To Teach or Not to Teach ?

[Ronin]

To Teach or Not To Teach...

After awhile in the MA, the question of teaching comes up.
I have been asked to train someone people, and I have in the past.
But, to train someone for a fight/competition is one thing, to teach a MA is another.

I have been asked, many a times, why I don’t teach, also, why I don’t compete.

The compete one is easy to answer, too old.

The teach one is a tad harder.

While I always enjoyed being an instructor when I belong to a school/gym, I was NEVER the ‘head instructor”, so the responsibilities were never there, just the “fun parts”.
It takes a lot to be a good teacher, a lot of patience, a lot of understanding, a lot of experience, a lot of time and dedication...

Then, the question is, what to teach? Sport? Martial Art ? Hard Contact? Full Contact ?

And what of the children? Do you teach kids? And if so, what do you teach them?

And what role should YOU play ? Coach? Teacher ?
Should you teach ethics or morals as you teach potentially dangerous techniques?
Or NOT teach anything “dangerous” at all ?
Where does “spirituality” come in? Does it apply at all ?
Do you have a moral obligation to instill restraint? Discipline?
What responsibilities should you have ?

A lot of questions...

I would like to hear some opinions

[gojuJKDdude]

I say teach!!

Its a nice supplemental income... plus explaining things to others helps solidify your understanding of the arts, even enhances it. Plus it provides a steady supply of ukes and training partners.

[Ronin]

Thanks Osiris, as always, you get right to the point !

gojuJKDude:
Supplemental income is NOT a factor, far from that.
Though the whole "steady supply of training partners" has a certain appeal...

[Onecardshort]

Sorry ronin, you'll have to start teaching first then you'll find your answers as they'll have to be ones that make you feel comfortable. I'd suggest basing your teaching style on one of the teachers you had that made the best impression and see how your students react to it. Also, you can't just adopt a "teaching persona" - it's got to be part of you otherwise you'll just come across as false.

On your specific questions:

role: instructor
ethics: no, if worried about this part, mention the legailities of the moves you're teaching and where they would (and would not be appropriate)
sprituality: nope, leave that to the pub if they keep asking
discipline: enough to ensure safety while allowing people to experiment
responsibilities: you're in charge, so any fuck-ups are your responsibility. Basically, anything that happens in the class is up to you, outside I'd just leave it alone
teaching kids: I don't, can't connect with the little darlings

Still, I know fuck all so just make sure you're getting out of it what you intended to, if teaching becomes a chore, just stop.

[Ronin]

Hmmm, Interesting..
Thanks Onecardshort.

[DCS]

Teaching, as Goju said, helps solidify your understanding of the arts and enhances it and, even if it takes a lot to be a good teacher, a lot of patience, a lot of understanding, a lot of experience, a lot of time and dedication is very satisfying activity. (mastering cut'n paste)

Imo teaching is not only a transfer of technical knowledge: how to kick, punch or grapple in an effective way. It implies changing also aptitudes and attitudes about the teached subject.

The objetives of teaching are to know, to know how to do and the know how to be.

So, about questions like:

... what role should YOU play ? Coach? Teacher ?
Should you teach ethics or morals as you teach potentially dangerous techniques?
Or NOT teach anything “dangerous” at all ?
Where does “spirituality” come in? Does it apply at all ?
Do you have a moral obligation to instill restraint? Discipline?
What responsibilities should you have ?

Only you have the answers, because you have to establish your teaching objetives before starting the teaching process.

[Edge]

I think that teaching is a long-term commitment and in order to commit you need to take your family and work situation into consideration. Do you have the free time needed? A couple nights a week might not sound like a lot but it can impact the ones who are closest to you.

In order to figure out whether you want to teach sport, hard contact or full contact you must think about the future of Martial Arts. You must be the change that you want to see, just like Ghandi said, I think. And stick to your guns, if you decide to go with full contact and your students aren't into it then maybe compromise with hard contact, but don't go the sport way if thats not what you want to you believe in. Also, it might not sound so good, but at some dojo that I've seen, sparring is optional for students.

If you teach children it doesn't really matter in my opinion what you teach them. The number one things about teaching kids is keeping them in line and keeping their attention. After all, the number one problem with grade school kids in North America is DISCIPLINE. Whatever it is, you just have to make it fun for them.

In martial arts, if you are the head instructor, there is no way you are going to call yourself coach. That is the role that your assistants have and they coach along your guidelines not their own.

Ethics and morals are an absolute must. How can you teach a ground and pound kata without mentioning 'hey, you can really hurt someone so be careful ok?':D. The point is that restraint must be taught as an ultimate value to students. Walk away if possible, hurt without maiming if possible, maim without killing if possible. Don't start shit that is unnecessary, don't bully others with your art. Just keep it basic, you know?

