What to do when an instructor is out of line?

[D_B]

It is interesting. I've taught a lot of students. I've certified fewer than I taught. Not all of my students got certified, not all of them completed their classes. It isn't because they were f"n idiots, it's because I am. Sometimes I just can't get through to a student. I don't see that as a failure on their part, but as a failure on mine. Yes, I refund a student when I fail to teach them. Yes, I'll give them the whole year to get the class done. Yes, I'll hand the student off to another instructor to finish them, and try to learn from the process. Try to learn how to teach the skill I failed to teach. Why would I do this? Because if someone wants to learn to dive, I want them to have the best instruction possible. After all, diving is a dangerous sport, and new divers need to be prepared to face that danger. For any instructor to want something less than that for their student does a dis-service to the student, as well as a dis-service to the scuba industry as a whole. I really don't want to see Hotpuppy (or any other diver) on the Spree until he has shown MASTERY of the skills for the card he is presenting me. Anything less shows a lack of respect for those of us who try to make better divers.

Quoted because I think it bears repeating so others can see just the kind of training all students should get, and what all instructors should strive for

 

[SC_Hoaty]

now is there any way to change the name in the other post I was talking about. but will not mention because it will bring it up again.

Just a wild guess, but how about going to the offending post and use the "report" button. Isn't that why it is there?

 

[Ed Palma]

Moderators:

You neglected to remove the initials of the dive shop in question in your earlier edit. Anyone familiar with the shops in Houston could easily identify who they are.

Echoing this sentiment. It took that and 5 seconds on Google to figure it out.

 

[SailNaked]

Just a wild guess, but how about going to the offending post and use the "report" button. Isn't that why it is there?

Note: This is only to be used to report spam, advertising messages, and problematic (harassment, fighting or rude) posts. Please contact a Moderator or Advisor for other issues (questions, thread moving etcetera).


So no that is not what that button is for.

:sent PM to moderator.

 

[SC_Hoaty]

Note: This is only to be used to report spam, advertising messages, and problematic (harassment, fighting or rude) posts. Please contact a Moderator or Advisor for other issues (questions, thread moving etcetera).


So no that is not what that button is for.

Guess I don't see the 3 examples as being the only ones that can be viewed as problematic. Sure beats posting a complaint on a thread, and hoping a Mod trips over it!

 

[SC_Hoaty]

You neglected to remove the initials of the dive shop in question in your earlier edit. Anyone familiar with the shops in Houston could easily identify who they are.

Fixed - thanks Mods!

 

[rollerboi]

You have to keep in mind the spirit of the report button; it is for helping the moderators identify a problem. Anything against the code of conduct of this board, including naming dive shops in a negative way or posts that otherwise may open ScubaBoard up to lawsuits of libel and slander (gee..) can and SHOULD be reported to the moderation staff.

They will be happy to review, correct if necessary, and let you know if you are abusing the report button. Tis better to err on the side of abusing the report button rather than let abuses continue on the board IMO.

 

[SC_Hoaty]

:sent PM to moderator.

Problem fixed? Hope so!

 

[seaducer]

No, I personally have not witnessed it. Had I, I personally would have reported the offending instructor to the appropriate certifying agency. But just because I personally have never seen something like this has no bearing on the matter at hand. I also have never personally witnessed an airplane crash, or a diver death. But both can, and do, happen. Thank God I've never seen either.

I can't believe this thread is still going

FWIW there is plenty of emprical evidence to support airplane crashes and dead divers. You do not have to see such an event to understand they happen. Same thing with one person berating another (hell it happened right in this very thread).

As for whether this actually happened - you are free to continue with your (IMO overzealous) skepticism. I, personally, have read enough that I, personally, believe that it happened.

This is not overzealous skepticism. This is simply one person attempting to point out to everyone, again, that the thread itself is not evidence that anything happened the way it is represented. Someone posted the name of the shop, now it gets serious as this shop could be financially hurt because of what one person posted here, and how everyone else is reacting as though that is exactly what happened.

Simply put nothing in this thread short of the dive profile counts as evidence of anything. ANd to be honest that profile could be from any dive, not exclusivley the one in question.

For the record, I am not now nor have I ever called the OP a liar, nor defending the shop or instructor. I am simply trying to tone down the rhetoric that is flying around in here, half cocked, since only the OP knows the story. We do not...

 

[Leejnd]

I can't believe this thread is still going

Well...there's always the option of...not contributing to its ongoing life by continuing to post to it! :blinking:

I still do not see the need for people to continue to remind us that "we don't know what actually happened" and "all we have here is this thread". I honestly think that's pretty obvious. Nobody, other than those involved (and apparently Divealicious), know who the instructor is. Nobody participating in this thread actually witnessed it. We get that...really, we do. Consequently, all we are really doing is voicing our opinion about the incident as it was described to us by the OP. That was obviously the intent of the original post - go back and read it. He didn't name the instructor, he didn't even name the shop - in fact, he went to great lengths to request that it WASN'T named. (Which was, of course, blatantly ignored by Divealicious ).

So all we are doing, and all we HAVE been doing from the beginning, is giving our opinions on what we would do if this happened to us, and what we think SHOULD be done about it. Nobody is actually DOING anything, except of course the OP, who clearly gained a lot of insight and understanding about the situation from the discussions that ensued, helping him to determine his next course of action.

There's been no "rhetoric", nobody has run off half-cocked, there's been no action taken by any of the participants in this thread, as far as I can tell - which is solely because the OP, with immense dignity and grace, did his best to keep the name of the shop and instructor to himself. He just wanted to talk about what happened, and ask our opinions.

And for that he's been insulted, demeaned, belittled, attacked, and ridiculed, not to mention had his explicit wishes defied by people openly naming the shop, which could have resulted in people running off half-cocked, causing financial damage to the shop, and all those things y'all seem so worried about.

Yeah, ya gotta love scubaboard.