Making Instructor believe in training

[terryl965]

I was talking to another Master today and he said so many instructor just did not have time to train anymore because of running the school and being ask to officiate at tournaments and teaching classes inside the school. He made a instructor only class in the area did not charge and they got together once a month fo about 4-6 hours going over material, no one was the person in charge they only helped each other on techniques and such. Well to make a long story short the ones complaining they never had time still made every excuse not to train. How and why did it become that once you started training people your training stopped? These people still want to be promoted without training because they have time in, what time is that. Being an instructor or referree does not qualify for actual training time.

I told him if he started it back up once a month ona Saturday I would have all my BB come over and train and that it was a great offer to anybody looking for actual training time, what is your take on this?

 

[ATC]

I was talking to another Master today and he said so many instructor just did not have time to train anymore because of running the school and being ask to officiate at tournaments and teaching classes inside the school. He made a instructor only class in the area did not charge and they got together once a month fo about 4-6 hours going over material, no one was the person in charge they only helped each other on techniques and such. Well to make a long story short the ones complaining they never had time still made every excuse not to train. How and why did it become that once you started training people your training stopped? These people still want to be promoted without training because they have time in, what time is that. Being an instructor or referree does not qualify for actual training time.

I told him if he started it back up once a month ona Saturday I would have all my BB come over and train and that it was a great offer to anybody looking for actual training time, what is your take on this?

We have always had instructor classes in our dojang. We do them twice a month but only instuctors go to them as other BB in the classes are still taking classes.

Instructor classes are a good thing and this is where we keep up on anything new or make sure we are teaching the same. Many times you can have instructors on different pages and that can lead to bad things in the dojang with each other, students and parents. As instructors we need to be on the same page in the same schools or we will have chaos and students won't learn and you will lose people as they will see you as not having you stuff togeather. If we don't know what we are doing then why should the students trust us?

 

[terryl965]

I agree ATC everybody needs to be on the same page or nothing can come of it. So with that being said how much lead way does your instructor give his BB with training?

 

[ATC]

I agree ATC everybody needs to be on the same page or nothing can come of it. So with that being said how much lead way does your instructor give his BB with training?

We can pretty much teach what we want as long it is in the same context as the head guy wants.

Examples: If I choose to teach forms then it must be taught with the same techniques that have been laid out. I can't teach someone to use a downward palm block near the end of Yuk Jang when it was told to use a inside palm block.

 

[NPTKD]

Its funny, I am having the same type of problem with some of my 2nd dans, we are holding a free bb seminar this saturday for preatty much the same reasons. Hopefully it will get them back on train to train more.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Thankfully, I have another third dan and two second dans come to my kendo classes just to 'train', so we always take about forty minutes or so after everyone has gone to practice for ourselves. For Taekwondo, I make as many of GM Kim's and Master Deb's classes as I possibly can.

It is very easy to get caught up in the business of running a school and teaching. I only teach, so I can just imagine what running a school does with your time. But you have got to keep training.

Daniel

 

[IcemanSK]

I think stopping training can easily happen when folks stop setting goals for themselves. An instructor sets up their school, then starts running tournaments, & can get quite busy doing so. The next thing ya know, a few years have gone by. Settling in can happen with any job, or relationship for that matter.

That settling in feeling is one of the reasons I'm headed to Chicago for the KKW Instructor's Course. I want to shake off the cob webs, get a fresh perspective & make new goals.

 

[goingd]

The truth is that between school work, and of course teaching I lose most of my opportunities to train. But I recognize that it is my responsibility, so I have been doing private lessons with my master every other week. With my 3rd Dan test coming up I need some kind of outlet to workout with my instructor.

 

[miguksaram]

He made a instructor only class in the area did not charge and they got together once a month fo about 4-6 hours going over material, no one was the person in charge they only helped each other on techniques and such. Well to make a long story short the ones complaining they never had time still made every excuse not to train. How and why did it become that once you started training people your training stopped? These people still want to be promoted without training because they have time in, what time is that. Being an instructor or referree does not qualify for actual training time.

I noticed one thing in this sentence, that no one person is in charge. Does he teach the class or is it something that people just show up and mess around for an hour? If he doesn't teach it then that might be one of the problems.

 

[terryl965]

the teaching is doneby one person eachmeeting with them going over what they have on there agenda. Each time they meet the ask who wants to teach the next class and what should be covered.

 

[rmclain]

Instructors should always keep up their training. If you want something badly enough, you can make the time. Especially if it is a Sang Hwal Mu Do (Lifestyle Martial Art) it should be simply something they just "do." Discipline is making the choice to do something. Seems TKD is supposed to help with discipline. (I'm using TKD as an example since it is in this forum section). Or is it (discipline) simply something that is talked about and not practiced? This should be simple to anyone that is really a "Master."

I believe that all people "instructing" have the responsibility to keep up their own training for their students. If not, they are really not helping anyone with their example. Time to get back in line as a student and let someone else lead.

R. McLain

I was talking to another Master today and he said so many instructor just did not have time to train anymore because of running the school and being ask to officiate at tournaments and teaching classes inside the school. He made a instructor only class in the area did not charge and they got together once a month fo about 4-6 hours going over material, no one was the person in charge they only helped each other on techniques and such. Well to make a long story short the ones complaining they never had time still made every excuse not to train. How and why did it become that once you started training people your training stopped? These people still want to be promoted without training because they have time in, what time is that. Being an instructor or referree does not qualify for actual training time.

I told him if he started it back up once a month ona Saturday I would have all my BB come over and train and that it was a great offer to anybody looking for actual training time, what is your take on this?

