Business practices vs. teaching practices

[Nomad]

There is a big difference.
If I've mastered the double spinning jump kick (or whatever) but age catches up with me, I still undertand it because I know it, even if I can't execute it anymore. Therefore I will be able to teach it by instructing the students and tell them where to adjust, based on the fact that I know what they are doing and why it isn't working.

If I've never been able to master it even remotely, then I really have no clue what I am doing, and I cannot teach it to my students since I don't know what to say to them or explain what they need to do.

Ability may fade, but the understanding will stay. If there was no ability to begin with, then there will never be an understanding either.

This makes the assumption that in order to understand something, you have to be able to perform it. While it likely helps, I don't think that's a prerequisite. If someone can teach another (likely younger, more athletic) person how to do a technique properly, I think that in itself demonstrates a solid understanding of the technique, even if they can't do it themselves.

It goes back to the concept that the best performers aren't always the best teachers, and vice versa.

 

[jthomas1600]

LuckyKboxer said Besides it really effected everyones mood after the test if one-four kids are crying because they didnt pass. so we came up with another solution that has seemed to work well. One thing our school does that I think lessons this is we generally test on Fri/Sat and have no evening classes Sat. and no classes Sun. Belts are awarded the following week. It's standard practice and the instructor reminds everyone after testing that he will review the test scores and personally call anyone who did not pass. That we they aren't put on the spot publicly. We also have a test day about a week after regular testing...primarily for those who couldn't make it on the designated days, but I think this is also an opportunity for re-test. Maybe some will see this as coddling the students, but it seems to work for us.

 

[ralphmcpherson]

LuckyKboxer said Besides it really effected everyones mood after the test if one-four kids are crying because they didnt pass. so we came up with another solution that has seemed to work well. One thing our school does that I think lessons this is we generally test on Fri/Sat and have no evening classes Sat. and no classes Sun. Belts are awarded the following week. It's standard practice and the instructor reminds everyone after testing that he will review the test scores and personally call anyone who did not pass. That we they aren't put on the spot publicly. We also have a test day about a week after regular testing...primarily for those who couldn't make it on the designated days, but I think this is also an opportunity for re-test. Maybe some will see this as coddling the students, but it seems to work for us.

We do this also, coloured belts test on a monday or wednesday night and reults are not given out until training the following week. Students generally have a pretty good idea if they passed or failed and that extra few days before getting the results gives them a chance to come to terms with how they went.

 

[Aiki Lee]

This makes the assumption that in order to understand something, you have to be able to perform it. While it likely helps, I don't think that's a prerequisite. If someone can teach another (likely younger, more athletic) person how to do a technique properly, I think that in itself demonstrates a solid understanding of the technique, even if they can't do it themselves.

It goes back to the concept that the best performers aren't always the best teachers, and vice versa.

I certainly think that this is possible. But the person has to study the art in depth in order to understand how something is done but not be able to do it, and this only really works in the case of actual physical disability.

On the other side, I'm sure we have all see that trying to teach something to someone in turn helps our own understanding of it.

Personally tho, i'd want to be shown how to do something by someone who can do it, just so I'm sure they know what they are talking about.

 

[ralphmcpherson]

I certainly think that this is possible. But the person has to study the art in depth in order to understand how something is done but not be able to do it, and this only really works in the case of actual physical disability.

On the other side, I'm sure we have all see that trying to teach something to someone in turn helps our own understanding of it.

Personally tho, i'd want to be shown how to do something by someone who can do it, just so I'm sure they know what they are talking about.

My old instructor (6th dan) was never able to do a jump spinning kick due to flexibility and bad back and knees and actually failed to break the timber with the kick twice at his 2nd dan grading and only passed due to being excellent with his sparring, self defence, form etc. To this day he has never done one but he is very good at teaching the jump spinning kick. He understands the biomechanics behind the kick and can break it down and explain it in a very easy to understand way. He can also critique your kick and see exactly what you are doing wrong and can explain ways to improve it. You only have to look at many high level sports coaches who were never any good at the sport they coach.

 

[Aiki Lee]

Yeah, I agree that this can be the case. It's just my personal preference to have a teacher that can show me how something is supposed to be done because I learn best that way.

 

[Balrog]

Balrog, I think you are doing just fine. If people wine about why they aren't getting promoted, do you even want them in your school to begin with?

Yeah. Then I can really give them something to whine about. :lol::lol:

 

[Balrog]

My first question is the parents that you had a run in with, did they stay or did they leave and go elsewhere? just curious.

Believe it or not, they stayed. It was a learning experience for them as well as their kids.