Meeting your instructor in the street

I am a purple belt about to receive my blue this Friday. I've been involved in Kenpo for about 4 years. 2 in Vegas and 2 in Eureka area in California. Since I changed schools I had to start over again. Ugh. However, my instructor is Dan Pribble. His instructor is Jeff Speakman. Even though my instructor has let us know we can greet him by name on the street, it is MY decision to greet him with the respect his proficiency deserves. He will always and forever be, "Mr. Pribble" to me. I'm grateful he takes the time to share his talents and knowledge with me. Yes, I pay for it...physically and monetarily. But it is my decision to attend classes every week. It is my decision to pay the money and receive the "instruction". It is my decision to greet my instructor as Mr. Pribble. He tells us we are his family. He treats us like family. Everyone knows they are loved deeply by this caring and generous man. He does not demand the respect...he has completely, undeniably, irrefutably earned it.

My 2 cents worth.
 
Sorry I haven't had the chance to formally greet you- welcome to martial talk. I feel the same way- I say hi mr... and shake hands. I'm glad you have that kind of relationship in your dojo.
 
I seen someone said "it's a matter of the choice on the student's behalf".

I think that statement should be switched to ... it's a matter of a the teacher's preference or what is dictated to you by the system.

I bow to my teacher and anyone else in my system. It's not a big long bow ... it's quick one. Our way of showing respect to each other regardless of rank.

I bow to BB in other systems. I have no trouble in doing that. I respect everyone until they prove they shouldn't deserve any.

I call me teacher Shr fu. His teacher Shr Gung ... etc. I am close friends with my teacher but that is his title and he deserves to be called by that.

My student's call me Shr fu and call him Shr fu Toby... etc down the line.

Eric ... that's the way I / we do it.
 
When I first met my instructor, I only saw him in class - and in class, I called him "sir" or Mr. Arnold. I have been doing that for so long (nearly 19 years) that, while he has told me not to call him Mr. Arnold in public, it would be hard for me to call him Doug - it's just habit and practice. Do people think it's strange? Occasionally; my mother once asked me if he HAD a first name, or if it was Arnold (it's hard to tell in this case). However, I find that I enjoy and appreciate the courtesy inherent in this level of formality. I know that there are people who think it's silly - but I find that it demonstrates respect, as in this quote from William Tuning's novel Fuzzy Bones:

"I've noticed,", Holloway said to Helton, "that you don't 'sir' very many people, Phil."
"Only the ones I respect a lot - sir," Helton said.

​
While it is certainly possible to be outwardly courteous to someone you dislike or do not respect, it is, in my opinion, a sign of respect to address some with more formality than would otherwise be used in a particular situation.
 
OK, so what if you run into your instructor at the local cat house?
Do you bow?
Do you salute and say "Honorable Sensei!"
Do you loudly greet them with "HELLO Mr. <Name Here>, SIR!"
Please discuss.
 
with my inst if we arnt in class we are allowed to call them by their first names, but i normaly stick with Mr and Mrs unless its one of my school sponserd events (pot luck BBQ type thing)
 
Fluffy said:
You need to show them the respect they expect. That means if you call them Master in the studio, call them master on the street. I would ask him/her what they expect. My instructor is "Master Pierce" to me.....though I've known him for 21+ years.......and is "Jack" to my parents, and will be known as Grandmaster to my son. I think it's up to the instructors them selves.......ask them.

Master Fluffy
Click to expand...

Whoa! A Mr. Jack Pierce who taught TKD in Sacramento, California during the early 1980's and also held a Tang Soo Do dan? If so, he was briefly one of my instructors, although he left to open another school around the time that I started. I guess he would be a master now. He was already close back then.
 
Seig said:
In EPAK, Mr. Parker laid out in Infinite Insights that all instructors are to be adressed as Sir/Ma'am or Mr./Mrs./Ms. <surname>. I hold to that tradition. When a student of mine has developped a personal relationship outside of the studio, I allow them the use of my given name outside of the studio.
Click to expand...

That's probably the best and most respectful policy. We are training in the martial arts and our training needs to be about more than just fighting. Respect and discipline are just as important; perhaps more so, in fact, because many preventable altercations are caused by simple disrespect.
 
Outside of the dojo, I call my instructor by his first name since we are also friends. When in the dojo, it is Mr. (Surname). When I am talking to my children about him, both inside and outside of dojo, I will refer to him as Mr. (Surname). He is their instructor too, so I want my children to maintain the respect and manners for adults.

- Ceicei
 
Old Fat Kenpoka said:
OK, so what if you run into your instructor at the local cat house?
Click to expand...

Eh, I don't even like cats.

I've known my arnis instructor since high school, so it takes an extra mental effort to say "Mr. so-and-so" in class. He refers to me the same way (or "Dr. so-and-so" though I only use that at the college), so it's fair...but I need to think about it.
 
Old Fat Kenpoka said:
OK, so what if you run into your instructor at the local cat house?
Do you bow?
Do you salute and say "Honorable Sensei!"
Do you loudly greet them with "HELLO Mr. <Name Here>, SIR!"
Please discuss.
Click to expand...

I was in an entertainment house once and a well known instructor told me to use his first name, as I would scare away the entertainment with titles.

After that like I said before, on the matts of training floor, Sir or official title, yet off the matts, it was first name basis. Although when others were around who did not have a personal relationship like I did, meaning it was different, Iwoudl use sir so as not to cause them heart ache or to get upset. ;)
 
green meanie said:
LOL That's priceless. :rofl:

But, I still want a secret decoder ring...
Click to expand...

LMAO..Maybe you can buy one on e-Bay..They sell everything else there..
 
Old Fat Kenpoka said:
OK, so what if you run into your instructor at the local cat house?
Do you bow?
Do you salute and say "Honorable Sensei!"
Do you loudly greet them with "HELLO Mr. <Name Here>, SIR!"
Please discuss.
Click to expand...

I usually ask him if he needs a ride home it looks like he has been drinking to much.

R/
Rick
 
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