Why do you teach?

[Gyakuto]

It seems the single-minded generation of the almighty $ taints everything it touches.

 

[Gyakuto]

And that right there is my problem with a lot of places. Teaching should NOT be a requirement for a belt.

It’s probably just a small expectation rather than a requirement.

Not everyone is a teacher and not everyone should be a teacher.

And some that want and do teach, shouldn’t be!

Some just don’t have the necessary skills to be one.

Yes but like those preliminary contestants on talent shows, many don’t realise they are talentless.

I couldn’t work in finance

I tried that once

or on a building site

Ooo…rough hands!

Now as you go higher up the dans of black belt yeah teaching does become the main part so sure if you advance to higher black belts then yes but for a first black belt it should be just what you can do and no one should ever be forced into teaching to get a belt imo

It’s a bit like expecting an excellent guitarist to each her art. Why should she?

 

[Buka]

A lot of good reading in this thread, good thoughts.

Being a black belt, even a really good black belt, has nothing to do with teaching. Not everybody can teach.

Oh, sure, most can lead a class for a bit, stand at the front, call out a technique and count, but that’s not really teaching.

Most can’t read the personalities of beginners. We all know most people who join Martial Arts schools don’t last long. But it’s our job, or should be, to give those flashes in the pan something to take with them to help them in some way when they move on.

I had a lot of very talented black belts. Some of them were really good guys, too. Give you the shirt off their back, help you move etc. But not all of them could teach. Not even a little bit.

There were others that would have been great teachers, but they had no desire to teach and wouldn’t under any circumstances. Can’t say I blame them.

One day one of my black belts said to me, “So and so and I are going to get married in a couple of years and we want to have kids. I won’t force them to take Martial Arts unless they want to, but I’d like to teach them how to defend themselves if necessary. Can you teach me how to teach them?”
I was stumped. Completely. I didn’t know how. I told him that.

I turned to friends of mine, other instructors, and learned. Unfortunately it took a few years and that student got married, got a great job that turned into a career, and moved before I could help him.

The whole teaching thing is complicated. But we do the best we can.

 

[HighKick]

And that right there is my problem with a lot of places. Teaching should NOT be a requirement for a belt. If someone wants to teach then great but they should not be forced into it to get a belt. Not everyone is a teacher and not everyone should be a teacher. Some just don’t have the necessary skills to be one. Nothing wrong with that it’s just life we can’t do everything just like I couldn’t work in finance or on a building site and by forcing people to teach who shouldn’t be teaching it’s a waste of their time and a waste of the students their teachings time since they won’t be getting good instruction. Now as you go higher up the dans of black belt yeah teaching does become the main part so sure if you advance to higher black belts then yes but for a first black belt it should be just what you can do and no one should ever be forced into teaching to get a belt imo

I agree it should not be a hard requirement in terms of pass/fail/progression, but everyone should go through some degree of it for their own benefit IMHO. That said, I get some schools/styles do not focus as much on the mental/emotional aspects of a person. There are a lot of ways to help a person grow that do not require hard contact.

I have seen my share of people who just could not teach. Sometimes it is funny to watch, sometimes it is downright awkward.

 

[Old CJ]

Forgive me for interceding, but I think Old CJ (and I) want some indication of years training/kyu grade/experience required for a ‘red belt’. I assume you weren’t a 10th Dan!

Like I’ve said in the past, stating a belt colour means next to nothing to anyone outside the quoter’s art/school. It’ll give us some context to your story.

Forgive me for interceding, but I think Old CJ (and I) want some indication of years training/kyu grade/experience required for a ‘red belt’. I assume you weren’t a 10th Dan!

Like I’ve said in the past, stating a belt colour means next to nothing to anyone outside the quoter’s art/school. It’ll give us some context to your story.

Thank you Guyakuto, for articulating and clearing up my question.

Same as a brown belt in my experience.
(Other than a REALLY high black belt)

Thank you Buka.

Oh and why do I teach MA? I don't. I am new at this. I do offer an example of a student trying to focus and learn as much as I can absorb.

 

[Stuarto]

A lot of good reading in this thread, good thoughts.

Being a black belt, even a really good black belt, has nothing to do with teaching. Not everybody can teach.

Oh, sure, most can lead a class for a bit, stand at the front, call out a technique and count, but that’s not really teaching.

Most can’t read the personalities of beginners. We all know most people who join Martial Arts schools don’t last long. But it’s our job, or should be, to give those flashes in the pan something to take with them to help them in some way when they move on.

I had a lot of very talented black belts. Some of them were really good guys, too. Give you the shirt off their back, help you move etc. But not all of them could teach. Not even a little bit.

There were others that would have been great teachers, but they had no desire to teach and wouldn’t under any circumstances. Can’t say I blame them.

