Full vs. Part Time Teachers

[chinto]

ok folks, my two cents worth... provably not worth more then one cent really.... but here goes. If the individual is a good martial arts instructor, I do NOT think it matters at all if he teaches part time or full time! I am not sold that some one who teaches full time and is a good instructor is better then the one that is a good instructor and teaches part time. THE IMPORTANT PART IS ... wait for it... IS HE/SHE A GOOD INSTRUCTOR? after that .... its all BS.

after all if you are in the class, the instructor knows the system, is a good instructor who can impart the knowledge and system you are interested in.. why would it matter if he/she teaches say your class every other night/day, or every day/night, or say 4 classes a day??

 

[Lee Mainprize]

In theory a professional full time teacher should be much better - more time of the mats, more training etc

But its down the the individual - but a full time teacher on average is going to be the best to train with.

 

[OKenpo942]

If I only teach on a part time basis and you call me a hobbyist, I am a hobbyist (to you according to your definition). If you know the passion that I have for how and what I teach and still call me a hobbyist, I am a hobbyist. One persons definition or how they label me is of no consequence... Who cares?

I am a pig, a cop, an officer... Whatever! I am what I am (to you accordiing to your definition). Four days a week I do what I do with passion and dedication, but I do not define myself the same way as you may, based on my profession.

There is more to me than my job. I am a Christian. I am a father, a husband. I am a law enforcement officer. I am a martial artist. I am me. Only God's judgement matters.

God bless you all, however you define yourselves.

James

 

[Uchinanchu]

Full time vs. Part time?....Well putting it like that right away makes me think that the person in question has the wrong mentality right from the get go (my opinion). It sounds as if training/teaching is being put into the same category as a 'job' i.e.- a way to make a living, instead of being a way of life. As far as someone thinking I train only as a 'hobby' instead of taking my training/teaching seriously just because I don't fit into a certain criteria of their own personal making...NOT my problem. That's their own personal issue, and I could care less what someone may (or may not) think of me. I am comfortable in what I do and who I am.On a more humorous note, I'd LOVE to see someone tell my karate sensei that he's a hobbyist just because he teaches only three nights a week (for the past 25plus years). I try to live by my teachers philosophy of, "Just train!" He hates all the politics and silly bickering that goes on within ALL martial arts organizations/circles.Nuff said. Lets "Just train"!

 

[searcher]

I wish I could teach FT, but I don't have the resources to do it. I rent space from a dance school and the time they are open to where I can teach is very limited. This on top of the fact that there are not very many people in my area and two other schools, makes it near impossible to make any living from teaching MA. I work as a personal trainer by day and I use what I have learned from MAs to train my clients, but only in pieces. I wish I could do it FT, but at this time it is just not feasible. If that makes it a hobby, then so be it. It will continue to be one, until God blesses me with a way to make a FT living at it.

 

[jasonb]

This can go either way. There are good and bad full time and part time teachers. I can't help but think you might be better if you do it full time because of the amount of time you spend doing it, but also you have to keep in mind once you go full time, money gets involved and money can screw up a martial art... since maybe it can become not about teaching how to survive or win but about making money. If your stuff is good, you don't want to teach everyone. If you are making money you want to teach alot of people.. but what do you teach and what do you keep for yourself? Also, might you start teaching things that you don't believe in but that are in demand?

 

[Punchy]

Full time or part time may just come down to the question of which one is the better business man.

 

[iTz BoT]

I dont think it matters whether a teacher teaches full time or part time. In most cases, its not possible to teach full time. People have a family to feed and need to keep a roof over their heads. Generally, you wont earn enough money to do that.

Would you rather learn under a great teacher who taught part time or an awful teacher or taught full time?

 

[Tez3]

These days it's becoming quite common to have two or more jobs because the economy means that employers are more likely to want part timers than full timers. We have part time doctors, teachers and other professionals, it doesn't make them any less professional because they don't do their job full time. Here we have had 'part time' police officers for a very long time, the Special Constables, they aren't paid but put as much professionalism and effort into the hours they can put in as do the full time coppers. I wonder if it's a martial arts thing to try to denigrate those who aren't teaching as a full time job? No one says this of the numerous other sports and activity coaches around.