I think that its impossible to teach martial arts without teaching anything dangerous at all, logically.

As far as spirituality goes, I wouldn't push prayer or reading the bible or the Quran, but their is a lot to be said for people that have what is called an OPEN MIND. Also, those who have CRITICAL THINKING about spirituality are known to be especially enlightened. Just remember a little bit of respect, bowing, deep breathing and meditation never hurt anybody!

These are my personal beliefs as an assistant instructor or a "coach", whatever you want to call it. Do I think you have what it takes to be an excellent instructor? ABSOLUTELY!, however I think you know the answers to your questions deep down, its just a matter of time away from family and work for you. Go with your instincts!

[OC Kid]

teaching is cool but there isnt a lot of money in it.

I teach kids and love it. I do it part time.
I teach them everything I would a adult except breaking joints such as knee stomps ect.

but dont get attached to the students. they will quit and its nothing personal about you or your style. People are flakey. They dont commit like they used to and have a million excuses why they didnt make it to class.

Dont get personal with your students. its a business run it as a business.

I teach motivation in my classes. I cant teach morals. I do give them things to think about. I dont expect them to believe or listen to what I ell them.

Try to remember I can teach them but I cant make them learn.

I run them through the basics. I teach them sport fighting (point) until they have been with me a while then more into the kickboxing. Most of them dont know the difference and their is less chance of them getting hurt point fighting.

I teach them self defense. every class at the end I end it with a self defense techniques such as defence against a step in r/h punch.. I try to use the strikes that I ran them through at the begining of class to reinforce the strikes.

People when they pay you for somethinglike this ,think they own you. Some expect you tto raise their children , discpline their kids for them.
Some think they are paying you for baby sitting and leave their kids with you for hours.
some adults think you are a marriage, family, dating, financial counselor... so dont get personal with your students......
These are the things I have learned. Good luck I hope it helps.

[DCS]

some adults think you are a marriage, family, dating, financial counselor... so dont get personal with your students......


A MA teacher is a person who knows all about life, the universe and how to cook pasta. An enginnering teacher is a dumbass.

[Ronin]

Edge, excellent post.
OC Kid, Thanks for the advice, my biggest issue with teaching kids is that it becomes a "day care".
Heck I started at 8 and it was NO day care !!
But times have changed and MA are second in mind with the majority of parents that leave their kids in a MA gym/school.
They see it as "just another sport" with just another "coach".

As for "its a business"...that whole mentality is what I have issues with.
The instructors I have had over these many years, have always looked at it as much more than "just a business", of course, most of them are not "sucessfull" when it comes to their practise ( though ALL of them are when it comes to their "work").

[Ippatsu182]

I organized an Aikido club when I was in college. It was a pretty small club, but it gave me a feel of what it'd be like to be a head instructor at a dojo.

I think a lot of what I was teaching was just rehashed stuff that my Aikido instructor had taught me. I used a lot of the same explanations and what not. However, I got very mixed results. It was quite a learning experience.

I think that teaching is very rewarding because it shows you if you're able to communicate your ideas effectively to others. Also, it's always interesting to find out what your students actually learn from you. I mean, your personality and beliefs can really influence your teaching style.

[raven3608]

You will find that from teaching you will also learn things from you students. Observe there mistakes, and relate them back to yourself. If you continue to train and also teach it is quite beneficial if approached correctly

[tai-gip]

Depends on what you want. What you get the most enjoyment out of.
I found when training with less experianced people i was correcting their technique and trying to assist them to improve, buts thats just one on one, taking a class means you take resposability for the learning developement of your students, a good teacher should pass on the knowledge and understanding they have learnt from years of training, onto students so they can reach the same level sooner, a good teacher should be able to teach a student to be better than them. But a good instructor is also a student, who must learn from those they teach as well.
Its all learning and if you feel the best student to an art you can be is by teaching other students what you know about the art, then go for it

[UnarmedBoxer]

teach only if you can beat an untrained (or barely trained) streetthug like kimbo or tank.

[Jolly_Roger]

What's the idea, Ronin?
Teaching means opening a dojo, regimented clases, etc. or teaching a couple of persons, informally?

[Ronin]

Well, I think everyone that has done MA for a LONG period of time, "dream" about having their own "dojo"...
I used to train a few guys on a regular basis, but with the birth of Sofia, my time is more towards her and Lisa, so, I stopped doing that.

I am "contemplating" opening a school/dojo/gym/house of pain, within the next five years.

First off, I will finish the workout area in my house and have a few "tarining partners/students" and then, I will, when finance permit, open a school/gym.

The best laid plans of mice and men...