# Teaching Instructors How To Teach



## Ryun Ma (May 5, 2010)

What does your school offer/do for new Instructor candidates? Do you offer seminars, trainings, do they 'student teach' for a period of time? What's your school's policy on new Instructors? And for current Instructors does anybody run a one time per year Instructor seminar to get your people up on the latest stuff and/or issues?


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## bushidomartialarts (May 6, 2010)

When I ran a full-time school, we had three levels of instructors. 

Apprentice instructors received no specialized training, but were there for other instructors to lean on in a "Mr. Brown Belt, please review what I just taught with the white belts while I work with the blue belts" kind of way.

Assistant instructors went through an 8-week training course on how to drill, plan drills and keep class safe. They would be responsible for a subdivision of class if the lead instructor felt it was necessary.

Instructors went through an additional 12 weeks of training on curriculum, pedagogy (learning theory), first aid and motivation. After completing that training, an instructor was qualified to take responsibility for an entire class.

Not tang soo do, but I figured I'd stick my nose in.


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## Drac (May 6, 2010)

At our school Black belts are given a technique to demonstrate..They break it down for the rest of the class and answer questions to see how they respond..The dojang Master then offers suggestions on how they can improve..


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## dbell (May 6, 2010)

Upon achieving their 1st Dan, and a few months after that, in the BB class, I have the 1st Dan teach me what a 10Kyu needs to learn, as their 2nd Dan training continues (more moves/etc), I work them up the kyu belt curriculum to 5th Kyu.  When I am comfortable with the way they teach me, I have them begin teaching classes.  (They are also given a copy of the training documents for the art through 1st Dan.)

I repeat the process (10th Kyu to 1st Dan) after they reach 2nd Dan.  The last few months, after getting the content taught to them for 3rd Dan, and they are good at it, but before I give them their 3rd Dan test (which in my school gives them a Menkyo (ability to open a school in the Hombu's name (Circular Wind Ryu or Hasumi Ryu Kendo)) I have them teach me (and the other black belts) from 10th Kyu to 3rd Dan.   (At 2nd Dan, they get the full training materials for the school, but are told not to go into the 3rd Dan requirements until they have been taught them (I do this to see who listens and who doesn't and who goes forward and reads and learns the 3rd Dan stuff before it is passed on to them...)

A person will only receive 3rd Dan if they are wanting to open their own school, in the name of the Hombu, and they are able to teach to my requirements.


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## Carol (May 8, 2010)

dbell said:


> (I do this to see who listens and who doesn't and who goes forward and reads and learns the 3rd Dan stuff before it is passed on to them...)



Why the games?


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## dbell (May 8, 2010)

Carol said:


> Why the games?



Not sure I would call it games, but it is what my Sensei passed on to me, so I just kept it in.


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## Makalakumu (May 8, 2010)

bushidomartialarts said:


> When I ran a full-time school, we had three levels of instructors.
> 
> Apprentice instructors received no specialized training, but were there for other instructors to lean on in a "Mr. Brown Belt, please review what I just taught with the white belts while I work with the blue belts" kind of way.
> 
> ...



Thanks anyway, because that plan is simple and sensible and it's more training then most MA instructors get.  I think this could be a good template for other businesses.


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