One day one of my black belts said to me, “So and so and I are going to get married in a couple of years and we want to have kids. I won’t force them to take Martial Arts unless they want to, but I’d like to teach them how to defend themselves if necessary. Can you teach me how to teach them?”
I was stumped. Completely. I didn’t know how. I told him that.

I turned to friends of mine, other instructors, and learned. Unfortunately it took a few years and that student got married, got a great job that turned into a career, and moved before I could help him.

The whole teaching thing is complicated. But we do the best we can.

That's one of my long-term goals in martial arts. I would like to eventually teach. I have been told that I am good at teaching, whether that be at work or other aspects of life, and I hope that will transfer to martial arts later when I have reached a level of proficiency. For now, I will continue to learn and do my best so that when I reach that level, I can give the best to a new student.

I understand what you are saying about not all black belts teaching. We have a few black belts that don't teach and others that are learning. I would agree that teaching is not for everyone. In fact, I would say that it needs to be something you are passionate about.

 

[isshinryuronin]

The whole teaching thing is complicated.

It is, and not everyone can do it. Like many things, one should have an aptitude for it. I think one should have:

Analytical skills to determine what corrections are needed.
Intuitive skills to determine the best way for the student to solve them.
Communication skills to effectively convey by physical and verbal examples the way for that individual to improve.

I think it likely that all the old masters (skilled in MA as they may have been) did not have this full complement of teaching skills, but they had no time constraints and retention concerns to worry about - the students bearing most of the responsibility. They learned by physically intense solo and partner practice with a few words of guidance by the teacher.

 

[Buka]

That's one of my long-term goals in martial arts. I would like to eventually teach. I have been told that I am good at teaching, whether that be at work or other aspects of life, and I hope that will transfer to martial arts later when I have reached a level of proficiency. For now, I will continue to learn and do my best so that when I reach that level, I can give the best to a new student.

I understand what you are saying about not all black belts teaching. We have a few black belts that don't teach and others that are learning. I would agree that teaching is not for everyone. In fact, I would say that it needs to be something you are passionate about.

Not that you asked, but I’d like to give you some advice for when you do become a Martial Arts instructor, which if you stay with it, you will surely become.

Be completely honest. If a student asks a question you don’t know the answer to, don’t take the “it depends” route. (Even if it does depend)

Tell them “I’m not sure but I’ll find out.”
Then go find out. You could more than likely find the answer right here from members of this forum. Heck, if you added up everyone’s years of experience in EVERYTHING you could cover whole geological eras.

Besides, students know when you’re bullshpping them. They might not want to believe or recognize it, but they know. Deep down they always know.

Be forewarned of one thing, though. It’s a helluva lot more fun being a student of Martial Arts than it is being a teacher of Martial Arts. Why? Because when you’re a teacher, your time in the dojo is no longer yours, it’s theirs.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

You could more than likely find the answer right here from members of this forum. Heck, if you added up everyone’s years of experience in EVERYTHING you could cover whole geological eras.

You made me curious. I took a quick look at who was online about 5 minutes ago (which does not include you), and my guesstimate of years of experience out of the people online at that one snapshot/point in time comes out to around 250 (a definitive minimum of 200).

 

[Stuarto]

Not that you asked, but I’d like to give you some advice for when you do become a Martial Arts instructor, which if you stay with it, you will surely become.

Be completely honest. If a student asks a question you don’t know the answer to, don’t take the “it depends” route. (Even if it does depend)

Tell them “I’m not sure but I’ll find out.”
Then go find out. You could more than likely find the answer right here from members of this forum. Heck, if you added up everyone’s years of experience in EVERYTHING you could cover whole geological eras.

Besides, students know when you’re bullshpping them. They might not want to believe or recognize it, but they know. Deep down they always know.

Be forewarned of one thing, though. It’s a helluva lot more fun being a student of Martial Arts than it is being a teacher of Martial Arts. Why? Because when you’re a teacher, your time in the dojo is no longer yours, it’s theirs.

Your advice is much appreciated my friend. The saying "I'm not sure but I'll find out" was originally told to me in the army. It is definitely something all teachers and leaders should know. If I didn't know something I would go up the chain to next highest rank. Either way, I would get the answer for the student or soldier.

The aspect of teaching that is so appealing to me is watching someone grow. You are helping them transform and achieve something they may have not thought possible. For me, I know I will stick with it because I had values like that instilled in me at an early age by Uncle Sam.

I'm in no hurry to teach, I want to enjoy this journey, but long term...I would love to.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

why people choose to teach MA.

If you have learned MA, but you don't teach MA, who is going to pass the MA knowledge to the next generation? Of course you can say, "I don't teach, but others will." The question is, "Why do you pass that MA teaching responsibility to others and not yourself?"