Picking a school...

[bushido_man96]

If I was about to join a karate school, I'd want to be taught by the senior instructor and not a brand new blackbelt or an "on-my way-to-be-a-teacher kind of student"

You have a very valid concern here, Tiger1962. However, if everyone took this approach, then how would we ever end up with good, senior instructors?

[Tiger1962]

Sorry, perhaps I was too vague. What I meant was students training to be teachers, I feel, should definitely assist in class, no doubt, but with the white belts, the children and the very young students (tots). I've seen brand new black belt teens assisting in adult classes and.....that just doesn't work. Not for me anyway...and I'm not prejudiced against teens teaching....some are indeed awesome.

My preference is that advanced classes should only be taught by the head instructor or someone who is equivalent to him in experience. I've visited a few schools, and have seen otherwise. I guess this is a personal preference...some of these questions might be premature to ask when first joining a school...but its always good to know what the environment and protocol is like before you join.