Charging after reaching black belt?

[still learning]

Hello, All martial arts schools is a business first. The dues helps pay for the cost of running the shools.

(each school can set their own policies for Black belts dues)

Some schools are non-profit and /or have little or NO rent. They can be more flexible for dues...

Just because you became a BLack Belt...you learning stops..therefore NO more dues? ....NOT true...Your learning will reach another level that is ALL.

Each Owner/Teacher...it will be always be their choice of collecting dues from ALL students reguardless of ranking.

For us..our Instructor..is different from other Instructors in the same system...he give my family a very low rate....( I give back by assisting his classes/at times running the school when he is unable to attend)

We still pay dues...lower rates/ those who stay still pay the same rates when they started...new students start at higher rates...but never goes up...Our Instrutor does not make dues a big issue....teaching is much more important!

Aloha, ( dues and black belt? ..Teachers choice)

 

[Empty Hands]

To continue LawDog's analogy - would you expect to attend college classes for free, or would you expect to pay the professor for his/her time and effort?

Well, if you are the one teaching the class, it is a little unfair to charge you for the privilege. If you do the work, you should be compensated for it in some way - anything else is exploitation. The business is for profit (for most of us here), and the school head is making his living from it. If you as an instructor are helping him or her to make that profit, then you should be paid somehow.

 

[Kacey]

Well, if you are the one teaching the class, it is a little unfair to charge you for the privilege. If you do the work, you should be compensated for it in some way - anything else is exploitation. The business is for profit (for most of us here), and the school head is making his living from it. If you as an instructor are helping him or her to make that profit, then you should be paid somehow.

As I said - if the student in question is making payment in services, not a problem - that's what my assistant instructor does. However, if the student is not making payment in services, then s/he should pay dues.

 

[Nomad]

We pay monthly dues after black belt. I wasn't paying to get the belt, I was paying for the day-to-day quality instruction, and I haven't seen that change now that I have a different belt around my waist, so see no reason why it should be different. It also helps support our dojo and ensures that I continue to have a great environment to train in. I have no problems whatever with it.

 

[ejaazi]

We continue to pay dues for as long as we train. It is how we support the dojo, which also includes its upkeep. I do not have a problem with it at all. In some Aikido schools, those who are instructors sometime have a reduced fee when it comes to paying dues and they don't seem to mind either.

 

[Bigshadow]

How many here attend martial arts schools that continue to charge monthly dues after one hits (1st dan) black belt level?

Where I train, I get charged by the class I attend.

How do you feel about that, either way?

AoG

Just because I have gotten beyond 1st Dan, doesn't mean I have stopped learning. My teacher is always *that* far ahead of me. Therefore, I am always learning. I have no problems with it. In fact, the training is worth far more than I can afford to pay, IMO.

 

[arnisador]

It happens where I take JKD. But, I'm not expected to teach so it seems fair to me.

 

[IcemanSK]

I think that BB's paying for class is as important as any student payng for class. As has been mentioned above, people value what costs them something. I feel BB's should either pay the regular fee, or have the expectation on them that they help teach.

I charge half of what the cheapest school in my town charges, & I still have scholarship students. Yet, everyone pays something. This is important because I feel that without a monetary investment, there is less "buy in" to what they are learning.

 

[Grenadier]

At our school, everyone pays tuition.

However, those who are either instructors or assistant instructors can teach for $$$. Equally as important, an assistant instructor also gets a modest fee for each class that he assists in consistently.

 

[stickarts]

I don't automatically stop charging when a student earns Black Belt although they do have an opportunity to teach to help work off their tuition. This seems fair to me.

 

[TheArtofDave]

Unless the student reached instructor level, and was then being compensated for it according to what the teacher could afford I could see how the student stopped paying. Otherwise, I believe the student should pay while he is learning to instruct as the learning process never ends.

 

[diamondbar1971]

I agree, as long as you are learning you should pay. why should you stop paying just because you have achieved another belt rank. Martial arts is a constant journey and learning is a part of that journey. If one is so upset that he or she should pay after
reaching black belt, then start your own school and then you can do the charging.