Guess Instructors

[terryl965]

How often do you and your school bring in guess instructor to help with the younger student and has it been beneficial to the growth of your school?
Terry

 

[Kacey]

I bring in guest instructors for the benefit of all students, and the frequency varies; generally, it happens when I can't be there for some reason. As a school teacher, I miss class several times a year for parent/teacher conferences, so I invite guest instructors for those nights.

All the black belts in my school teach in one way or another - either they teach class when I can't come (illness has, happily, not been much of a problem - but one night my car key broke off in my trunk, and one of the BBs had to teach while I was waiting for a friend to show up with my spare key), or they take smaller groups or individual students and help them work on various things. If needed, the senior color belts teach as well - and in the case of my 2 students with developmental delays (both adults), everyone of every rank helps teach them, because they, more than other students, need individual attention, explanations, and feedback... and it's amazing how much better the intermediate color belts have gotten from having to analyze what they do to help those 2 students.

In my opinion, it always helps students (of any age) to hear a different voice and a different perspective - even if the person is saying the same thing, a different voice is sometimes has more impact; hearing the same thing from someone else can underscore a point, and a different explanation can make more sense or emphasize a different point in a way that helps students.

 

[terryl965]

I bring in guest instructors for the benefit of all students, and the frequency varies; generally, it happens when I can't be there for some reason. As a school teacher, I miss class several times a year for parent/teacher conferences, so I invite guest instructors for those nights.

All the black belts in my school teach in one way or another - either they teach class when I can't come (illness has, happily, not been much of a problem - but one night my car key broke off in my trunk, and one of the BBs had to teach while I was waiting for a friend to show up with my spare key), or they take smaller groups or individual students and help them work on various things. If needed, the senior color belts teach as well - and in the case of my 2 students with developmental delays (both adults), everyone of every rank helps teach them, because they, more than other students, need individual attention, explanations, and feedback... and it's amazing how much better the intermediate color belts have gotten from having to analyze what they do to help those 2 students.

In my opinion, it always helps students (of any age) to hear a different voice and a different perspective - even if the person is saying the same thing, a different voice is sometimes has more impact; hearing the same thing from someone else can underscore a point, and a different explanation can make more sense or emphasize a different point in a way that helps students.

So you can see the benifets but do your student see the benefits as well especially the younger ones?
Terry

 

[Carol]

In my opinion, it always helps students (of any age) to hear a different voice and a different perspective - even if the person is saying the same thing, a different voice is sometimes has more impact; hearing the same thing from someone else can underscore a point, and a different explanation can make more sense or emphasize a different point in a way that helps students.

I agree completely. Hearing something in a different voice brings a deeper level of legitimacy to what is being taught.

There is something about hearing something in a different voice...perhaps because no two people explain the same things in different ways, or perhaps because my learning habits are shaken up with the presence of a new person...there can often be something about a new voice that makes all kinds of light bulbs go on in my head.

My school hasn't had any guest instructors since I have been there, however, we do have a leadership team of mostly younger folks...brown belt (equivalent of a red belt in my system), Jr. BB and BB. Sometimes even just working with these folks can be enough of a different voice for me to realize some of the mistakes that I'm making.

Personally I would love to see someone new come in from time to time to teach.

 

[Kacey]

So you can see the benifets but do your student see the benefits as well especially the younger ones?
Terry

So the students tell me; also, I can see it the next class.

If it benefits students, it benefits all students - why would it be different for younger students?

 

[terryl965]

So the students tell me; also, I can see it the next class.

If it benefits students, it benefits all students - why would it be different for younger students?

Kacey the younger one I have seem to have to be shown over and over for a long period of time before it really sets in, that is what I'm saying, the older teens and adult after a couple of times they have the basic sort to speak of.
Terry

 

[Kacey]

My students range from 8 to 44; they have all benefited from guest instructors, for the reasons already given. The amount of benefit varies by student; however, the variation has more to do with the intensity with which the student trains and less to do with the age of the student. Yes, younger students need more repetition; in my experience, the more ways that repetition can be presented (and the more voices it is presented by) the greater the benefit. Older students, however, are more likely to benefit from guest instructors due to the change in viewpoint and methodology; younger students from the variety provided by a different person; either way, I see benefits from guest instructors.

 

[IcemanSK]

I've yet to do it (because my school is so new) but I think a good idea at some points to have a guest instructor come in. Personally, I would bring someone in to help teach my students jumping kicks, because its not my thing. I'd consider it a "mini-seminar" in terms of the benefits to the students. It also does hurt to show them a different perspective.

