Me? Teach karate?

[sensei8]

Assisting and helping during practise was always a part of the dojo training. In Okinawan style dojos it is expected that each karateka help those at a lower skill level whenever asked by the instructor. However this is entirely different than the responsibility of teaching.

To teach a system, one must have a solid understanding and grasp of all the fundamental principles and techniques as well as being able to demonstrate these.

Self doubt about these skills tell me that I have not yet begun to really get it. At 1 kyu and nearing shodan there is no way I am qualified to teach anybody anything about karate. Maybe 5 Dan is good enough but will I "get it" at that level? How does one know when one is "doing it right?". Difficult to ponder indeed.

By Godan, if you've not got it by then, you won't. And you should know the answer to that WAY before you earn your Godan.

You'll know if you're doing it right when your floor isn't an sad imitation of an empty ghost town because all of your students walked out on you either together or one by one or in groups.

[Spartacus Maximus]

There must be something an instructor sees in a student that said student does not or cannot see for the instructor to trust that student to teach. Perhaps it is a question of confidence, but at this point I do not trust my own judgement or evaluation of skills.

[JR 137]

There must be something an instructor sees in a student that said student does not or cannot see for the instructor to trust that student to teach. Perhaps it is a question of confidence, but at this point I do not trust my own judgement or evaluation of skills.

A lot of teaching, regardless of what it is you're teaching, is personality. Some people can effectively communicate what they know and get people to listen and understand it far better than others. It's all in the delivery. On the flip side, some people learn far better from certain personality types than others.

Some people are far more patient than others. Some people can't handle it when you're telling someone exactly how something's done, yet the student doesn't "get it" or still can't do it. Some people have one way of thinking, and can't change the way they express the way it's done; others can see the same end result and come up with multiple ways of achieving it.

It comes down to personality IMO. You either have it or you don't. There's nothing wrong with you if you don't; and you're not a better person than the rest of us if you can. Everyone's got different strengths and weaknesses. The greatest teachers surely have their weaknesses too.

You can't teach a personality or learn a new one. Yes, you can go from being an ineffective teacher to a very one, but it's not easy. Then there's levels - not every elementary school teacher can teach high school or college, and vice-versa.

Not every great MAist can teach. Just like not every great soldier will make a great general, every great VP won't make a great CEO, and so on.

[sensei8]

There must be something an instructor sees in a student that said student does not or cannot see for the instructor to trust that student to teach. Perhaps it is a question of confidence, but at this point I do not trust my own judgement or evaluation of skills.

A lot of teaching, regardless of what it is you're teaching, is personality. Some people can effectively communicate what they know and get people to listen and understand it far better than others. It's all in the delivery. On the flip side, some people learn far better from certain personality types than others.

Some people are far more patient than others. Some people can't handle it when you're telling someone exactly how something's done, yet the student doesn't "get it" or still can't do it. Some people have one way of thinking, and can't change the way they express the way it's done; others can see the same end result and come up with multiple ways of achieving it.

It comes down to personality IMO. You either have it or you don't. There's nothing wrong with you if you don't; and you're not a better person than the rest of us if you can. Everyone's got different strengths and weaknesses. The greatest teachers surely have their weaknesses too.

You can't teach a personality or learn a new one. Yes, you can go from being an ineffective teacher to a very one, but it's not easy. Then there's levels - not every elementary school teacher can teach high school or college, and vice-versa.

Not every great MAist can teach. Just like not every great soldier will make a great general, every great VP won't make a great CEO, and so on.

Solid post!!

The old saying...

"Too many Chiefs, and not enough Indians!!" This might be more truer than some might want to admit!!

[ashworth]

With an old club I used to be with...To start with I liked the idea at a young age, I did think I was too young at the time but only agreed as I thought it would only be teaching as an assistant in the class rather than running classes on my own. It was like this for a few months, then due to an instructor leaving they wanted me to take on the class on my own, I did quite agree with it at the time but decided to do it anyway, at that time I was no where near ready for such a role, I was nervous as hell, had no control over the kids, unprepared, but somehow managed to push on, and now in some ways I believe this experience helped shape the way I teach now, being thrown in the deep end really opens your eyes sometimes.

