The Qualities Necessary To Be A Martial Art Instructor???

[aurik]

One other thing that I haven't yet seen mentioned here is "flexibility". Not physical flexibility, but flexibility in teaching methods. Not every student will necessarily learn best from the same methods. Have more than one way to present the material, because different presentations will resonate with different students.

What is also helpful is the flexibility to present material differently for students at different stages in their MA journey. For example, one of our fundamental techniques is the wa-uke (aka watari-uke, aka circular block). As a novice student (white/yellow belt), the student is expected to demonstrate it as a simple funnel that begins straight down in front of them and then rotates through 270'ish degrees to the ending position. Somewhere around green/brown belt, the student learns that if you leave your arm loose through most of the movement and let the shoulder *snap* it into place, the block gets a LOT faster and more effective. Also, they learn that the fundamental wa-uke they perform in their beginner's kata can be abbreviated/modified to block different sections of the body. Finally at senior kyu/dan levels, the expectation is the student will start doing two-handed wa-ukes, where the off-hand will perform a small guide block while the blocking hand will perform the snapping circular block as before.

[Alan Armstrong]

One other thing that I haven't yet seen mentioned here is "flexibility". Not physical flexibility, but flexibility in teaching methods. Not every student will necessarily learn best from the same methods. Have more than one way to present the material, because different presentations will resonate with different students.

What is also helpful is the flexibility to present material differently for students at different stages in their MA journey. For example, one of our fundamental techniques is the wa-uke (aka watari-uke, aka circular block). As a novice student (white/yellow belt), the student is expected to demonstrate it as a simple funnel that begins straight down in front of them and then rotates through 270'ish degrees to the ending position. Somewhere around green/brown belt, the student learns that if you leave your arm loose through most of the movement and let the shoulder *snap* it into place, the block gets a LOT faster and more effective. Also, they learn that the fundamental wa-uke they perform in their beginner's kata can be abbreviated/modified to block different sections of the body. Finally at senior kyu/dan levels, the expectation is the student will start doing two-handed wa-ukes, where the off-hand will perform a small guide block while the blocking hand will perform the snapping circular block as before.

Yes aurik you are right. Also attacking or tackling a problem from different perspectives, directions or angles is admirable when teaching.

This could be also more noticeable when doing kicks in a kata for judges to see in a tournament as kicks are thrown differently when in a sparring competition aiming to score points.

A student having a teacher that can teach them the differences between the two will excel further than the one that teaches kicks the same way for both.

As the kick will be generic in nature if not adapted for the situation or event at hand.