Becoming an instructor

[cathal]

Hello all,

 

Just wondering how long your instructor training was, and what you needed to do in order to qualify. I'm interested in seeing what each of you have to say about your particular style...and what you think of the pros/cons of this process.

 

Thanks

Edited March 22, 2005 by cathal

[Shorinryu Sensei]

Well, I had no instructor training per se. The closest thing I had was when we got a new student in my sensei's class, either Pat (one belt higher than me) or myself would take them aside and teach them the basics.

However, during my training with my origional sensei, I was a college student learning to be a teacher, so I guess you could say I had 4 years of intensive training.

[ninjanurse]

In my old school higher belt levels assisted with classes and we had informal instructor training sessions. Those that were effective were given their own classes and eventually hired to staff. In my new school there is a formal certification process that you must go through with classes every 6 months, a certification fee, and a test and/or essay requirement. It is an advancement requirement for higher color belts to assist with classes but not to become certified-unless of course you want to commmitt professional suicide within the organization !

[parkerlineage]

My instructor chooses the best students to instruct. He basically gives you a quick rundown of what to do after class one day, then, if you have any questions, you ask him. You start off as more of a junior assistant, kind of in the back sort of thing, then gradually move up until, like me, you lead through entire classes while my Professor is giving a private lesson or something.

As for qualifications - when I started teaching, I was a Junior Black belt, and had been training for seven years.

Peace;

Parkerlineage

[cathal]

Great info, thanks guys

[Grenadier]

It varied from one dojo / dojang to another.

At the Shotokan dojo, anyone was allowed to attend classes that were for those of lesser rank. At times, you would assist in various aspects of the class, whether it was as an uke for sensei / shihan's demosntration of techniques, or if you were a more senior student (3rd kyu brown min), you would sometimes be assigned a small group of students that needed to work on something specific, such as a particular kata, standing basic technique drills, progressive drills, etc.

As a brown belt, if you were particularly good at assisting, once in a while, you would be given a chance to teach a class (beginner or intermediate), under the watchful eye of a black belt. The black belt wouldn't interfere, unless the brown belt would specifically ask for help with some of the teaching, or was doing something terribly wrong.

Such brown belts were considered as candidates for becoming assistant instructors, once they passed their shodan examinations. This meant an extra written exam, and an extra essay about their teaching goals, since all shodan candidates had to take a written exam as well as writing their own "what it means to be a black belt" essay.

Those who passed all aspects were given the title of ko-sensei, and given a class of their own to teach, no supervision / interference, except under the watchful eye of the chief instructor at times. All ko-senseis, as well as senseis, attended an hour long meeting / training session each week. At each meeting, the chief instructor would offer suggestions to each instructor, and at the end, we would discuss the business aspects of the dojo.

When I was training in Tae Kwon Do, instructor selection was less stringent. Usually, one of the senior students would lead the class through warmup drills, as well as pomsei / form work, since most of the time, the Sabumnim was rarely present, since we were a college club. Once one of the more senior students got his chodan rank, he was automatically considered an assistant instructor.

At the current dojo, it's similar to the Shotokan method described above, with just a few minor differences, such as the use of Sempai / Senpai instead of Ko-sensei, etc.

[cathal]

Very interesting information. Is your Shotokan dojo affiliated with the ISKF?

[Sandan]

I was helping out with teaching when I was a purple/brown belt. Then when I took my shodan I was asked to help out in sessions from time to time. I then decided (was told) that the time had come for me to take over some classes... the rest as they say is history.

[dtstiachi]

Our school states that one can become an assistant instructor when they have between 200-800 hours and have passed certain test given by the Headmaster. I'm not quite there yet, but I will be one day. Hope this helps.

[Sandan]

I agree that some form of basic level of attendance and also grade level should be used as a measure before one can be accepted. However in my dojo its more that we're about 45 people and I choose people to help me out as I need them... I am always in the same room as them and so when I see things that I think aren't quite right I do try and make very disrete recomendations...

What is also important is that many of the junior members will look up to the assistant instructor and see it as the first step towards the instructors role, therefore assistant instructors should always be full in integrity etc.