What makes an instructor bad?

[nfl2k2]

Often times I come across topics on these forums where people say that your instructor is usually more important than the art you choose as a beginner, and if you have a bad instructor it doesn't matter what style of martial arts you pick because you won't learn the right way. Being a novice in martial arts, with only four weeks of Goju Ryu training, I don't have the knowledge yet to know wether my dojo has incompetent instructors or not. Does a bad teacher mean that they cut corners while teaching moves, teaching only what the student wants to learn instead of what the art was intended for? Or does it mean they hand out belts every week to students that didn't earn them?

[foreveryoung001]

I think everyone's opinions on this topic would be different. THe most important thing, IMHO , is that you feel like you are getting a good MA education. Figure out what you want to get out of your training... if your instructor is teaching in a way that is helping you learn what you would like to learn, then it really doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. If you figure out that you would like to be getting something out of your training that your instructor doesn't focus on, then try talking to him/her about it. If he won't or can't teach you what you would like to know, then it might be time to try and find someone who can.

 

Being so new to the MAs, you might want to train for a while and see if this school is meeting all (or most) of your expectations.

 

I think a lot of it comes down to the student as well. What is the students attitude? There could be someone who "everyone" feels is a quality instructor, but if the student is not taking his training seriously, then I think that may reflect on the student as much or more than the instructor. And, vice-versa, a student who is committed to learning, at all costs, even with a "poor" instructor, would find a way to improve his abilities.

 

I'm sure there will be other opinions, but that is my two cents.

[Dijita]

I think it is probably easier for me to say what makes a good instructor rather than a bad instructor.

 

- A good instructor is involved in your training and shows a desire to want to help you to learn.

 

- A good instructor is approachable. It is natural to feel nervous sometimes when talking to your instructor but that is because you usually want to show respect. The important thing is that when you do approach them, they are helpful.

 

- A good instructor is accomidating but at the same time will push you beyond what you think you are capable of.

 

- A good instructor knows how to motivate and keep things fresh.

 

- A good instructor recognizes your weaknesses points them out to you and helps you to work at them. At the same time knows your strengths and encourages them.

 

- A good instructor is versatile in their teachings. Not everyone can learn in the same way and when an instructor can recognize different ways of teaching someone, is when the entire class will excel.

 

- Most importantly a good instructor demonstrates that they want to be there and teach the class. The worst would be to have an instructor that shows that he/she doesn't like being there and mopes.

 

That's what I can think of for now, I'm sure there are other really good points to making a good instructor.

[Shane]

Its hard to say because it can be different from situation to situation. If your instructor is working with you and guiding you and your are learning and feeling like your improving on techniques and progressing and ofcourse having fun doing it then your instructor is probably okay.

 

I do believe that a good instructor will give you a variety of techniques and allow you to figure out which ones work best for you, rather than telling you its his/her way or the highway. The must work for you not against you in that aspect.

[cross]

I do believe that a good instructor will give you a variety of techniques and allow you to figure out which ones work best for you, rather than telling you its his/her way or the highway.

 

Very good point Shane.

 

A good instructor should teach you the techniques you need to know and some ways to use them but still allow you to develope your own way of applying the techniques.

 

If the instructor just spoonfeeds you EVERYTHING and doesnt let you work out some stuff on your own it becomes harder to enjoy your martial arts because you arnt forced to ask any questions.

[Drunken Monkey]

i think a good instructor knows when to say "yes, good" and when to say "no, bad" and when to simply say nothing at all.

 

i think a good instructor knows when to teach you something, when to show you something and, like before, simply let you get on with it.

[jedimc]

A instructer should'nt get frustrated if you cant learn a move properly or fast enough.

[longarm25]

A good instructor should be motivated by love for the art not capitalism.

[aefibird]

Its hard to say because it can be different from situation to situation. If your instructor is working with you and guiding you and your are learning and feeling like your improving on techniques and progressing and ofcourse having fun doing it then your instructor is probably okay.

 

I agree. If you feel that you are learning and developing then you probably have a good instructor.

 

Even if your instructor doesn't know a lot about their art (most assistant instructors start off at coloured belt stage and therefore don't know as much as as an instructor with more experience), if they can teach what they know in an understanding, compassionate and enlightening manner then you're onto a winner with them.

 

I'm the assistant instructor at my club. As a 1st dan I freely admit that I don't know very much compared to my own instructor who is a 5th dan and has been training solidly for the past 30+ years. If I have anyone ask me anything I don't know then I will admit that I don't know and we'll go to Sensei and find out the answer together.

 

However, I hope that the fact that I am willing to admit that my knowledge is lacking in some areas and the fact that I am continuing to always want to grow in my karate training and to learn more every day will be an example to the students that I teach and that they will strive to learn more and think about karate every day as they come up through the coloured belt ranks.

[G95champ]

Really thats hard to say.

 

1. Fist thing that pops to mind is lack of knowledge but at the same time I know a lot of High School teachers that are very smart but are bad teachers because they cant get their point across to their class so thats not it.

 

2. My second thought was to be a good PR guy but again I though of the classic guy who talks a good game but knows little.

 

3. The one truth I know is a bad teacher made or makes other bad teachers. I have never seen a student who made a quality rank under a good teacher be a bad teacher. So to answer you question thats it. Teach good and those you teach will be good. There is an old saying that 2 wrongs don't make a right and I think this may apply here.