Head Instructor

[jaymac]

Does anyone have an Instructor who completely keeps his or her private life completely away from their students? I have recently run met a couple of instructors whom share nothing personal with the students in their dojo and only provide a tiny insight of who he/she might be through their karate teaching. It is interesting to me in a way. I think that it is a different way to keep things very traditional at the school. On the other hand, I think it is odd to keep your life completely secret from everyone other than your own family.

[patusai]

All my instructors "shared" with the group. I can't say that they shared everything about their lives though.

[parkerlineage]

My instructor is very personal with the students he has trained for a long time. For example, he's almost like another father to me, after twelve years - we've had discussions on things like drugs and the birds and bees, etc., and I find it very comforting and helpful. There's a couple of other guys that he goes out to get drinks with after class sometimes, or on occasion a bunch of them get together on the weekends or whatnot. I think this makes for more intimate training.

On the other hand, you know nothing about him until you're at least a second brown or so. Until then, you're just a customer.

[P.A.L]

i hate it when it gets too personal, then we start to talk about everything but training, some times i leave them alone and start to practice myself so they mat realise we are in a training time. the best place i've ever been about this ,was a BJJ class i knew everybody just by last name there was no chit chat at all, 60 min unstop training.

[MartialArthur]

I try to keep my students at "arm's length" because I believe it is best for the student/instructor relationship. Many instructors do not share this view, and they are entitled to their opinion.

Until I became an instructor I knew very little about my instructor. It really keeps politics out of the dojo. Now that we are "peers" (not in rank, but as school owners) we actually socialize and talk quite a bit.

..

[Sohan]

My dojo is very friendly and open, and we respect each other's right to privacy. We do communicate with each other what is going on in our lives because it brings us closer together as dojo mates and makes for a more enriching training experience. I believe the culture of our dojo is such that we know where the line is between publicly sharable and personal information. I feel fortunate to have this experience, because it did not exist in my former TSD school.

Respectfully,

Sohan

[Spirit At Choice]

Our school owners walk the middle ground very well. They don't push students out, but they don't gab on about their personal lives.

Training time is for training. I once got in hot water for gabbing with Sensei's mom in the dressing room and missing bow-in. Ooh, I hurt after that class!

After class is often a coffee clatch atmosphere, and there are occassional Girls Nights Out, or snowboarding trips with teachers and students in the mix.

I love my dojo!

[Holland]

I run a school and I am really open. I am 31 years old and many of my students are my age or older. These are my friends...sure I am the head instructor, but that does not make me the supreme guru of all life.

All of my best friends are karate friends and if I were to list the 10 people in my life (not including my parents) in which I am closest to, the list would include my sensei, and 5 or 6 students that I have promoted to black belt.

[kivikala]

I used to be pretty open with my students, but I've grown more recluse over the years and find it affords me the ability to teach without worrying about personalities or politics. It allows my judgement and teaching to be dispassionate and equal to all.

[Heather Smyth]

I developed a strong personal relationship with my instructor, but she did train me from the time I was four til now, and I am 21. I know every thing about her. We are now best friends. She directed my wedding, I was at the hospital when her first grandson was born, etc. I on the other hand let my students know nothing about me. Of coarse I teach children, but I do not share my personal life with them.

Heather