Finally finishing up my CFI after starting flying back in 1990. Several hiatuses in between.. I have seen the good the bad and the ugly when it comes to flight instruction. Though I never attended an academy (looked into it at one point though). The one major critique that I see with some instructors is that teaching for them is merely a means to and end. They want the time they need and then jump up to the next rung on the ladder (understandable). However, this sometime leads to people who don't really want to teach... They feel they have to in order to get the time, but they don't really want to.
At one unnamed school, I saw an instructor walk to the front desk looking very angry. He told the counter person to charge the two hour time block (he was doing a ground) to the students account and that the student was being sent home due to his lack of preparation. The student appeared to be about 18...... I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The instructor was punishing the student by charging him (at the time about 35 per hour) for his time of two hours as the instructor went to lunch and didn't think twice about it.
The instructor was very good and new his stuff, but he had the tendency to get cocky and told everyone in the world (including his students) that as soon as he got his time he was out of there (great customer service.....).
He is very lucky that I was not his supervisor, I would have had a come to Jesus with him..... And I would not have charged the student.... I would have made the instructor teach him for time paid (even if it was maybe in a different area).
The fact of the matter is that students are different and some will frustrate the instructor. But does anyone think that the student will now have any desire to work with that instructor again, let alone stay at the school?
I want to teach flying.... I taught in the Police Department that I was with and enjoyed it. I have taught one thing or another most of my adult life. It will be challenging I know, but I am there to perform a service to the customer and to be a symbol for my employer. That is my job.
It seems that some schools want the students to fit their image (almost paramilitary) which is fine, if that is what you as a student are looking for. If not it is your responsibility to find what you are looking for.
And if we have a student who wants to not study, and wants to be spoon fed, fine.... as long as we make sure and "document" the conversation about the need to study and that if they are not prepared, then we will not be prepared to sign them off...... I heard boating is a nice hobby.......
On that note, I will say that I will try to be patient and hope for the best students at all times, I will just run away from the other kinds....