TKD Master

[terryl965]

This is a thread just to say Thank you to all the True TKD Masters that are never ever mention, the one's that train there people for the love of TKD that barely nake enough money to keep the doors open. For those individuals that have truely given there entire life to the Art of TKD.

Thank you all for being there for the students.:bow::bow::bow::bow:

 

[exile]

Amen, Terry.

Remember in the second Lord of the Rings movie when Aragorn grimly tells Eowyn that there may well come a time when they will all have to show valor without any hope of renown? What you were saying reminds me a bit of that... the craftsmen and -women who show up to class even when they're feeling crappy and spend an hour with the only two students out of a class of twenty or so who bothered to show up that night, and who have shown up to teach, nonetheless, for years and years—yes, honor to them.

 

[terryl965]

Amen, Terry.

Remember in the second Lord of the Rings movie when Aragorn grimly tells Eowyn that there may well come a time when they will all have to show valor without any hope of renown? What you were saying reminds me a bit of that... the craftsmen and -women who show up to class even when they're feeling crappy and spend an hour with the only two students out of a class of twenty or so who bothered to show up that night, and who have shown up to teach, nonetheless, for years and years—yes, honor to them.

Sometimes the true Masters are those that jus teach everyday without the glory that ever comes from it and yes I remember that in the movie.

 

[Kacey]

Thanks to all who never get recognized for all they do. It's not the rank that matters - it's the dedication. :asian:

 

[exile]

Sometimes the true Masters are those that jus teach everyday without the glory that ever comes from it and yes I remember that in the movie.

Yes, exactly. Because they get pleasure from passing on what they know and seeing their students advance in skill and knowledge.

People who find a dojang with instructors like that are very, very lucky. I myself was, and wish that everyone who starts TKD is as fortunate as I was in finding a true master, who teaches for the love of the art, and for whom that's enough.

 

[terryl965]

Yes, exactly. Because they get pleasure from passing on what they know and seeing their students advance in skill and knowledge.

People who find a dojang with instructors like that are very, very lucky. I myself was, and wish that everyone who starts TKD is as fortunate as I was in finding a true master, who teaches for the love of the art, and for whom that's enough.

My GM still to this days tell his student to pay what they can each month, somehow they have always manages to keep the doors open.

 

[Kacey]

Yes, exactly. Because they get pleasure from passing on what they know and seeing their students advance in skill and knowledge.

People who find a dojang with instructors like that are very, very lucky. I myself was, and wish that everyone who starts TKD is as fortunate as I was in finding a true master, who teaches for the love of the art, and for whom that's enough.

There's glory in this stuff? :idunno:

All kidding aside - I teach because I enjoy it, and because I was taught from white belt that the best way I could repay my instructor for teaching me was to pass on what he taught; the fact that the Y gives me money is a nice benefit, but I taught even when I was losing money teaching... but I can see how it could be different if my livelihood were dependent on my income from instructing.

Still, I'm quite glad my sahbum is one of those who teaches for the love of the art, and not the money.

 

[exile]

There's glory in this stuff? :idunno:

Valor, definitely... glory? Not much!!

All kidding aside - I teach because I enjoy it, and because I was taught from white belt that the best way I could repay my instructor for teaching me was to pass on what he taught; the fact that the Y gives me money is a nice benefit, but I taught even when I was losing money teaching... but I can see how it could be different if my livelihood were dependent on my income from instructing.

Still, I'm quite glad my sahbum is one of those who teaches for the love of the art, and not the money.

My instructor was an instructor in the Ernie Reyes MA network for many, many years, but eventually decided that he really wanted to teach the much more traditional, hard-edged and 'workmanlike' TKD he had himself been taught. He's taught in the city of Columbus rec center instruction program for the past ten years, and I don't think he's made a nickel from it—a KKW certified fifth dan. He teaches because he wants the art to live. So he has a day job, and teaches TKD in the evenings... sigh...

 

[MasterWright]

Something that needed to be said. Thank you Terry!

 

[bluekey88]

Yes, much repect. :asian:

Peace,
Erik

 

[IcemanSK]

Too many have worked too hard just to be able to teach the Art they love. To all of them :asian:

 

[igillman]

They are the ones that keep the tradition alive. They teach what needs to be taught and not just what makes the most money.

 

[YoungMan]

Just proves what I've known for years: the best masters and instructors are ones you'll never see on the cover of Tae Kwon Do Times or Black Belt because they are not in it for fame or glory.

 

[Miles]

Thanks to those who have given us so much! We need to remember their sacrifices and continue this grand tradition!

 

[Kacey]

My instructor was an instructor in the Ernie Reyes MA network for many, many years, but eventually decided that he really wanted to teach the much more traditional, hard-edged and 'workmanlike' TKD he had himself been taught. He's taught in the city of Columbus rec center instruction program for the past ten years, and I don't think he's made a nickel from it—a KKW certified fifth dan. He teaches because he wants the art to live. So he has a day job, and teaches TKD in the evenings... sigh...

That's what my sahbum does, too - it's also what I do.

If I were trying to make a living off teaching TKD, I'd be doing it completely differently - to start with, I would have my own facility, not work for a Y. I teach TKD because I enjoy it - if I make enough to cover my expenses (insurance, materials for my students, etc.), then I'm happy. At this point in my life I could even afford to lose a little (there were times when that wasn't so) because money is not what motivates me - it's the pure pleasure of passing on what I've learned.

 

[IcemanSK]

I think of my 1st instructor, who like so many of you here, had a fulltime job and kept a school open 5-6 days a week. The overhead, the ups & downs in the economy, traffic & a bad day at job #1 while heading to open up the dojang, the time away from family....all to give of yourselves & pass down the Art that you love.

It's pretty amazing really.

 

[exile]

I think of my 1st instructor, who like so many of you here, had a fulltime job and kept a school open 5-6 days a week. The overhead, the ups & downs in the economy, traffic & a bad day at job #1 while heading to open up the dojang, the time away from family....all to give of yourselves & pass down the Art that you love.

It's pretty amazing really.

I agree.

I think that for a lot of folks like that, the idea is to give back something to the future of the art, just as they themselves benefited from someone who was willing to do that for them. Reciprocity... a powerful motivator, for at least some people...

 

[YoungMan]

I've always taught Taekwondo aside from working full time, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Even my instructor, a Korean-born 9th Dan, has endeavors outside of Taekwondo with which he uses to make income. As a result, I've never had the need to teach for money-although it produces side income. Therefore, I've always taught how I felt like, and never had the need to modify or change my traditional methods to get more students in the door. I'm sure there are plenty of instructors who've watered down what they taught to make it more acceptable to potential students and young children. I'm sure I'd have lots of 8-9 year old students if I did that. No thanks.

 

[SJON]

Just a quick aside…

In the US, what percentage of TKD classes take place in dedicated gyms/schools and what percentage are taught “part time” in community centres, church halls and the like? In Spain it’s mainly the former (although very few gyms offer only MA), whereas in the UK I remember there was a lot more of the latter (although I’m talking about 15 years ago).

 

[BrandonLucas]

I was fortunate enough to have started to train (and I continue to train) in a dedicated dojang. There have been several insructors in neighboring towns that have taught in gyms and YMCA's and the like, and some even offered free instruction!

I truly is honorable to see people dedicated enough to the art that are willing to instruct for free, or, as the case with my instructor, for very little per month.