New Head Instuctor

[Yoshie]

Hi, I have just gotten my brown belt and i'm going to be the head instructor along with some other guy of a old kids club. The problem is i'm 16 and worried that i don't have enough exp, I know that exp comes, but how did your guy's first teachings go?

 

Thankz

[CheekyMusician]

Well I've never taught martial arts, but I do teach guitar and recently started to teach a Bible class.

 

Teaching is definately difficult. What you do or say is going to have an effect on another person. You don't want to influence them negatively, but you'll find yourself being put on the spot sometimes and doing or saying things that you're not proud of.

 

Every individual or every group you teach is different. When certain people are missing from the group, or new people join, the whole group dynamics can change. It can be hard to keep on top of it all and stay sane.

 

My English teacher used to tell me that preparation prevents pathetic performance, but in a lot of ways I've found that preparation is my enemy when I'm teaching. When I prepare I tend to try to push things down a particular road all the time, because that's what my lesson plan says, when I should be being more flexible and going with the flow a bit more.

 

Its especially hard if you're young. I'm 18, and when I'm teaching guitar I teach young kids (usually about age . Its so much easier to get respect off them because of the age difference, and because kids are generally more happy-go-lucky and will go with the flow. Teenagers are definately a problem. They push the boundries, and resist discipline because they see you as a peer rather than a leader.

 

If you're not teaching teenagers, though, just young kids, then it is easier to structure lessons. Like I said before, preparation can bog you down, but generally young kids like to be led through a lesson, and wont try leading you off in one direction or another, so preparation would probably be a good thing in that situation. Remember, too: safety first! Parents don't want kids returning battered and bruised.

 

Also, kids are easily influenced. Make it your duty to set a good example. You really will be influencing them in a huge way. For some of these kids you may be their only "decent" role model excluding their teachers, so act accordingly. Don't swear in front of them (even if you're not talking to them directly, you don't want one of them to overhear foul language), don't advocate violence outside of training, don't be afraid to discipline any little tearaways, but don't go over the top. They are only kids after all, and parents would not approve of some teenager yelling or physically manhandling their kid.

 

Most of all let the kids have fun and let off steam. Let them learn, too, but don't overdo it or they'll get frustrated and bored. As for you: take the most out of this experience. Don't see it as a chore, but see it as a way for you to learn and have fun too.

 

Good luck!

[IAMA_chick]

you might be young and not expierenced but that comes with time. it is hard and will be hard for you to teach certain students certain things even if you have 10 yrs of teaching under your belt. you just can't get angry if someone doesn't understand you and you have to know that you are the boss. good luck!

[G95champ]

Only teach what you have faith in teaching as long as you know your stuff they will respect and listen to you. If you try and show stuff you can't do well or don't know how to explain then you will loose them. Have confidence and teach slow.

 

Remember a good teacher don't teach a lot of things he only teaches a few things right.

[Yoshie]

Ya, I was at the club i'm going to be teaching in from 9 to 14, so the kids know and respect me, plus i always used to help out. Thanks for the tips.

[monkeygirl]

Some people are natural teachers and will take to it immediately...so you can always hope for that

 

Keep in mind: you're a brown belt, and unless you somehow managed to attain your rank while remaining completely oblivious to what's going on in class, you'll know a little bit of how to teach simply from what you've seen in your own classes.

 

Also, you said you used to help out, so you have some experience in seeing things from a teacher's point of view.

 

Since you're teaching with another person, he can be like your safety net...if your mind goes blank or you get a hefty case of nerves in front of class, he can come in and save you.

 

Finally, just relax. If you concentrate on being a great teacher, you'll be uptight and impatient with the kids. Just concentrate on having fun, and creating excellent little martial artists out of these kids.

[battousai16]

i've found two things to be helpful for me:

 

1) as cheekymusician alluded too, i never use lesson plans. especially in sunday school. it might just be because i normally teach small children, but things almost never go according to plan.

 

2) my views may be different, as some people seem to be into the whole "hard core martial arts instruction" thing, but i've always found it easiest to be hard enough that they respect you, but easy enough that they're comfortable around you. there's a balance that i always try to have, and once you find it, it makes teaching a lot easier. of course, i haven't taught MA in quite awhile, i'm mostly going off of sunday school teaching, but i presume it carries over

[Mr. Hall]

As an instructor I find that my students teach me. Teaching is another part of training. Congratulations! Take advantage of the opportunity. Don't be afraid of giving what has been given to you.