why start with instructing kids?

[aefibird]

but the point i was trying to make, is that it is harder for a young Sensei to try and teach a group of adults when they still treat you like a child,

 

Now that I can relate to. As I'm Assistant Instructor for my club I occasionally take the adults classes (I usually generally only teach the kids classes, as I prefer to train with all the adult classes). Some of the students are older than me - one or two significantly so.

 

Even though nothing has been said I still sometimes get the feeling that some of the older people are patronising me and just 'letting me have a go at "playing" as an instructor.

 

Although no one has ever complained about my teaching (I actually had one guy tell me he prefers my teaching to Sensei's because I don't make them do as many push ups, lol) I still get the feeling occasionally from the older students that I should give up my role as Assistant Instructor in favour of an older person, even though I'm Sensei's choice and it was his decision to ask me to become the Assistant Instructor.

[ramymensa]

I have a similar problem with male students in our club. Kids are OK and female students recognise my value from the start and are more obedient. I comes the time in some situations to correct and help male coleagues who are almost disgussed with the idea a woman could teach them something. So I get some looks Still they make mistakes and I have to help them (when asked by sensei) and I just try to be calm and not look them down. After some minutes they become more attentive and realise they really have something to learn from me. They are beginners and think they could wipe the floor with me just because they are stronger. It takes some time to realise it would be hard to do so and that they've got to work with me. Fortunatelly all the time things go right after this first encounter. They ask for my help anytime and receive it immediatelly. They start respecting me not only for my rank but also for my knowledge and the way I pass it on to them. Almost everytime the lesson is over we'd stay for another 20 minutes to work at something and they come and join me.

 

After this long rant I'll get back to the kids.

 

It's common to give high ranks the duty of taking care of the kids. In our dojo it happens when the older students are put into a training class harder than usually and the kids (who are also low ranks in our class) couldn't cope with the program. This is when a higher rank is sent in their part of the hall to work katas and applications so the rest of the gang could "break" their necks in the combinations and matches.

 

Any teaching experience is for the better and I think we shouldn't waste any oportunity. I myself don't have problems with this exept that I demand total obedience from the kids and usually get it. I hate indiscipline and they know it and work hard. When I see them distracted I call them by name and remind them the exercise we're doing and praise them for the effort as soon as I see them doing what I demanded. They are OK and try to work as hard as possible just to see me pleased