Sifu is using cell phone a lot during class - advice needed.

[grumpywolfman]

I started at a new Kung Fu school in my city 3 weeks ago having previously trained in another city for 1.5 years.

I like my new class and the students, it is also very convenient for me. Our Sifu is also knowledgeable and experienced.

However, during class I have noticed he spends sometimes as much as 80 % of the time sitting on a chair just playing with his phone (looking at photos, emails etc) this is not just replying to the occasional text or even taking a call - this is eyes down, getting up just every 15 minutes to introduce a new technique or progression to practice.

I feel that this is disrespectful to the students who have come and paid money to learn Kung Fu. There are other senior and instructor grade students in the class but as they are also engaged in doing the exercises there usually isn't anyone walking around to offer feedback, advice or correct student's technique.

I feel that this is something that effects every student in the class, so I would like there to be a way I could bring it up with sifu without causing offence or making me seem like I am telling him how to run his class - I have after all, only been to a handful of lessons so far, and he has been teaching for about 30 years.

Any advice on how to do this?

I would particularly be interested to hear from any martial arts teachers on the forum.

Thanks, Kez

Call your Sifu on his cell phone and ask him what time does class start? Also, if I ever had a question in class I would call him up on his cell phone to ask him, and encourage the other students to do the same

 

[GaryR]

I would hand him a check for 20% of your tuition. Then say, well if your only teaching 20%, its fair that's all I should pay right? What school is this? Do they have a website? I would also put up a lovely yelp review, find a new teacher, and see how many students you can take with you.

Shameful and lazy.

 

[EddieCyrax]

Obviously this raised concern with the OP. Bottom line is it is your training. If you are uncomfortable with your current instructors approach you have three options:

1. Discuss your feelings with your instructor and let the cards land as the will;
2. Find a new place to train;
3. Adapt to his methods and stay at this school.

I wish you the best of luck in whatever path you choose. The instructor-student relationship needs to work for both sides of this coin.

I will make no judgement as to the right or wrong way to instruct, only that whatever style is chosen needs to work for both the instructor and student.

If it bothers you, then there is an issue. If left unaddressed, it more than likely will lead to you leaving later.

Keep us posted.

 

[lavender]

Have you approached him about it yet?

Is there any possibility that there is something going on in his personal life and he's not just playing on his cell phone?

 

[J W]

Is there any possibility that there is something going on in his personal life and he's not just playing on his cell phone?

That's a good point that the rest of us didn't think about. Maybe he doesn't normally spend so much time on his phone.

Anyway, this thread was started a week ago now. I wonder if the issue has been addressed yet, and what the outome may have been. Any update, Kez?