skills evaulation , to me if you want to do something speical as other said a gift certificate or even cash as other stated as trust me they are way under paid and a nice hand written letter sent to them and the store they are teaching under just my two cents !!!!

 

[DivingGal]

Padipro once bubbled...
You know Walter, it's smartasses like you that make this board suck as bad as it does. The bottle of Scotch was ment as a suggestion of something nice to do for someone, not as a rule implying that everyone loves Scotch. Personally, I can't stand the stuff either but for someone to think enough of me as an Instructor to give me something at all when, as I said, most people never tip their Instructor in the first place, I thought it was great. And I appreciated it thank you very much.

In the future if you wouldn't mind keeping your smartassed comments to yourself I, and I'm sure many more, would appreciate that as well.

Scott

I totally disagree with you, and think your comments are inappropriate!

Ok, maybe disagree with Walter for the statement of "vile liquid" but disagree with that comment, not with his general comment of "everyone doesn't drink scotch". I personnally like a single malt but dislike strongly a blended. Walter's contribution to this board are valued - as are yours. Good or bad.

As for tipping the instructor. As some have said, cash never hurts. But a personal touch is always nice. Such as the suggestion for a restaurant coupon or something along that line. I'm sure you've discovered some personal item that he/she is also interested in. Oh and don't forget that note to the LDS, and even to the certifying agency (cc the instructor) what a wonderful job he/she did.

 

[xtarheel]

Thanks for all your suggestions. We went with a "thank you" note and enough cash for he and his wife to go out to dinner or some other use. I went along on her OW dives and observed him myself, he was an exceptional instructor. If anyone is interested in instruction (PADI, SDI) in the south suburbs of Chicago, drop me a message and I'll pass along his name and the shop he works out of. Thanks again for your suggestions. And if anyone wants to dispose of any good Scotch, I will be more than happy to assist.

 

[Natasha]

I was certified in the south burbs of Chicago. And so were both of my boys.
Was it Scuba Emporium you used?

 

[Rick Murchison]

The top tip you can give an instructor, in my opinion, is a high enough recommendation to your friends and acquaintances that they seek that instructor out for Scuba diving lessons.
When someone comes in the shop and says "Joe told me to ask for Rick as my instructor" Joe has given me the very best tip indeed. Of course I do like Rum... and Scotch... and cash...
Rick

 

[xtarheel]

No, it was Visability Unlimited on 159th St. in Orland Park. The shop is owned by a nice lady named Cathy. The instructor who is a full time hign school administrator was Dan.

 

[Walter]

Hi Scott,

I certainly had no intention of upsetting you or anyone else.

"In the future if you wouldn't mind keeping your smartassed comments to yourself I, and I'm sure many more, would appreciate that as well."

I would be happy to, but my "smartassed comment detector" is faulty. I quite literally make comments which folks consider "smartassed" without knowing I'm doing it.

"for someone to think enough of me as an Instructor to give me something at all when, as I said, most people never tip their Instructor in the first place, I thought it was great. And I appreciated it thank you very much."

I totally agree, but the person giving would prefer to give you something you'd enjoy. My point was not that one should never give scotch, but that one should give something the person will enjoy. Rarely, do you know your instructor well enough to give something personal. My instructor is one of my best friends, I gave him a sculpture. If I'd not known him as well, I'd have opted for cash.

Give me scotch, I appreciate the gift, but not the scotch. Give me a cash tip and I appreciate the gift and the cash.

Perhaps Drew said it best, "Cash is a nice tip unless...
you have specific reason to expect that your instructor would appreciate something else."

Imagine that, Drew and I are actually agreeing. I like it.

 

[david.tolan]

Not sure what all this fuss about a bottle of scotch. Try a bottle of 16 year old Jameson, or a bottle of Middleton. Both are excellent IRISH whiskeys.

 

[MissAmberDiva]

If it were me, I wouldn't mind a gift certificate to anywhere.
I could use one for a restaurant, K-mart, Wal-mart, a spa, a clothing store, a golf course, etc, etc........the list goes on. But I would take any type of gift certifcate.