Should young black belts instruct the adult class

[granitemiller]

There should be an age requirement of some kind, I think that once some students hit 14-15, they are capable of teaching as they are generally more mature.

Edited February 6, 2009 by granitemiller

[KarateEd]

Last class I witnessed the reason why not. A 12 year old proved in his case at least that he did not have the patience or experience to help a much younger student a proper forward stance. It was easy for him to do so why couldn't the 6 year old.

I have seen this type of mindset in others, too. Some people, regardless of rank, are just not cut out to be instructors.

[Throwdown0850]

Last class I witnessed the reason why not. A 12 year old proved in his case at least that he did not have the patience or experience to help a much younger student a proper forward stance. It was easy for him to do so why couldn't the 6 year old.

I have seen this type of mindset in others, too. Some people, regardless of rank, are just not cut out to be instructors.

agreed.. Also, We are talking about something that could maybe mean life or death and imo, I would rather learn that from somebody who is an adult and can maybe shine some light maybe from experience... dont think many 12 year olds been robbed at gun point lately...

[pers]

No way ! it takes more than a black belt and a good technique to be able to teach a class of adults .

[ineluki]

I would rather learn that from somebody who is an adult and can maybe shine some light maybe from experience... dont think many 12 year olds been robbed at gun point lately...

I guess that requirement rules out a lot of adults as well...

[Fish]

I think it depends what they are teaching and to whom.

I have had one on one instruction from a young junior bb (I think he was around 13) who was teaching me a particular kata, which he knew and could perform to a high standard, and I didn't know at all. I had no problem learning from him and, as it happens, he was a very good instructor notwithstanding his young age.

Sometimes an adult also has to have the humility to learn from a child.

[JusticeZero]

If they have the competence, I see no problem with them doing something along the lines of "Jack, go help the yellow belts with the partner drill while I work with the brown belts on the next drill; i'll be over there in a bit." I wouldn't have them teach a class from beginning to end, however.

[sensei8]

I started in the Martial Arts when I was 7 years old. I began to LEARN HOW TO TEACH when I was a Sankyu...under the very watchful eye of my Sensei/Dai-Soke...I was 11 years old. Then as the years went by, I earned my Nikyu and then my Ikkyu, all the while I was learning more and more about teaching under the very watchful eye of my Sensei/Dai-Soke.

When I was a Jr. Black Belt I was 13 years old. I was still learning how to teach...under the very watchful eye of my Sensei/Dai-Soke. Sometimes I was "teaching" the kids class and sometimes I was "teaching" the adults...under the very watchful eye of my Sensei/Dai-Soke.

Here's the catch...I NEVER TAUGHT ON MY OWN!! I didn't start teaching on my own until I was an adult Shodan, even then, I was still under the very watchful eye of my Sensei/Dai-Soke. As an Sankyu thru Jr. Black Belt I was just ASSISTING my Sensei/Dai-Soke. I wasn't allowed to completely teach on my own until I was a Sandan!

My main point is this...I WAS ALWAYS UNDER THE VERY WATCHFUL EYE OF MY SENSEI/DAI-SOKE!! Can a child black belt teach the adult classes? ONLY UNDER THE VERY WATCHFUL EYE OF THE SENSEI/CHIEF INSTRUCTOR!!

Other than that...NO WAY!

[quinteros1963]

Nope! If that "junior bb" has not completed the same requirments as an adult black belt, then he is not a black belt. The junior title seems to be something that was invented as a motivation to youngsters. So they aren't really black belts and therfore should not teach a class. While they may be more experinced than others in class, they should not teach class. Warm-ups or demonstrating a kata is fine teaching, no. For those who say its ok, would you go to a junior bb's school to learn your art?

[sensei8]

Nope! If that "junior bb" has not completed the same requirments as an adult black belt, then he is not a black belt. The junior title seems to be something that was invented as a motivation to youngsters. So they aren't really black belts and therfore should not teach a class. While they may be more experinced than others in class, they should not teach class. Warm-ups or demonstrating a kata is fine teaching, no. For those who say its ok, would you go to a junior bb's school to learn your art?

So says who? The By-Laws of my style are quite exacting in their definitions/meanings/intent!

Every Jr. Black Belt has completed all of the needed requirements according to our grading syllabus, and this syllabus doesn't signify between whether one is a child or an adult. You're correct when you say that our JBB's aren't black belts...full fledged black belts that is. This means that the adults can achieve Dan rankings while a JBB can't! BTW, age is a minuscule portion of Yudansha, both JBB and an adult Shodan must meet the requirements satisfactory of the three K's...Kihon, Kata, and Kumite.

The only thing that differs the two is AGE as far as our Hombu's By-Laws ranking guidelines are concerned...any student that's under the age of 18 may not possess a Shodan, full fledged black belt, but this student may obtain the rank of Junior Black Belt.

A Yudansha of the rank of Shodan MUST be at a minimum age of 18 years old. Our JBB's cannot achieve any Dan ranking whatsoever, not until they meet the age requirement for Shodan...18 years old. Even then, when our JBB's reach 18 years of age, these JBB's must apply for testing for Shodan but they must wait a minimum of 6 months of having reached the age of 18 years of age, AND even then, these JBB's must be invited by the Chief Instructor of the Dojo to test for Shodan. Therefore, having reached 18 years of age means nothing to the testing board of the Hombu...other than when a JBB would be getting a birthday card from the Hombu.

The junior title seems to be something that was invented as a motivation to youngsters.

As are ALL of the ranks within ANY style of the Martial Arts that puts value of the ranks over knowledge. I wish the belt ranking system wasn't ever invented but it was and it's here, yet, it's value has been misplaced, imho!

So they aren't really black belts and therfore should not teach a class. While they may be more experinced than others in class, they should not teach class. Warm-ups or demonstrating a kata is fine teaching, no.

Opinions vary and our JBB's would agree with you that while they're not full fledged black belts due to having not reached 18 years of age! They'd also agree with you that they shouldn't be teaching a class...without the very close supervision of their Sensei/Chief Instructor AND the Hombu.

To think in this manner is a sign of disrespect to the Chief Instructor, the Hombu, and the JBB's who have worked JUST AS HARD as the adult Yudansha's. Age requirements must be set and obeyed for the sake of the JBB's growth in the Martial Arts as well as for the betterment of the style.

For those who say its ok, would you go to a junior bb's school to learn your art?

No I wouldn't go to a Dojo and the like if a JBB was the Chief Instructor as well as teaching on their own without proper supervision/guidance of a highly qualified adult Yudansha.

I'd go to the Dojo if a JBB was teaching UNDER THE PROPER GUIDANCE OF A HIGHLY QUALIFIED SENSEI/CHIEF INSTRUCTOR. Otherwise, how's the JBB going to learn anything about teaching. My style REQUIRES ALL STUDENTS to begin "assisting/learning how to teach" at the rank of Sankyu no matter the age. Our Hombu thru the By-Laws has things in place to cover/protect/benefit all students, all instructors, and the Hombu when in comes to "teaching" and "Jr. Black Belts" and in this, there's no ambiquity whatsoever!

BTW, close supervision doesn't mean that our JBB's would be on their own on the floor...NO WAY! My Yudansha's and I are on the floor right beside them every step of the way. This journey is to sensitive across the board to be left for the JBB to experience, learn, and discover on their own.

You're in Goju-ryu and Goju-ryu has JBB's, therefore, don't you believe in Goju-ryu's own JBB's as well as the Goju-ryu By-Laws?