Instructors Alone at the Top

[akedm]

A white belt learns from and is pushed to attain higher rank by the higher ranked students, and so on – that’s the way it works. As the higher ranks thin out some of you may have found that there’s no one around to learn, practice, etc. the requirements for the next rank. Some of you may even have your own schools and may have been asked by a student, ‘Well I know where I get my instruction from, but what about you?’ So what do you do to keep pushing your own skills when you’re “at the top” in your vicinity; how do you prepare yourself for the next rank if that’s your goal?

[JusticeZero]

I personally work on my ability to do the techniques and will be (as soon as I have an instrument) practicing music more.. my testing requirements, when I'm able to get to Brazil to test, are basically more endurance - I'll need more upper body strength for that - and memorize/write a lot of short songs in Portuguese and translations of same. (music has been a weak point of all of my teachers so far, and I need to correct that.)

Once you have enough material burned in, it's amazing how much you can learn through review. Also, beyond a certain point, you stop advancing by getting better; instead you advance by enriching the art itself - through innovation, research, quality students, or whatnot.

It's sort've like college - at a certain point, they stop trying to teach you, and instead they just stand by you as you dig around and find things out; at the doctoral level, there isn't anyone in the world who even CAN teach you the stuff you're trying to learn.

[DWx]

I'm not at the top (far from it) but I am in a similar situation at uni where there is nobody to teach me. Like JusticeZero said, if you know enough material you can work on improving it on your own and you can learn that way. I've found myself relying more and more on books to come up with different things to work on and to offer some guidance on things I'm not so sure about. Also the great thing nowadays is the internet because you're pretty much guarenteed to find something that can help you.

[tallgeese]

JusticeZero summed it up alot. You keep training, sharpen what you have, innovate and reseach. I think this is a good time to branch out and study other arts and their stratigies and tactics, work it into your scheme for defense, show your system somethingnew and continue to better your own game plan.

I'd add teach. Pass on what you've been doing, part of being higher in dan grades in showing those who've come before that you're ready to continue the art. You'll also be suprised how much you learn from teaching and breaking things down.

[akedm]

This is good to hear. But at the same time it must get lonely at the top - everyone gets frustrated. In those cases I'd imagine that students can help a teacher overcome that slump by focusing on the teaching dynamic and rediscovering what they're already experienced (ala. Tallgeese).

What about the new stuff you learn like Justice pointed out? I mean that's some really cool stuff you're talking about there - music - I never would have guessed - very cool. Do you share what you learn with students? Or who? I'm thinking it must be difficult to find a peer you can bounce things off of.

And last when did you see "the top" coming and decide 'yeah, I can do that' as far as realizing it'd require a different mindset than being a student-teacher? In other words when did you decide that you wanted to be "it" as far as the one everyone's looking to (in your vicinity) for their teaching?

I just find the whole concept of wanting to be a teacher admirable and sort of a calling - well not calling but like that of wanting to be a parent. I grew up around teachers as my mom worked for the school district (talk about talking the whole neighborhood to raise a child, that was my upbringing), and I've always enjoyed teaching (not professionally) and lessons and such. So I always look at instructors with a curiosity for their story. Hope you dont mind all the questions.

Thanks.

[tallgeese]

There was never really a point where I said to myself that I wanted to be an instructor. I was just trying to grow more training partners and fell into the role. That was kind of a trend that would continue past my first teaching experiance and seems to still hold true.

[JusticeZero]

I'd imagine that students can help a teacher overcome that slump by focusing on the teaching dynamic and rediscovering what they're already experienced (ala. Tallgeese).

If the students are at least intermediate. Right now, my students are too weak in the upper body to perform the basic techniques, and I don't get enough time in the week to correct it. Frustrating. With intermediate students, you can share quite a bit more.

What about the new stuff..? ..music - I never would have guessed.. Do you share what you learn with students? Or who? it must be difficult to find a peer you can bounce things off of.

