At what belt..

[RedDragon]

At what belt do you feel that students should become involved in assisting in instructing a childrens class?

[IAMA_chick]

my instructor let me start helping when i was a green belt. i am good with kids and i am older though. i think that it depends on the age and maturity level of the student. i am the only colored belt that helps the kids now though.

[karatekid1975]

I also started helping out at green belt. But, like IAMA_chick said, I am an adult (I didn't start till I was 24). I also picked it (MA) up quick. So it depends on the person and their maturity. It also depends if they are good teachers. I knew a 12 year old that was fantastic at teaching, and an adult that really didn't care. So it depends.

[CloudDragon]

I have found that many schools use green belts and higher, but of course it depends on the person and the people they will be leading. I would consider a student if they were older than most of the other students and showed excellent form and ability. Belt color was only a minor consideration.

[G95champ]

Just depends on the student and their age. In a perfect world only Black's or maybe even Browns but if I have a student who is mid ranks but is a very good speaker and knows what they are doing I have no prob putting them in charge. However not to teach on their own just to work with certin people.

[monkeygirl]

I started helping at blue belt (5th kyu). I didn't do a lot of actual instructing (teaching on my own) until red belt (3rd kyu). A lot of people would say I was too young both in age and belt to teach on my own, but we were shorthanded on instructors at the time. Also, the class I was teaching was at 5 p.m., and all of the "grown-up instructors" were usually at work.

 

I don't think there's any one belt when someone magically becomes ready to teach. In fact, there are plenty of blackbelts who can't and shouldn't teach...not because they don't know their stuff, but simply because they aren't cut out for teaching anything to anyone. Teaching is a special skill, but it also takes a certain amount of natural ability and patience.

 

Like G said, in a perfect world only Black and maybe even Brown belts would teach, simply because they have the most experience with the materials. BUT, if you have a 200-student school, with 10 blackbelts and only 2 of them are instructor-worthy, those two instructors will be needing some serious help teaching classes.

[Mr. Hall]

Green belt (7th Gup)

[stl_karateka]

Well at my dojo in Rochester I was a rarity and started at yellow belt....mostly cause I overheard the head instructors talking about them desperately needing help -- the dojo was growing rather quickly. By this point I had about 3 years professional childcare training so I was allowed to help with the beginner kids class. Mostly getting them to line up straight and pay attention, and every once in a while I would work with an intro.

 

Most people didn't start helping until green -- and that is when I really got involved teaching. That's the way it is in ST Louis where I train too.....green belt volunteers, brown are expected...at least a few times, as it is a pre-requistite of black belt.

[ramymensa]

At green (6 kyu) we start helping around. I got involved more because I'm good at making others understand (I'm a teacher, though don't teach) and I tend to be attentive when it comes to all the details. The classes are taught exclusivelly by the BB instructor, but higher ranks are there to help.

[White Warlock]

So it depends on the person and their maturity. It also depends if they are good teachers.

Agreed. Of course, they have to have sufficient knowledge in whatever it is that they need to instruct on.