Better student or better instructor?

[IcemanSK]

I've had this conversation with a good friend, lately. He has been teaching in his own school for quite some time. He's very good at it. However, he feels that he gets his batteries recharged more when he is a student than when he is teaching.

As much as I love being a student, I really enjoy teaching. I try to learn all I can just so I can share it with others.

What about you? Do you get your batteries recharged more from being a student or an instructor?

 

[Steel Tiger]

I have to agree with you Iceman. I find teaching gives me that something extra when I know I have increased someone's collection of knowledge.

 

[Kacey]

It kind of depends. Being a student reminds me that the perspective is completely different from the other side - which helps me to be a better instructor, I think. But I also enjoy teaching, which inspires me to continue to be a student. The two build on each other, at least for me.

 

[newGuy12]

Not me. You can believe this or not, but at one time, the idea was presented to me that I could have chosen to aspire to teach TKD. But that is not for me, definitely. I am much more of a student, in my personality.

I don't know why, but the high point for me is to be on line, with the other students, with the Teacher keoping as we kick, up and down the floor! I can never do that at home, or alone. But, when the Teacher yells, then I just keep going! They say a horse can run faster with a rider on it. Its that kind of thing. When I hear the Teacher yelling, and the other students yell when we turn around, then...


BAM!!!

I will keep up! Now, that being said, there have been some times when it seems that I have been helpful to other students just one on one, maybe making a suggestion. Now, that is the "best of both worlds"!

--> I can get the pleasure of being of use to someone, while at the same time NOT taking on the responsibility of being the Teacher! And, when we get on line, then, BAM! I get to *recieve* the energy from the Master Instructor (or other Teacher).

I do not want to miss out on that!

 

[Laurentkd]

I think every black belt needs to have a balance of both. If you are training all the team you will be recharged by teaching, but if you are always teaching you will need to train to stay fired up. I think it just depends on the individual as to how long it take to need that recharge (some can train/teach for 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, etc without needing the other, but I think eventually it is needed). At my dojang all black belts help teach one hour a week and then must train at least twice a week (although most do much more than that). This is to keep everyone fired up and seems to work for everyone.
Even for my sahbonim when he goes back to Virginia to his master once a year or so, there is a HUGE difference in him when he gets back- talk about fired up!

 

[morph4me]

I love teaching and sharing my art, but I need my time as a student, it keeps me excited. Every time I learn something new or get a small correction or a different point of view that changes the way I look at a technique itt revitalizes me and makes me want more.

 

[Blindside]

I enjoy teaching and I think I am good at it, but I love being a student. I love the challenge of learning something new, and of fitting whatever that "new" thing is into my personal game. I think that if anyone becomes and instructor and then loses the student part of the mentality, they've lost why they have gotten into martial arts. It is obviously some shade of grey between the two extremes, but for me, I tend toward the student side.

Lamont

 

[YounWha]

I feel that teaching - no matter how much you do - is needed in your training. Teaching someone allows you to open your mind to new ways to show someone how to punch for example. Since everyone is different in learning to a degree - the more you teach, the more you learn ways of teaching and end up training at the same time.

Example - if you were told to teach a good front kick then you would be doing a better front kick subconcious and conciously because everyone is
watching you and you want to perform your best. When you are in the back of the class kicking you sometimes "slack" off a bit in one area or another.

Our instructor's are required to train with GMH at testings to this day. This allows him to watch our technique and make sure we are passing on the correct knowledge and doing our best for our students.

 

[theletch1]

YounWha, that's an excellent viewpoint. I've only been instructing for about a year and have to say that I feel my technique has improved dramatically from my teaching experiences. Trying to find the best way to help a student understand the technique makes you look at the tech from a thousand different angles and pick up on details you may have missed before.

As for charging my batteries teaching and learning will feed one another for me. I get charged when teaching because I get to see the light bulbs go off over peoples heads. I get charged as a student when the lightbulb goes off for me and I know that another piece of my personal puzzle has clicked into place and I'm now better able to instruct that technique.