What to do when an instructor is out of line?

[MXGratefulDiver]

While I agree with this in general, "always" is too absolute. Different people react differently - the trick to being a good instructor or trainer is anything is figuring out how to get to a specific person, not following a particular formula.

I'm not suggesting a "formula" ... I'm suggesting that there's appropriate and inappropriate ways to approach dealing with student problems.

As a scuba instructor, I've yet to meet anybody who would benefit from being yelled at or called a "f@#king idiot". That approach might work well in the military, but it doesn't really belong in recreational scuba training ... if you can't "get to" someone without resorting to those tactics, perhaps it's not the student who's the problem.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[vkalia]

I'm not suggesting a "formula" ... I'm suggesting that there's appropriate and inappropriate ways to approach dealing with student problems.

As a scuba instructor, I've yet to meet anybody who would benefit from being yelled at. That approach might work well in the military, but it doesn't really belong in recreational scuba training ...

In scuba, as in life, sometimes (not always, not often but sometimes) you have to be forceful to make a point. There are all sorts of people in this world, and different people react differently. If you havent met anybody who would benefit from a case of "tough love" or being given a forceful talking-to, good on you.

I suspect the direction where this conversation is heading is probably better off in I2I, so I'll leave it for now.

V.

 

[Grover48]

I signed up for a Rescue Diver course. The instructor said to read certain material and class room instruction would start at 6:00 in the evening. I showed up at 5:45 and went into the class room. No instructor. We waited until 6:20 and he showed up with a Subway Sandwich and proceeded to eat his dinner. He started telling war stories about dives he had made and things he had seen. Finally at 7:30, he started the class instruction. You guessed it, at 8:00 class was over and we were to meet at the pool Wednesday evening at 7:00 for pool time.

Wednesday evening I arrived at the pool at 6:30 and moved all my kit to the pool apron and waited. The instructor showed up at 7:00 for the class. He proceeded to chew my butt because I did not have all my gear on was not ready to get wet. I reminded him he had not been on time the night before and offered no explanation as to why he did not start on time. He got loud and proud and told me I was not to question him on anything in the class because he was the INSTRUCTOR. I calmly picked up my gear and went to the parking lot.

I returned for the second load of gear and he followed me out to the truck and demanded to know what I was doing. I told him I was leaving. He informed me that was a grave mistake for me to thumb this class. He asked me if I knew who he was - his answer was he is the best instructor in Bakersfield and I would miss out. I asked him if he know who I was. He replied "NO!" I told him I am the guy who just FIRED the best instructor in Bakersfield. The course director for the dive shop has been standing by his truck a few feet away listening. He started laughing at the scene. Mister "Best" saw the humor and started laughing too. We finished the course together but the instructor had a new found respect for his student.

 

[vkalia]

^^ Hehe, cool story.

 

[D_B]

Grover ... not sure that I would have given him another chance , me I mean, not you ...

Respect .. why is it that those that want it/demand it, are most likely the ones that don't give any to anyone else?

 

[Potapko]

In scuba, as in life, sometimes (not always, not often but sometimes) you have to be forceful to make a point. There are all sorts of people in this world, and different people react differently. If you havent met anybody who would benefit from a case of "tough love" or being given a forceful talking-to, good on you.

I suspect the direction where this conversation is heading is probably better off in I2I, so I'll leave it for now.

V.

I'm not suggesting a "formula" ... I'm suggesting that there's appropriate and inappropriate ways to approach dealing with student problems.

As a scuba instructor, I've yet to meet anybody who would benefit from being yelled at or called a "f@#king idiot". That approach might work well in the military, but it doesn't really belong in recreational scuba training ... if you can't "get to" someone without resorting to those tactics, perhaps it's not the student who's the problem.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

That there are some people whodon't see the difference here is quite disturbing.

 

[vkalia]

The difference in the extremes is quite obvious. But drawing a clear-cut line on what is/what isnt appropriate is much more difficult and personally, I dont believe in absolutes (eg, nobody benefits from being yelled at). That was the crux of my somewhat minor disagreement with Bob's position. Each to their own.

V.

 

[buckybwhiplash]

Hotpuppy, have you heard anything back from PADI regarding this issue yet?

 

[terrylowe]

Sure there are two sides to every story. There is NO excuse for the instructor to talk to anyone like that though.

 

[Crock]

Would be interesting to hear the other side of the story before casting blame.

Bull no other side needs to be heard. It is known that students freak out all the time or have trouble especially on deep dives. The instructor F@cked up from the start.
If you act the way he did by telling you off then your not an instructor. Just remember that there are a lot of fools out there with a certificates in their pocket even doctors. They are only human so that does not mean all instructors are good at what they do.

If i was you, i would have turned him into shark bait and threw him back into the water. On the other hand no one would dare to talk to me like that.

Report the school to PADI and give them this same story.

Good luck lets us know what happens.