 

[KELLYG]

From a student's prospective.
I do not see my Master's train but I have always assumed that they did? Junior instructors I see them train on a regular basis. However during regular class their training is often interrupted to assist lower belts. We also have black belt training which is generally run by the Head Master and the black belts, instructors, junior instructors can train with out interruption.

I would also assume that the Master Instructor's work there and after classes end who wants to hang out after hours and work.

 

[granfire]

we lowly instructors still need to log our training time, plus attend an instructor class which used to be ones a week, now it shares time with the minor fields class.

The instructors - the big guys did meet once every 2 month with their instructor, all Black Belts were invited, but it's really - though we have a lot of laughs - an advanced gig. And it's in the mornings, so kids have a problem attending (meaning teens, not the wee ones) But since the Senior Master's lineage extends into the next state it's a great way to train with folks you usually only see at the tournaments.


My instructor has mentioned he needed some incentive to work out harder. he is a 6th degree, nothing else on the horizon for him for another few years, the Organization does not offer a class for his rank at the tourney, though I know many of his students would pay extra to see him in action.
he did start a BB class on Sundays, buuuuut like so many things it died quickly.

But when you at the school 6 days a week, plus paper work and extras, I can see where the training falls by the way side.

Oh, My instructor is the only full time instructor in the area, all the others have a day job to balance with it....

 

[jim777]

I was talking to another Master today and he said so many instructor just did not have time to train anymore because of running the school and being ask to officiate at tournaments and teaching classes inside the school. He made a instructor only class in the area did not charge and they got together once a month fo about 4-6 hours going over material, no one was the person in charge they only helped each other on techniques and such. Well to make a long story short the ones complaining they never had time still made every excuse not to train. How and why did it become that once you started training people your training stopped? These people still want to be promoted without training because they have time in, what time is that. Being an instructor or referree does not qualify for actual training time.

I told him if he started it back up once a month ona Saturday I would have all my BB come over and train and that it was a great offer to anybody looking for actual training time, what is your take on this?

I think your offer is absolutely awesome Master, but I don't think this is just a martial arts thing, really. I recently had two weeks off from work, and called up about a dozen guys I used to play in bands with to see if anyone wanted to get together and make some noise for a few hours. Not a single one of the guys I called still played their instrument! All I got was a lot of, "Oh, since we had kids i don't have time for it anymore". How do you not have time for something that was your whole reason for being once upon a time? :lol: I don't play as much as I used to either, but I still play, and still work hard to improve my chops and ability when I do.

I think in general people strive to get ahead, and the striving towards goals they've set fuels them to keep going. Once they get to a certain plateau and have left the others they started with far behind, they tend to get complacent. And as we all know, complacency gets comfortable really fast. You know they say that 1 in 100 White belts gets their black belt, but only 1 in 1000 1st Dans gets their 2nd Dan. I don't know if that's true or not, because "they" say all sorts of crazy stuff, but I suspect its closer to true than not. People need to find the motivation to get them to reset their goals. I suspect the instructors that aren't coming to these classes are happy with where they are, bottom line, and simply aren't motivated like they used to be; they just don't feel the old desperation to continue to improve.

jim

 

[chrispillertkd]

How and why did it become that once you started training people your training stopped?

That's a great question. One for which I have no answer.

What I can tell you, however, is that it's not the case for everyone. When I taught at my own small club for a while I would train my students twice a week and their lessons were 2 hour long sessions. I'd do some training along with them, of course (and you can get a very good work out in even wen teachig, IMO). But I would then go to train at my instructors' school at least once a week (and his classes were taught in 3 hour blocks divided between beginer and advaned students at the time) and then get a private lesson with him once a month,which lasted 1-2 hours usually (if not longer).

My Master Instructor continues to train on a regular basis himself (and, I am happy to say his wife is doing more training recently, but it looks like she may need knee surgery). In fact, we both just attended a 6 hour long seminar last Saturday with Grand Master Choi Jung Hwa. My instructor is a VII dan and 60 years old. He was on the floor the entire time working out with the rest of us. He might be a little slower than he ws when he was in his 50's but he's definitely more powerful now and continues to improve his knowledge of Taekwon-Do.

Resting on your laurels is not a foregone conclusion.

Pax,

Chris

 

[Miles]

All professionals, whether in martial arts, law, medicine, accounting, etc. have an obligation for continuing their education and training.

If you can get a group of instructors together to train, that's great. A group of us did that for a few years every Sunday morning from 7-9am (til my wife decided to change which Mass she wanted to attend!

I've been chastised by an instructor who said my training alongside with my students was not appropriate. But, I've had instructors who trained alongside me and other instructors who would observe and yell out commands. Different strokes for different folks. My personal style is to train alongside-I get a better feel for what is happening.

But even training alongside is not enough-an instructor still needs to put in time to work on the material that is appropriate for them. And if it is important enough, they'll find the time to do it. Fortunately, here in Detroit we don't have professional football so Sunday is wide open.

 

[d1jinx]

I would love to do something like this. But some of the instructors in a few areas I have been at were so competitive as school owners for business it wouldnt work. Lets face it, we all want to be friends and share ideas and just work out. But i have run into those few individuals who were shady and tried to steal students (not a big deal, they came back or regretted it) ideas and spread crap rumors trying to ruin your business and benefit from it.

I know here where I am in Jersey, The local schools wont even attend each others tournaments. They wont support each other or attempt to let their students benefit from the experience because they fear loosing them.

I went to a school local to my house looking to work out with some fellow BBs. They wanted me to be thier student, even though I was a 5th Dan and they were only 4th. And I could only participate in the cardio kickboxing class 2 nights a week, for $175 a month. I had to wear sweats, or loose clothing, no dobuk of my own.

I really think they thought I was looking to steal thier students. needless to say, I never went back. But imagine how much we could have benefitted each other. I had something to give to them... and they could also in return... oh well.