# Teaching Do's & Don'ts



## Doomx2001 (Jan 12, 2013)

I would love to hear everyone's opinion on the Do's & Don'ts of teaching martial arts. What have you guys learned so far since teaching? Thanks for any replies. 

 - Brian


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## Blaze Dragon (Jan 12, 2013)

Doomx2001 said:


> I would love to hear everyone's opinion on the Do's & Don'ts of teaching martial arts. What have you guys learned so far since teaching? Thanks for any replies.
> 
> - Brian



First thing I would say is dont' throw everything at them at once. I think you need to do building blocks and start with simple basics. if you throw to much information at once half the stuff will be missed. If they can stand and put there arm out, that's a good start. That's what I would say.


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## Dwi Chugi (Jan 12, 2013)

Doomx2001 said:


> I would love to hear everyone's opinion on the Do's & Don'ts of teaching martial arts. What have you guys learned so far since teaching? Thanks for any replies.
> 
> - Brian


I agree with blazeleedragon in not throwing everything at a student at once. I have my program broken up into four levels with different type of techniques in each level. Level one is pure simple street defense with more of the complicated Hapkido building off the basics as the belts get darker. 

I also build relationships with all my students.  Some are closer than others but each of my students really know I care about them. I go to every invitation I possible can and the party's, plays, weddings, ball games, etc I can not attend make sure they know I did everything I could do to make it. 

I do not require my students to call me master (though most call me either Master Creech or Sabumnim) or to say "sir" (however all do). I give them respect and I learn that I earn theirs. 

I hope this helps.


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## WC_lun (Jan 13, 2013)

A good system has a solid base to teach from.  Teach that base then go from there.  Your students will be much better for it.

Don't ever pretend to be or know something you don't know.  Be honest with your students, even if that means admitting to not knowing something.


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## Jaeimseu (Jan 13, 2013)

Do teach what you like. Don't teach only what you like. Just like you have your favorite parts, your students will also favor different aspects. If you only teach your favorite part, you will only have students who feel the same way. If you don't care about how many students you have, then I guess it doesn't matter^^


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## Blaze Dragon (Jan 13, 2013)

Do:
Encourage personal growth
Use positive reenforcement
Teach Honor and Perseverance


Don't:
Talk down to your students
Humiliate them
Train, encourage, or accept bullying


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## Cyriacus (Jan 13, 2013)

I dont have much experience in teaching, but from what i have done, i know one thing. Explain complex things as simply as you can. I think Bruce Lee said that or something, but that isnt where i got it from. Its just that if you start giving someone lots of details, it tends to be useless information to them. Just give them a simple explanation then get them to where theyre interpreting it correctly, and most of the time alls dandy.


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## seasoned (Jan 13, 2013)

WC_lun said:


> A good system has a *solid base* to teach from.  *Teach that base then go from there.*  Your students will be much better for it.
> 
> Don't ever pretend to be or know something you don't know.  Be honest with your students, even if that means admitting to not knowing something.



If I may, you have shared the one most important aspect that I feel is utmost relevant, to begin ones martial arts journey. :asian:


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## seasoned (Jan 13, 2013)

Not everyone can be or even wants to be a warrior, so gear classes toward a solid curriculum while you get a good sweat out of them. "When the time is right, the warrior will appear".


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## DennisBreene (Jan 13, 2013)

BlazeLeeDragon said:


> First thing I would say is dont' throw everything at them at once. I think you need to do building blocks and start with simple basics. if you throw to much information at once half the stuff will be missed. If they can stand and put there arm out, that's a good start. That's what I would say.


 
While I don't have the teaching experience of most of the regulars on the forum, teaching was integral to the black belt process in our school and I agree whole heartedly with Blaze.  It disturbs me to see beginning students attempting what I consider advanced kicks; spinning and aerials, before they have mastered the basics of stance, balance and walking.  I would love to hear from a kicking oriented instructor with a lot of experience. What is their perspective on when advanced kicking should be introduced? Do they see any down sides to early introduction of these kicks; ie injury? And I'll take my anwer on the air


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## Blaze Dragon (Jan 13, 2013)

DennisBreene said:


> While I don't have the teaching experience of most of the regulars on the forum, teaching was integral to the black belt process in our school and I agree whole heartedly with Blaze.  It disturbs me to see beginning students attempting what I consider advanced kicks; spinning and aerials, before they have mastered the basics of stance, balance and walking.  I would love to hear from a kicking oriented instructor with a lot of experience. What is their perspective on when advanced kicking should be introduced? Do they see any down sides to early introduction of these kicks; ie injury? And I'll take my anwer on the air



Now I'm not expert or master teacher...however as far as some of the advanced kicks of TKD and teaching my friends or even when I use to teach during class a drill or two, I find that essentially there are building blocks and each student is different.


(this is by no means a master plan but my thought process)
First I would stick with simple kicks, front, round and side. 
Second if the student can do those and understand the snap with both legs then move on to stepping and kicking
Third jump kicks
fourth pivet/turn/spin

just as a basic idea of course each level of kick you'd want to help them get a firm grasp of. I say firm grasp because some people do not master kicks, and to expect a white or yellow belt to have a master front kick is just ridiculous in my opinion. Heck when I stopped doing TKD and was about to test for Purple, I still see how my spin kicks are lacking, even some of my jump kicks, watching myself on tape I could see what I was trying to do and how I was having issues turning in the air.


