How long to Sensei?

[quinteros1963]

At what point do you think one should be called sensei? Can a shodan or nidan run a school? Or should that be left to 3rd or 4rth degree?

[Montana]

It all depends on the dojo, association or system. I was a shodan when I started teaching my own class in a town 50 miles from where my sensei lived. Some students called me sensei, some teacher, and some by my first or last name.

What is correct for one dojo, association or system may not be correct for another.

[Lupin1]

At my school you have to be a student of the school for 15 years before our head instructor will even let you into the training program to become an instructor. Then you need to take a group of white belts all the way up through black, which, for kids, is 7-9 years (I'm not sure what happens when they drop out because I've only known 3 kids in the 15 years I've been there [with an 8 year break, but I didn't miss anyone] who have made it all the way to black) and THEN you can be an instructor (and I've only known one person who did that).

But if you want to start your own school-- there's no regulating body out there. I don't think a 1st degree black belt would be ready. All that means is that you've mastered the basics. I don't think that qualifies you to teach. I think someone should be at least a 3rd degree black belt and have a few years of supervised teaching experience at their old school before even considering opening their own school.

Also, as someone who just graduated with my elementary teaching degree, I don't think just anyone can walk in and be a great teacher. You need to be taught how to teach effectively, especially if working with kids. I wouldn't trust anyone who hadn't been through at least a long-term internship and who's gotten both explicit and hand-on training in how to teach everyone from young beginners to adult black belts. Teaching isn't just something most people can do effectively without any training.

[Adam_XKT]

In my school it's 3rd degree. We haven't had anybody get there yet (though one is apparently close).

He was the first person to join in our program, and so far he's been involved almost 8 years.

[DWx]

Also, as someone who just graduated with my elementary teaching degree, I don't think just anyone can walk in and be a great teacher. You need to be taught how to teach effectively, especially if working with kids. I wouldn't trust anyone who hadn't been through at least a long-term internship and who's gotten both explicit and hand-on training in how to teach everyone from young beginners to adult black belts. Teaching isn't just something most people can do effectively without any training.

Well said Lupin. IMO I think its ok to teach from 1st dan-ish, maybe even earlier but whatever level you'd probably need supervision to start with. In our association we have to attend a 3-day course and pass an exam if we want to teach classes properly on our own and you can only do this from 1st dan and up. Even then you don't just get given a class on you're own straight off.

[Ichi_Geki]

In my opinion...your either Deshi or Sensei...Do you think you exceed your sensei?

[mudansha]

Do you think you exceed your sensei?

Warning.... this is a trick question...

It is kind of funny how people force their own school's grading system on other styles. Grading systems between schools vary widely.

Case in point:

My sensei has been rated yondan (4th degree) for 20 years. In the SKI system, 5th dan is about the highest a non-japanese person can get to. He got his Shodan in Goju in 1971, and he got his Shodan in Shotokan in 1979. The man has been a black belt for 40 years and he is only 4th Dan. In the entire history of our school (30 years), he has only given out 4 nidans and 2 sandans. At our school, shodans are allowed to teach a class and are asked to when the sempai (sandan) that normally teaches is absent. This is because it takes 6-7 years of training to be a Shodan and god knows how long to become a nidan.

[quinteros1963]

"He got his Shodan in Goju in 1971, and he got his Shodan in Shotokan in 1979. The man has been a black belt for 40 years and he is only 4th Dan."

sounds racist and oppressive to me that because someone is not from Japan the can not reach a certain level. But just because you don't hold a tiltle does not mean much. Sounds like your Sensei is very experienced so it doesnt matter. 40 years is a long time, I listen to all he had to say.

Like you said all Orgs are different.

[Rateh]

I became a sensei as a brown belt with 4 years of training. This is because in the school I attended sensei simply was what you called someone who regularly taught a class. For me this was the beginner childrens classes. Since this is my background, to me sensei just means teacher, so anyone who is teaching a martial art would be a sensei in my mind, even if that wasn't their title (Of course I would call them by whatever title was appropriate to them).

[mudansha]

I became a sensei as a brown belt with 4 years of training. This is because in the school I attended sensei simply was what you called someone who regularly taught a class. For me this was the beginner childrens classes. Since this is my background, to me sensei just means teacher, so anyone who is teaching a martial art would be a sensei in my mind, even if that wasn't their title (Of course I would call them by whatever title was appropriate to them).

Then look up the term "Sempai".

There is only 1 sensei.