What do you think?

[Montana]

In another forum that I visit now and then there was a thread about what makes a good sensei.

One person posted that to make a good sensei, they had to be someone that was well respected "world wide", had published books and videos, been written about in Black Belt Magazine and had shelves and shelves of trophies from international tournaments.

My reply to his statement was ....... BAH!

When the vast majority of sensei, both in the USA and abroad, teach out of their homes, garages or gyms, don't write books and might only make videos for their own students to use sometimes, does that make them poor instructors?

I don't think so!

Even on Okinawa, Japan, Korea, etc, the vast majority of sensei's don't have large, commercial dojos. They teach out of their homes for the most part and don't attempt to make a living with their teachings. They have knowledge they have accumulated over many years of study and teach small classes to those that want to learn. Most don't have videos for sale. Most have never appeared in Black Belt Magazine other than as a small footnote perhaps, and most have nothing to do with the international tournament circuit.

So I guess they aren't good sensei, right?

[MasterPain]

Yep, I've had my butt handed to me by instructors who taught in a shed out in the back yard.

[Patrick]

I don't mean to make this overly general, but I had some thoughts from reading your post, Montana, and thought I'd share them. Hope they fit in somewhere.

I wouldn't take that statement personally. Maybe it was how that person felt and that's fine. Everyone has to select people in their own way.

I have written a book. It was published by a reasonably sized publisher and, at one point, stocked by every (or virtually every, at least) Barnes & Noble in the country, plus some other stores (like Chapters/Indigo in Canada).

Anyone can write a book. And most books offer some redeeming qualities. Even a "bad" book that offers you a few interesting morsels is worth the $10-$20 price tag it likely carries on Amazon.com.

Books, especially books that a major publisher believed in or that sell well, are stamps of approval and legitimacy. A book in and of itself is a stamp - that is why vanity presses exist. Because a book, even a book that no one has bought, can still help you get opportunities, speaking engagements, clients, etc.

But, plenty of smart people who are the top of a profession aren't authors. At the end of the day, when you look at someone and you try to ascertain the quality of their work, you should look at many factors.

In the context of a Sensei, I think the most important things (in no particular order) would be: their experience (this can include their published works and what they have done), how they share that experience, how they treat people (and how comfortable you are with that) and the environment of the classes that they teach. It all factors in.

For example, if the Sensei is a brilliant person, but a total jerk - some will put up with him or her, in respect for his or her brilliance. Many will not. If you have a Sensei who is nice, but has no experience - again, some deal.

It's like, here at KarateForums.com. What we want, as a community, isn't people who know a lot or think they know a lot. Knowing a lot isn't, in and of itself, inherently valuable to this community. That knowledge must be in the right vessel.

Knowledge shared in a kind and respectful manner is golden. That is where knowledge is valuable and everyone has something they can offer, if only they wish to do so in a kind and helpful manner.

Writing a book is an accomplishment. Writing one that is well received is an accomplishment. So, I am not discounting that act at all (I wrote mine over a 5 year period, during which I was also managing this community and the day you hold that first copy is like holding your first child - LOL, OK, no - it's not, but it is a special moment, let's say). And there is nothing that you can take away from that. At the same time, the value of someone, as a professional or person, goes deeper than that, certainly.

Hope this adds something.

Thanks,

Patrick

[sensei8]

What makes a good Sensei? Honesty across the board; first by being honest with themselves first and foremost!!

Being a published author or having produced DVD's and the like in the martial arts genre doesn't make a good Sensei. Those are nice platitudes to have for one reason or another, but that doesn't guarantee that the Sensei will be good at it; teaching that is.

After all, a Sensei is someone who must have the ability to teach, and their black belt doesn't guarantee that attribute.

I've never written a book. I've never published any type of DVD. I'm not a famous martial artist. I'm not well known. I've never been written about in any martial arts publication. This and that. I'm just me, and I believe that I'm a good Sensei across the board.

You see, my Soke, and then my Dai-Soke didn't believe in having a website, didn't advertise...ever, other than word of mouth. They despised the tournament scene, however, they never prevented us from participating in them. Go or don't go, they didn't care one way or another UNLESS, I/we shamed ourselves and/or them and/or the Hombu. If we acted to big for our britches, they'd put us back in our places fast. None of them were ever interested in the many things that Sensei's of the past and/or the present were/are interested in. Despite all of that, I consider them both good Sensei's, and I'm not alone in this analogy. They'd always remind us that Karate-do isn't meant to be dependant on commercialism of any type. It's not their cup of tea, and in that, they'd never deny others for their tea flavor.