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## zDom (Jan 14, 2013)

Doomx2001 said:


> I would love to hear everyone's opinion on the Do's & Don'ts of teaching martial arts. What have you guys learned so far since teaching? Thanks for any replies.
> 
> - Brian




Do with them. Don't just stand around describing techniques or counting off kicks for them to do while you watch.

Students need to see things done correctly, many times. They need to see in the instructor that hapkido is a lifetime fitness commitment and not just a climb to black belt where you rest on laurels.


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (Jan 14, 2013)

Give them a taste of what is possible, so they know what to strive for and what they can/can't achieve. Then let them know how long the demonstrator has been practicing for so they dont get frustrated with progressing slowly. Don't do this myself, but its what my old instructor used to do.


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## oftheherd1 (Jan 15, 2013)

How were you taught?  Was it a good way to teach?  That then can be your example of a good way to teach.


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## Cyriacus (Jan 15, 2013)

oftheherd1 said:


> How were you taught?  Was it a good way to teach?  That then can be your example of a good way to teach.


And if it isnt, ask yourself how you would have liked to have been taught, and adjust it to suit a broader audience 
(Note this is only in the context of how to teach. If youd have preferred to, say, learn a strike against a held bag rather than a heavy bag, if its of no consequence you could teach it that way instead as long as it didnt conflict with the method.)


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## Touch Of Death (Jan 15, 2013)

WC_lun said:


> A good system has a solid base to teach from.  Teach that base then go from there.  Your students will be much better for it.
> 
> Don't ever pretend to be or know something you don't know.  Be honest with your students, even if that means admitting to not knowing something.


This is touchy, I agree you should watch your mouth, but don't start openly admitting your ignorance. LOL Then they will ask themselves if he doesn't know that, what does he know?


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## Aiseant (Jan 15, 2013)

[B said:
			
		

> WC_lun[/B]] 				 				A good system has a solid base to teach from.  Teach that base then go from there.  Your students will be much better for it. Don't ever pretend to be or know something you don't know.  Be honest  with your students, even if that means admitting to not knowing  something.






Touch Of Death said:


> This is touchy, I agree you should watch your mouth, but don't start openly admitting your ignorance. LOL Then they will ask themselves if he doesn't know that, what does he know?





I agreed with both of you at a time, so I took another way : 
When I don't know, I admitt it, always. I don't know how to lie. 
But, and that's the important part I think, I add the magic "it's a good question. I'll look for the answer and tell you next time".
And I do, always. Last time, I ended calling one big guy at the french federation office to ask my question after a week of hopeless searching, but what the hell  He didn't know himself, and went looking too 
And the "next time", I have the answer to the question, even when the student doesn't even remember that he asked it.

I really think I answer right away with many details often enough for my students not to think "what does she knows?", and I'm also showing them that we are constantly learning new stuffs, even when we have been practicing a long time


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## jks9199 (Jan 15, 2013)

Touch Of Death said:


> This is touchy, I agree you should watch your mouth, but don't start openly admitting your ignorance. LOL Then they will ask themselves if he doesn't know that, what does he know?



Sorry, I disagree.  If you establish a baseline of trust in the first place, and your students trust you, and "I don't know, let's find out together" or "Let me look into that & I'll get back to you..." only maintains and builds that trust.  They know you're not possessed by god-like knowledge -- but that you'll find the answer.  Otherwise -- you start traveling down the cult road awfully easily.


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## Kung Fu Wang (Jan 15, 2013)

Do:

- Not only how to apply a technique but also how to set it up.
- Not only how to apply a technique but also how to counter it along with counters to those counters.
- Try to group those techniques that can be executed with the same set up.
- Always teach combo techniques in reverse directions.
- For each technique, you should teach how to develop, test, enhance, and polish it.
- Always start from a "root" and grow a tree out of it.
- ...


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## RTKDCMB (Mar 18, 2013)

WC_lun said:


> A good system has a solid base to teach from.  Teach that base then go from there.  Your students will be much better for it.
> 
> Don't ever pretend to be or know something you don't know.  Be honest with your students, even if that means admitting to not knowing something.



One way around that is, for example you have forgotten the next technique in a pattern, is to say to the student "show me the next move" as if it were a test of their memory. If they ask you about an application of a technique or how to defend against some kind of hold you have not thought of teaching before try to come up with one on the spot, if you can't then thank them for coming up with such a great idea for a hold to practice self defence techniques against and tell them you will work some out or ask your instructor. That way you do not appear to not know what you are doing and are not being dishonest.


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## Daniel Sullivan (Mar 20, 2013)

zDom said:


> Do with them. Don't just stand around describing techniques or counting off kicks for them to do while you watch.
> 
> Students need to see things done correctly, many times. They need to see in the instructor that hapkido is a lifetime fitness commitment and not just a climb to black belt where you rest on laurels.


I fully agree with this with the caveat that you need to both join them in the exercises (lead by example) and observe them while they do the exercises so that you can see what they're doing and give appropriate correction.  

Class time is not my personal training time.  I do daily practice and focus on improving my own skills during that time.  I make sure to participate in the drills enough to allow the students to see the technique performed correctly, but I also spend a good amount of time observing what my students are doing.


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