 

[tkd_jen]

We don't really have guest instructors, but from time to time a BB from a different school in our association will cover a class. We know each other pretty well so it isn't a big deal really.

As a color belt I can tell you it does help to hear constructive criticism from a different person from time to time. For example, one person may be a stickler for stances, and another for hand postions in patterns. By having both critique your pattern you can have a lot of improvement. As high rank color belts we are expected to help the other students as well. It helps them perform technique better and when I had to start critiqueing others, it shed a whole new light on things for me. I had to understand technique inside and out so I could explain it better. It really helped me in my technique as well, it had more purpose.

This past week I was watching a youth purple belt do his pattern. He wasn't doing the knife hands quite correctly so I showed him what I wanted him to do. The next time he did the pattern, the BB running the class asked what I said to him because they kept trying to fix his knifehands to no avail, so I think it really does help the kids to work with different people too.

 

[jfarnsworth]

Once or maybe twice a year. They are high ranking individuals come to do seminars.

 

[monkey]

For those whom seem to be slow at learning or not getting it as fast.I put this in as a perspective.Most people can do 1 & 1 = 2!But, there are cases were you need to eplain what is 1 & why.How do you do 1?What ways dose it differ from the other 1 & why is it 2. Cant is remain as seperate 1 & 1.Why dose it have to combind & lose both too a single meaning.This is the same for the punch-kick ect.I dont see them as slow.Einstien did not go past 3rd grade yet had E=Mc2.So how is it broke donw.As a & b & c.Or maybe as the line of the hit is defeated or stopped by the liptiacl or cicural motion.Some see it as punch-some as line-path & liptical.

 

[Edmund BlackAdder]

For those whom seem to be slow at learning or not getting it as fast.I put this in as a perspective.Most people can do 1 & 1 = 2!But, there are cases were you need to eplain what is 1 & why.How do you do 1?What ways dose it differ from the other 1 & why is it 2. Cant is remain as seperate 1 & 1.Why dose it have to combind & lose both too a single meaning.This is the same for the punch-kick ect.I dont see them as slow.Einstien did not go past 3rd grade yet had E=Mc2.So how is it broke donw.As a & b & c.Or maybe as the line of the hit is defeated or stopped by the liptiacl or cicural motion.Some see it as punch-some as line-path & liptical.

Tom,
What did that have to do with the topic?

How often do you and your school bring in guess instructor to help with the younger student and has it been beneficial to the growth of your school?

 

[Ceicei]

I think Tom's point is that variety of instructors (ie. guest instructors) will be of benefit, because each student has a way of learning different things. Some students are more analytical than others, and having a guest instructor may give them a different perspective to the material that might click for them.

That's how I saw his post. Correct me if I'm off the mark. Thanks.

- Ceicei

 

[mantis]

my school brings in guest masters more than 2 times a year. they give seminars on advanced principles to intermediate and advanced students only. This month my school is receiving sifu henry chung who has developed his own 2-man mantis form to demonstrate the 12 soft and 8 hard principles of mantis.

I think it is very good idea especially that we receive masters from outside our straight lineage, so we are introduced to how other people train and we get to see our material from a different perspective which broadens our knowledge.

 

[Gemini]

We never have them, though I wish we did. Especially those who teach different arts. Maybe it's considered a conflict of interest by my instructor, who knows. Shame.

 

[monkey]

Cei Cei you got it right on the nose.Only BlackAdder gose from post to post & says the same thing.Others got what I said on the front snap kick. & others got what I said on the Jab.Only Black adder copies & dose that.He wont try to read it or understand,Its easy to poke fun at what we dont know or understand.Thank you for your imput.It was right on.

 

[Gemini]

Honestly, I had no idea what you were talking about either. I don't think anyone was poking fun, just couldn't make the connection.

Good job, CeiCei

Carry on.

 

[monkey]

Look at the posts for the fron snap kick or the punch or the Bong sau.Only Black Adder copied my words & tried to make it bad.See for your self All other said good post.

 

[bluemtn]

The dojang I attend has the same guest instructor every year. We get a lot of students from other dojos and dojangs from various areas- like pennsylvania, va., etc. (within 2 hour driving distance). Some of those that aren't affiliated with us show up for that seminar regularly. I think it offers quite a bit for everyone, and the kids even seem to enjoy it. A lot of material is covered and it goes fast though.