Professor Title

[jezr74]

Curious, I've noticed a lot of BJJ Instructors go by a title of Professor.

In Australia, it has academic rank associations with it and is reserved for certain levels of education.

Is there a difference to what Professor means in Brazil? And how it's used, is it more inline with teacher or sensei?

 

[Steve]

Professor means teacher. I can't speak for everyplace, but around here, if your coach is an American, we typically use coach. If Brazilian, we usually use professor. It's not a big deal. Just a way to be polite and show respect.

 

[jezr74]

I figured it must have different cultural meaning. What rank gives the title?

 

[Carol]

Curious, I've noticed a lot of BJJ Instructors go by a title of Professor.

In Australia, it has academic rank associations with it and is reserved for certain levels of education.

Is there a difference to what Professor means in Brazil? And how it's used, is it more inline with teacher or sensei?

Just for a little more detail, as Steve said the term profesor or profesora means 'teacher'. The term is used as widely as 'teacher' is used among in the English speaking world. Literally, it means "one who professes", as in one who declares (something) publicly.

The term for an academic professor is catedrático or catedrática. It literally means "a person who sits [in a place of regard]".

It is taken from cátedra, which is the word for chair. The word catedral or cathedral, grew from the same word, as it means "a place to sit [for a person of regard]". A cathedral was a place for the bishop to sit. There is a similarity to the English word "chairman" whereas the "chair" is not a place of rest, but rather a position of authority and respect.

(I'll defer to Steve as to which rank is the rank of profesor)

 

[Steve]

I figured it must have different cultural meaning. What rank gives the title?

Black belt, usually.

 

[Hanzou]

Steve pretty much nailed it.

A lot also depends on the school you're at. Some schools are more rigid, while others are pretty laid back and not really into all the title stuff. My old Relson Gracie school was laid back. We called the teacher by his first name, and it was very much like a bunch of friends grappling and choking each other out. I still have fond memories of that place.

I went to another Bjj school and everything was rigid and political. The teacher demanded that you call him professor or "sir", and everyone was very competitive with each other.Needless to say, I didn't stay at that gym long.

So in the end, a lot depends on where you're learning and who's teaching. Overall, the majority of Bjj professors I've run into don't even use the title, and tell you to just call them by their first name.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

One of my BJJ friends called me "professor" on Facebook and it just felt weird. The connotations in English are different enough that I don't personally care for it.

At my gym everybody pretty much goes by first names or sometimes "coach." I don't mind being called coach. I like that it doesn't necessarily imply that I'm any more badass than my students, just that I have the tools to help them get better at what they're doing.

 

[Instructor]

Badass isn't a rank in BJJ?

 

[kuniggety]

I think English speakers (or Portuguese) have a desire to use something a with a bit of respect in the title and a Professor is someone you would look up to. I learn from a Brazilian in Japan and so sensei or Professor works. We usually say Professor. The advanced blues+ that help run the classes/kids classes generally get called coach.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

In the United States it generally is used by someone in an academic position, ie. College or University. So it is a little confusing and or could be misleading to some. Personally I have no big deal with what anyone wants to be called. Master, Professor, Coach, first name (is what I do), etc. "The Professor" to me will always be Remy Amador Presas who founded Modern Arnis. Modern Arnis was in the Philippine school system though so there is an academic crossover.

 

[jezr74]

In the United States it generally is used by someone in an academic position, ie. College or University. So it is a little confusing and or could be misleading to some. Personally I have no big deal with what anyone wants to be called. Master, Professor, Coach, first name (is what I do), etc. "The Professor" to me will always be Remy Amador Presas who founded Modern Arnis. Modern Arnis was in the Philippine school system though so there is an academic crossover.

That's pretty much how it is used here as well. It's granted by the institution based on your years of study ranked. I think there are legal aspects to it as well.

Not to say it can't mean something different outside of Aus, I see it as similar to the use of Engineer in Canada, you must legally be an engineer with a degree to use it in your title.

 

[Hyoho]

To become a Professor you first need a bachelors degree. You then go on and take masters degree. I have Menkyo Kaiden and Menkyo in two arts and enough Dan grades to paper a wall. But that does not make me a professor of anything. That one came from a University education What a load of BS. But I guess you can always buy it online.


Similar to the term profesor or profesora meaning 'teacher' we can use maestro or maestra. But it means schoolmaster or schoolmistress. It does not mean they have a masters degree.

 

[Steve]

What the heck is going on here? Are yo really suggesting that the brazilians are wrong to use the term professor?

 

[Steve]

Badass isn't a rank in BJJ?

We are all bad asses.

 

[Hyoho]

double post

 

[Hyoho]

Professor is fine in the right context and if you have earned in at Uni. So I'm confused. BJJ is from Japan but they use a University educational title. Dan grade system too? Whats wrong with 'sensei'? or maybe they need something of more grandeur to show superiority?

 

[kuniggety]

It evolved from Judo, or really the precursor to Judo, but it grew into its own art in Brazil. Why would they use the Japanese word sensei?

 

[Hyoho]

It evolved from Judo, or really the precursor to Judo, but it grew into its own art in Brazil. Why would they use the Japanese word sensei?

How about? Well its the usual honorific we use when we wear Japanese style clothes to train in and do things that have evolved from Japan and still call it Jujitsu.

 

[Tez3]

Professor is fine in the right context and if you have earned in at Uni.

In the UK one doesn't 'earn' the title professor, you are appointed as a professor because it's a teaching ( as well as quite often running a department or research lab) appointment in a university. To be able to teach your subject you will need a degree and most likely a doctorate as well as considerable experience but it is basically a job title rather than something you can earn by studying.

 

[kuniggety]

In the UK one doesn't 'earn' the title professor, you are appointed as a professor because it's a teaching ( as well as quite often running a department or research lab) appointment in a university.

It is the same in the US too. I don't understand why anyone would have a hang up with the word professor. It's a teacher but just with the connotations of expanded experience and responsibility.