Anyway after a few differences with another instructor I decided to leave that particular club and went to a shotokan club back to just training for me. After gaining my Shodan with them and feeling 10 times more prepared, with the blessing of my shotokan sensei I started teaching my own class completely my own choice, and I'm glad I done it again and didn't let my first experience put me off, now I'm a Sandan and have some great students, one of which has started teaching with me as an assistant and its nice to pass on my teaching experiences to him. I feel it has made me stronger as an instructor and in my own life.

[IcemanSK]

There must be something an instructor sees in a student that said student does not or cannot see for the instructor to trust that student to teach. Perhaps it is a question of confidence, but at this point I do not trust my own judgement or evaluation of skills.

A lot of teaching, regardless of what it is you're teaching, is personality. Some people can effectively communicate what they know and get people to listen and understand it far better than others. It's all in the delivery. On the flip side, some people learn far better from certain personality types than others.

Some people are far more patient than others. Some people can't handle it when you're telling someone exactly how something's done, yet the student doesn't "get it" or still can't do it. Some people have one way of thinking, and can't change the way they express the way it's done; others can see the same end result and come up with multiple ways of achieving it.

It comes down to personality IMO. You either have it or you don't. There's nothing wrong with you if you don't; and you're not a better person than the rest of us if you can. Everyone's got different strengths and weaknesses. The greatest teachers surely have their weaknesses too.

You can't teach a personality or learn a new one. Yes, you can go from being an ineffective teacher to a very one, but it's not easy. Then there's levels - not every elementary school teacher can teach high school or college, and vice-versa.

Not every great MAist can teach. Just like not every great soldier will make a great general, every great VP won't make a great CEO, and so on.

To illustrate your point I think of two athletes in different sports. Michael Jordan (basketball), and Freddie Roach (boxing). Jordan's accomplishments on the BB court go without saying. He was an amazing player. After he retired from playing, he tried tried his hand at coaching...but he was terrible at it and miserable doing it. He couldn't communicate his passion nor ability into his players, no matter how he tried. He gave up coaching because, as good as a player as he was, he couldn't coach.

Freddie Roach was a kid from an alcoholic & abusive home who's father wanted him to box. Roach was a tough-as-nails fighter, but not a world-beater by any means. There came a point in his career when he knew he had to quit the sport he loved. He then learned to coach boxing from the great Eddie Futch. Today, he's one of the most well-known and best boxing trainers on te planet.

Not all gret athletes can coach. And not all great coaches can play. I think of Bella Karolli (sp?) the gymnastics coach. He has never been able to do MOST of the amazing things he teaches his girls to do...and yet...he is one of the best.

[JR 137]

To expand on IcemanSK's post (if I may), the problem that Michael Jordan and so many others like him had was probably the mentality of "how can you NOT see this" or "how can you NOT do this?" Because it comes so naturally to them, they have a very tough time explaining it. The person who's struggled with it, and came up with a way for it to make sense to him/her has a far easier time relating, I think. Of course there's exceptions - Larry Bird is no slouch in coaching, but they're truly few and far between. To be honest, I can't think of any hall of fame player in any sport who had a successful head coaching career. Some have had good assistant coach careers, however.

[Spartacus Maximus]

Explaining how to do a technique, how to use it and how it works always sounds easier than actually doing it. When my instructor explains things to me I understand what he is telling me but when it comes to doing what he says, I find that I get less and less certain of whether or not I am doing it correctly.

I do seem to get some techniques right some of the time because he will comment on them, but I cannot do it consistently or consciously. Being unsure of my technical skill level is the biggest problem I have with the idea of teaching anybody anything. I am not exceptionally good at explaining or teaching but I like to help however possible.

[Luther unleashed]

Everyone is different I think. I leave every class thinking I really could have done better. I personally believe this is what gives me the opportunity to be a great teacher. I'm not great now, I think I'm pretty good, but my point is if you think you have a ways to go then your open to learning, if you think Your greatest you probably won't soak much in.

As to the question above, I wanted to teach since I was17. At 37 an instructor pushed me hard once I shared this with him. He had me leading a full class at 4th rank in his tang soo do program, I had other experience however. I had an amazing teacher, and he taught how to teach incredibly. I actually think he was better at teaching how to teach then teaching how to do martial arts.

A good mentor is invaluable!

Personal drive and desire are essential in becoming a great teacher.

You may get to a point where you think you' know it all, stay humble and allow growth to take place, be humble!

Best advice I can give a fellow!

If you like something you are much more likely to be successful at it!