The Words We Choose!!

[sensei8]

"Do it this way, trust me."

OR...

"What are the risks if you do it that way?"

OR...

"Let me show you how it is done."

OR...

"Let me show you what you did wrong."

Tone and infliction can quickly mean encouragement/support or an attack!! Imho, one of the statements above is acceptable, while the other three statements aren't.

As a MA instructor, our job is to teach, but how we teach can effectively impact our students in a positive or negative way.

We're no longer part of a barbaric society and/or part of a dictatorial society by choice.

We're to teach!!

We, MA instructors, send out messages everyday that speak as though we're perfect, when, we're the furthest thing from that. Are we students of the MA after all...all of us! Sure we are! But, we seem to forget that quite often.

How we speak to our students is suppose to encourage them, and not verbally attacking them! We must carefully consider how we can send messages that encourage our students to perform up to their fullest potential!!

With our words, we can cut or we can edify our students. Either can be amplified to lift or to pull them down. Accountability in any school of the MA starts with the instructor(s), and finding ways to encourage sit on the lap of the CI.

Of the four opening statements, which one would you prefer...and why??

Your thoughts, please!

[bushido_man96]

I'd go with "What are the risks if you do it that way?" Of the four you have listed.

I do agree that how we say things is very important. One jumped out at me a few weeks back when we were having our DT students do "teaching" exercises. One of the students explained a technique and finished with "...and that's what should happen." It caught my ear right off, and I told him that he did a good job of explaining the technique and all that, and also told him to make sure he was careful with wording, and talk about what can happen along the way, instead of putting something in the mind about how it should happen, because then what if it goes differently? So, I tried to use it as a teaching moment to help them in that aspect.

One of the ATA's 10 Class Management Skills is to Give Positive Correction Rather than Criticism. I try to adhere to this skill as often as I can. I think it helps a student realize that even if he is doing a technique or an application incorrectly in the end, there are some aspects he/she is getting right, and its important that what they are getting right is reinforced so they keep doing that part the right way. Then, they can work on the other corrections. I think that really goes a long way in helping a student see the positives that come out of the class.

[Spartacus Maximus]

Explaining the material is the most important part of a teacher's role. A mediocre teacher might just demonstrate and then state that technique A is done this way because it is effective. The demonstration may be the very essence of skill and this instructor may be right. On the other hand his explanation does not answer any question nor does it help understand the purpose and function.

A good instructor will not only demonstrate but will also explain in a way suited to the level of his students understanding. His explanation will cover more than how a technique should be done. It will be on the function and the purpose as well as to why it should be done one way and not another.

I would also like to add that an instructor may be an expert or technical master but it does not necessarily follow that this person also knows how to explain or teach what he does effectively. It is possible that the instructor lacks the teaching skills to do so. Not many instructors realize how the way they communicate the material impacts how well each student understands or accepts it. This is especially true for corrections and changes. Not all students will take the instructor's comments exactly the same way.

[jaypo]

Of those 4, I'd choose "What are the risks". About the others, I had an experience with this yesterday. Our class was all about Bassai Dai and the applications of it. There was 1 black belt and a brown belt working on the the movements. The night before, I watched a video of an instructor doing street applications from Bassai Dai, and I loved it. Some things I've already done, but a couple were new to me. So I demonstrated those things to the 2 students, and they understood. So in this case, it wasn't a matter of "let me show you how it's done". Rather, it was a matter of "let me show you how it COULD be done in addition to what you've already learned". My Sensei always says that a kata could have a million applications. So for every movement in every kata, there's multiple "ways" it could be applied. Not just "THE WAY".

[bushido_man96]

Explaining the material is the most important part of a teacher's role. A mediocre teacher might just demonstrate and then state that technique A is done this way because it is effective. The demonstration may be the very essence of skill and this instructor may be right. On the other hand his explanation does not answer any question nor does it help understand the purpose and function.

A good instructor will not only demonstrate but will also explain in a way suited to the level of his students understanding. His explanation will cover more than how a technique should be done. It will be on the function and the purpose as well as to why it should be done one way and not another.

I would also like to add that an instructor may be an expert or technical master but it does not necessarily follow that this person also knows how to explain or teach what he does effectively. It is possible that the instructor lacks the teaching skills to do so. Not many instructors realize how the way they communicate the material impacts how well each student understands or accepts it. This is especially true for corrections and changes. Not all students will take the instructor's comments exactly the same way.

You are spot-on here, Spartacus. Many instructors can deal with the how's of a technique or applications, but dealing with the why's is a whole other ball game. That's what separates instructors from students.

So for every movement in every kata, there's multiple "ways" it could be applied. Not just "THE WAY".

Good words.

[sensei8]

Great discussions, thank you all!!

It might be great and acceptable for the football coach or the basketball coach or whichever sporting coach to yell at their players.

It might be great and acceptable for the CEO or the District Manager or a low level member of management or whichever business entity to yell at their subordinates.

But, in the MA, imho, that has no place!!

[Archimoto]

I agree with you sensei8 although in my opinion yelling and condescension are unacceptable IN ALL WALKS OF LIFE. It's all about The Golden Rule.

[Spartacus Maximus]

Yes shouting at students or using abusive language is certainly not an effective way to teach anything. Sometimes students may need a hard lesson to understand the seriousness and the risks involved in what they are practising but shouting in their face or otherwise demeaning them will never get any good results. Challenging them to think for themselves about what they should be doing or how they can improve is always the best answer. Students need to be told more often when they do something well and exactly where they have improved. This is just as important as pointing out mistakes or necessary improvements. Maybe even more important.

[hammer]

One question for the instructors here...while I can agree with a suggestive approach when talking about applications, for kata, isn't there a right way (from a school and/or style perspective) to perform each technique?

Guess I'm just wondering if there are times when it's appropriate to keep students in the box and others when it's important to let them look outside the box...

Agree with the other comments about the tone instructors should use.

[bushido_man96]

One question for the instructors here...while I can agree with a suggestive approach when talking about applications, for kata, isn't there a right way (from a school and/or style perspective) to perform each technique?

Guess I'm just wondering if there are times when it's appropriate to keep students in the box and others when it's important to let them look outside the box...

Agree with the other comments about the tone instructors should use.

Sure, at times there is a right way. The point is that you know how to explain why it is right, not just that it is right, and walk away.