Teaching - Who Should and Shouldn't

[belar86]

As far as the adults (kids have already been covered from what I've seen), many aren't as concerned about ranks as you may think. My friend runs a martial arts class that has no ranks and most people there just want to learn the skills and get fit, without the obligation and cost of being graded.

Also as far as tournaments and competing, ranks often mean very little. I've seen black/brown belts who have very little tournament experience, and lower belts who have competed consistently since they began martial arts.

[backfist]

Thanks for the support and the advice. It's all well-received.

I'm definitely going to incorporate sash ranking for the children, and I'll might or might no offer it as an option for adults. There are pros and cons to doing this.

[ovine king]

i'm assuming that the style that you're mainly teaching is the hung ga that you have listed under your name. One of the easiest ways to get some "recognition" within the chinese styles is, like it or not, lineage.

it isn't that difficult to trace your lineage seeing as essentially, everything goes back to one/two men and even then it doesn't really go back that far in terms of years.

generally, in the chinese styles, recogition by your peers (and superiors) as being able to teach is sign of your ability.

with regards to the ranking issue.

i'd think it better to stay away from colours and stick to something simpler like grades and numbers. In my mind, it has less association with the belt system.

I'm not sure if you'd need it for the adult classes. Most people who end up in a chinese style is aware of the non-grade issue anyway and would even see it as a potential "warning sign" if you do have one for the main/proper class.

just make sure that you have a proper structured way of teaching. I've been in a few classes of very competent men but who really aren't the best of teachers. It was worse for the non-chinese speaking members of the class who found the already hard to follow class, ever harder to understand.

routine, order and organisation is paramount in teaching.

back when i was helping to semi-run a small class, a lot of after-class time was spent trying to draw up a sensible training plan for the next class.

one thing i do urge you to do is NOT forget what hung ga is about: don't lose sight of the fact that it is fighting. Going into poetic romantic mode for a moment:

don't let the ten deadly hands be forgotten!