Being honest with oneself to be a good Sensei is important, but it's not that easy!

The OP and the two that follow make solid points across the board. Hopefully, I've added something of value to this discussion.

[bushido_man96]

I would say that you can find good teachers in all kinds of places, and that although public recognition can go a long way in establishing some credibility, its also important to see what the "little guy" has to offer, and the mode it is offered in.

I've only ever done Martial Arts in pretty small rural areas, but have been blessed with having some pretty good instructors.

[DWx]

They don't have to have done all those things to be a good sensei but if they have it could be an indication that they are. Books and the like, especially if they're peer reviewed, can be a good sign of how much someone knows and how good they are at conveying their knowledge. Being known "world-wide" could point to them being a good sensei too if both their peers and seniors regarded them favourably.

But someone can be a very good sensei even if they haven't done all those things.

[Lalaaman]

Everybody has own idle. So everybody show their feelings own way.After that discuss their topic own way.

[Lupin1]

I don't believe a good sensei has to be known all around the world. In fact, when I see a school that advertises their "world famous" sensei all over their ads and stuff, that's one of the things that raises McDojo suspicions in my mind.

I think a good sensei is simply someone who is both a knowledgable martial artist and a good teacher. They have to know at least more martial arts than their student-- they don't have to be a 10th dan or anything-- but they need to know enough that they have their technique down pat. You can't teach others good technique unless you have it yourself and know what it is. They also need to keep studying and learning not only to stay ahead of their students, but to gain more insight into the art to share with their students. And then they need to be a good teacher. That means they need to know how to structure the class for the most amount of learning, how to motivate students, how to translate their knowledge of the art into effective lessons and break down techniques so that beginners can understand them, how to identify and correct what their students are doing wrong, how to move the students along at just the right pace so they're challenged without being overwhelmed, etc. There's a lot that goes into being an effective teacher, but I'm not sure being in Black Belt Magazine is one of the attributes.

[sensei8]

I don't believe a good sensei has to be known all around the world. In fact, when I see a school that advertises their "world famous" sensei all over their ads and stuff, that's one of the things that raises McDojo suspicions in my mind.

I think a good sensei is simply someone who is both a knowledgable martial artist and a good teacher. They have to know at least more martial arts than their student-- they don't have to be a 10th dan or anything-- but they need to know enough that they have their technique down pat. You can't teach others good technique unless you have it yourself and know what it is. They also need to keep studying and learning not only to stay ahead of their students, but to gain more insight into the art to share with their students. And then they need to be a good teacher. That means they need to know how to structure the class for the most amount of learning, how to motivate students, how to translate their knowledge of the art into effective lessons and break down techniques so that beginners can understand them, how to identify and correct what their students are doing wrong, how to move the students along at just the right pace so they're challenged without being overwhelmed, etc. There's a lot that goes into being an effective teacher, but I'm not sure being in Black Belt Magazine is one of the attributes.

Solid post!!

There are just way to many Sensei's in this world to know each of them, no matter the venue. Even if a Sensei is known world wide, what does that guarantee? Nothing. The only thing that's guaranteed is that this Sensei is well known; nothing more and nothing less.

Still and again, Lupin1's post is quite solid.

[RW]

What makes a good sensei, though?

Is a good sensei the one who can hold himself in a fight? Or the one who has a lot of MA knowledge (i.e. he knows the katas, movement names, he can teach you sparring, and maybe he can count in japanese or chinese or whatever language his MA comes from). Is a good sensei the one who comes from a lineage of senseis from an organization?

Imagine two extreme cases. Mr. berp derp who is the grandson of Itaka Derp, one of the founders of style X of some martial art. Berp Derp knows all the katas/forms. He has trained since he was 5. He won several tournament trophies on kata/forms and point sparring. He is great at transmitting knowledge. Oh, and he is an average fighter, at best.

In the other extreme, you got Mr. Yadda Yadda. He does have a (legit) blackbelt in the same martial art. He is a bit unorthodox, he doesn't teach a lot of content, but oh my, people would feel sorry for anyone who starts a fight with him. He is also great at transmitting knowledge, in his own way. You'll end a great fighter, but maybe you won't learn the bunkai or kata Y or some forms at all.

Which sensei is better? What about the middle ground between them?