Some I can bring out immediately, some is beyond them; eventually, you train people to the point that you do have peers, and I do keep in touch with my old teacher. I had a student for a year and a half once, and I could share quite a bit with him; now i'm back to going to class and spending the first fifteen minutes reteaching basic stance and testing to hope that i'll be able to cover other basics this week. This too will pass..

when did you see "the top" coming and decide 'yeah, I can do that' as far as realizing it'd require a different mindset than being a student-teacher?

I knew that it would be where I would end up when I started, because of how tied to place I am. If you go permanently to a place with a teacher it might be different, but I had to travel to find a teacher. I'll admit that I have things to learn about teaching, though.

[sensei8]

I learn from my students, from my fellow Martial Artists, yet, primarily from my Dai-Soke.

I don't test for rank anymore because my last rank testing was for my Hachidan. I've been offered/awarded/presented/whatever my Kudan this year, but, I've refused it for personal/private reasons of my own.

It's sort've like college - at a certain point, they stop trying to teach you, and instead they just stand by you as you dig around and find things out; at the doctoral level, there isn't anyone in the world who even CAN teach you the stuff you're trying to learn.

I like that...very solid analogy!

[bushido_man96]

A white belt learns from and is pushed to attain higher rank by the higher ranked students, and so on – that’s the way it works. As the higher ranks thin out some of you may have found that there’s no one around to learn, practice, etc. the requirements for the next rank. Some of you may even have your own schools and may have been asked by a student, ‘Well I know where I get my instruction from, but what about you?’ So what do you do to keep pushing your own skills when you’re “at the top” in your vicinity; how do you prepare yourself for the next rank if that’s your goal?

You've hit on here what is known in MA parlance as the "10% stat." Basically, when you start out in MA training, you can look around you and count the students in your rank. About 10% of those will stick around to make it to black belt. After that, you can continue to see a 10% drop off in those that keep attaining ranks/experience beyond that. I can remember it happening to me when I was in the ATA. I started with around 8 or 9 in my group, and as we went up and tested higher and higher, the numbers around me dropped off. Even the guy who got me started quit before we got to black belt. 10% may not be exact, but you can see my point. I remember testing as a 2nd dan, and not having anyone from my school to test with me.

It's sort've like college - at a certain point, they stop trying to teach you, and instead they just stand by you as you dig around and find things out; at the doctoral level, there isn't anyone in the world who even CAN teach you the stuff you're trying to learn.

I like JusticeZero's analogy of the process here. I haven't heard it put that way before, but I think it is a good way to look at it. Also, when it appears that there is no one teaching the teacher, he/she may be seeking out peers to work out with, to pick up on different things. I do this now, with DT partners and my Aikido and Hapkido practice. It is quite helpful in picking up new things, and you learn from each other, as opposed to being just the teacher.

[Tiger1962]

A white belt learns from and is pushed to attain higher rank by the higher ranked students, and so on – that’s the way it works. As the higher ranks thin out some of you may have found that there’s no one around to learn, practice, etc. the requirements for the next rank. Some of you may even have your own schools and may have been asked by a student, ‘Well I know where I get my instruction from, but what about you?’ So what do you do to keep pushing your own skills when you’re “at the top” in your vicinity; how do you prepare yourself for the next rank if that’s your goal?

I would say to the person to find yourself another higher rank instructor SOMEHOW - from another school - out of state even, if you have to; to train from. Instructors NEED to train themselves to keep current, keep endurance and keep abreast of the changes and things going on in their art.

To each his own - but, this is why I don't think people should jump at the chance to run a school the minute they become Dan members or at the rank where you're permitted to open a school. They should give themselves time to become more acclimated to their rank. Unless an instructor passed on the school to someone and there isn't a choice of someone else to run it --

It might be difficult in certain situations for an instructor to find someone to train them, but you have to keep looking and do it. What happens when your students reach YOUR rank and want to continue? They certainly can't train a student for a rank level they themselves don't have. LOL