Really need advice....

[Unhappy]

Wow - thx for all the great replies and advice. The thing is, there is some family involved with the Sensei, and favoritism is definately an issue. Dare I say its very "clicky" too. I am too close to achieving a black belt to quit now and go somewhere else. I may as well fininsh what I have started - and then I will probably go start another style somewhere else. I will try and have a sit down asap.

[bushido_man96]

Finishing out would be worthwhile, I guess. Finding another style afterwards sounds like a good option as well. I hope you find what you are looking for.

[bushido_man96]

I am beginning to feel the same way in my school. I think my instructor is great, but he is allowing too many young black belts run the class. He is so good at what he does, I just wish he would run the classes himself. I feel that I do an adequate job in teaching when I am supposed to, but that is because I had years of his instruction and watching and listening to how he handles things. Now there are many new, young black belts who are getting thrown in to teach - "just to gain the experience" and what I am seeing is alot of people leaving the school and hearing complaints on the outside of the school on how things are being handled.

I feel that allowing young black belts to have the time to teach and gain experience is a good thing. After all, if instructors never trained assistants, then we would not continue to find good instructors.

However, there is a method to doing this. An instructor should not just throw is young black belts "to the wolves," and hope they figure it out. They need to have them start out easy, like by leading warm-ups in a class supervised by the instructor himself. The instructor should also have some lessons with only the new assistants, teaching them how to teach, essentially. This way, they can be worked in gradually, and their confidence will grow more and more along the way.

Something I do believe, however, is that the head instructor should not try to phase himself out of teaching "regular" classes, or "low rank" classes. I believe that he still needs to be involved in them, and be more than just a face of the school.

[DisgruntledGirl]

I am beginning to feel the same way in my school. I think my instructor is great, but he is allowing too many young black belts run the class. He is so good at what he does, I just wish he would run the classes himself.

Hey jaymac. I remember a certain someone telling me that I "deserved better" when I was asking for advice on a similar albeit more severe problem than what you are having.

Has something happened since you tried to help me? The way you talked it seemed like your sensei was almost always there to teach?

While some others are SO quick to tell people to look for another school I honestly do not think that is always the best or even a good option... at least it shouldnt have to be your only/first option if you want proper training.

I see that you say that you think you probably couldnt talk to your sensei about the problem... probably not the way I did anyway since your instructor seems to be a bit more of an intimidating fella than mine is (and sad to say it, but I think sometimes a woman can get away with some things that a man might not be able to... though I think any student can talk to my Sensei freely as long as it is done in an appropriate way.) But maybe you just need to approach it differently than I did and do it less direct and just keep hinting to your sensei in some way that you "miss" (wrong word but you get the point) him being the main teacher. You might not wanna have a "sit down" with him, cus it seems that might not help you, but telling him in a polite way repeatedly might start to sink in to his head that he needs to get back to teaching class.

[jaymac]

I am beginning to feel the same way in my school. I think my instructor is great, but he is allowing too many young black belts run the class. He is so good at what he does, I just wish he would run the classes himself. I feel that I do an adequate job in teaching when I am supposed to, but that is because I had years of his instruction and watching and listening to how he handles things. Now there are many new, young black belts who are getting thrown in to teach - "just to gain the experience" and what I am seeing is alot of people leaving the school and hearing complaints on the outside of the school on how things are being handled.

I feel that allowing young black belts to have the time to teach and gain experience is a good thing. After all, if instructors never trained assistants, then we would not continue to find good instructors.

However, there is a method to doing this. An instructor should not just throw is young black belts "to the wolves," and hope they figure it out. They need to have them start out easy, like by leading warm-ups in a class supervised by the instructor himself. The instructor should also have some lessons with only the new assistants, teaching them how to teach, essentially. This way, they can be worked in gradually, and their confidence will grow more and more along the way.

Something I do believe, however, is that the head instructor should not try to phase himself out of teaching "regular" classes, or "low rank" classes. I believe that he still needs to be involved in them, and be more than just a face of the school.

Thanks for the help bushido. In fact, we do slowly phase in the newer black belts before allowing them to run a class. But the problem is the students and the parents are all complaining that they pay "him" to instruct, not young black belts. I can see there point. I also believe that they should get adequate time teaching, and they do, working one on one or in a small group with younger students. So when it comes time to teach the adult class, it should be the head instructor, not young teen black belts. It showed last night. Only 7 people showed up the the adult class. I have a feeling that he will catch on. Just hope it isn't before he loses his whole adult class.

[jaymac]

I am beginning to feel the same way in my school. I think my instructor is great, but he is allowing too many young black belts run the class. He is so good at what he does, I just wish he would run the classes himself.

Hey jaymac. I remember a certain someone telling me that I "deserved better" when I was asking for advice on a similar albeit more severe problem than what you are having.

Has something happened since you tried to help me? The way you talked it seemed like your sensei was almost always there to teach?

While some others are SO quick to tell people to look for another school I honestly do not think that is always the best or even a good option... at least it shouldnt have to be your only/first option if you want proper training.

I see that you say that you think you probably couldnt talk to your sensei about the problem... probably not the way I did anyway since your instructor seems to be a bit more of an intimidating fella than mine is (and sad to say it, but I think sometimes a woman can get away with some things that a man might not be able to... though I think any student can talk to my Sensei freely as long as it is done in an appropriate way.) But maybe you just need to approach it differently than I did and do it less direct and just keep hinting to your sensei in some way that you "miss" (wrong word but you get the point) him being the main teacher. You might not wanna have a "sit down" with him, cus it seems that might not help you, but telling him in a polite way repeatedly might start to sink in to his head that he needs to get back to teaching class.

I know, you are right, I don't know what is going on all of a sudden. I can't explain it myself. I at first thought it was just me - losing motivation to be there, but i am hearing others say the same thing. Makes me think it is the instructor losing motivation. Hope things change for him. He is losing students and that never used to be a problem at that school.

[Unhappy]

thing is, ours do not even set good examples - they always are goofing off, etc. Least they could do is be as attentive as possible.

[bushido_man96]

Thanks for the help bushido. In fact, we do slowly phase in the newer black belts before allowing them to run a class. But the problem is the students and the parents are all complaining that they pay "him" to instruct, not young black belts. I can see there point. I also believe that they should get adequate time teaching, and they do, working one on one or in a small group with younger students. So when it comes time to teach the adult class, it should be the head instructor, not young teen black belts. It showed last night. Only 7 people showed up the the adult class. I have a feeling that he will catch on. Just hope it isn't before he loses his whole adult class.

I can see the issue here, and I understand the frustrations of those attending and paying for the head instructor's knowledge. The head instructor needs to realize this, and try to find a balance to make everyone happy.

Students and parents should also realize that the head instructor is not likely to be around forever, and therefore, in order for things to carry on, and eventually to phase in changes, these things have to happen.