Starting Your Own School

[7starmantis]

What do you guys think about starting your own school? When your Sifu, or instructor trains you to that level, do you stay and teach for him, if so for how long? I mena starting your own school could pull his students into yours or vice versa, what are your thoughts on this?


7sm

[ace]

At the moment i teach in side
My instructers school.

I would like to have 1 of my own someday.
If U are on the level, i don't see y U should
not be able to.

It would be tuff to leave the school
Kind of like moveing into your 1st
Apartment.

I don't think u have control as to weather
some of the students may follow.

Who knows.

This is a realy good Question.
Per hapes
Someone Who has done it can help us on this
Subject??????????????????????????????????????

[7starmantis]

Yeah, my issue is that the city I live in is pretty small and there is only one kung fu school there, my school. If I started another one it would deffinatly be drawing from his student base.

7sm

[ace]

It is a tuff dis.

Do u get pais to teach in his school??

[cdhall]

Originally posted by 7starmantis

What do you guys think about starting your own school? When your Sifu, or instructor trains you to that level, do you stay and teach for him, if so for how long? I mena starting your own school could pull his students into yours or vice versa, what are your thoughts on this?


7sm

I've seen and been told that you:
1. Open your school with your instructor's permission
2. You open at least 5 miles away


That is all I know. Your instructor probably has guidelines he wants you to follow. :confused:
:asian:

[7starmantis]

No I don't get paid now, we are working on getting me to do some other work for the school like technical stuff and just working there full time, but we'll see. I'm also not at Sifu level yet, I have a bit to go before I would feel comfortable testing for sifu.
But it is something I want to do pretty soon so I'm trying to figure it out, maybe I'll just work out a deal and teach at his school for him or something, I don't have a problem with that for now, but one day I want to have my own school.

7sm

[Damian Mavis]

If you are going to open your own school you should do it far away from your instructor or you're an ungrateful traitorous bastard....but that's just mine and every other instructors in the worlds opinion. HA!

Seriously, small city? Move to another city to open a club. The world doesnt need MORE instructors so uh.. unless your going to open a school in an area that NEEDS martial arts instructors why would you want to over saturate your area?

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

[tarabos]

to be realistic, you can open wherever and take whoever you want with you...as long as you don't care what terms you are on with your instructor. it's a pretty bad move though to get on your instructors bad side and try to compete with him, because he or she can really help you get the school promoted and keep you connected.

that's probably the least of one's worries though for opening a school. it's a heck of a lot harder than i think people realize. there are so many things that go into getting the business started and keeping it going. it takes a great amount of dedication and passion and sometimes a little good luck.

[7starmantis]

Yees that was my thoughts on it, just thought I would bring it up to see if there were any other opinions I hadn't heard yet. We would be opening in a gym, having one floor to us. I think my plan will be to teach for him for a while, then move at least a bit out of town before starting one.

thanks for your views though....

7sm

[Bod]

When your sifu makes you are a master you can start a school with his permission.

No problem.

One of my sifu's students asked if he could open a school.

Sifu replied, 'You are not good enough, but I can't stop you, just don't tell anyone you trained with me or I'll take serious issue with you.'

[Damian Mavis]

Teaching for him will also give you valuable experience for when you do open on your own. And when you said small city I envisioned really small. As long as you're far away enough to not step on his toes you should be fine, I would definately talk to him about it when the time comes though.

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

[7starmantis]

Originally posted by Damian Mavis

Teaching for him will also give you valuable experience for when you do open on your own. And when you said small city I envisioned really small. As long as you're far away enough to not step on his toes you should be fine, I would definately talk to him about it when the time comes though.

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

Yeah we have touched on it a bit, my city is about 90,000 people so pretty small compared to what I grew up in Houston and Dallas. I would be perfectly happy teaching for him, if I may dream a bit, we would become partners and run the school that way, but we'll see.


7sm

[Damian Mavis]

Just curious, are you the highest ranking student? Are there other Sifus that want to teach too?

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

[7starmantis]

If you determine rank by time at the school, no I'm not the highest ranking student. My sifu does not have any sifus under him as of now. One Jr. Sifu. There are a couple of advanced students that teach begining classes and such, but none with the "title" of sifu, yet.


7sm

[Damian Mavis]

No I determine rank by certification. So it sounds like you will be the first ceritified Sifu from him? That will be kool.

Time doesnt qualify seniority as far as I'm concerned because not all students have the same dedication and ability. Some students may have been training at a school a year longer than someone else but they frequently take a couple of months off here and there because of a lack of discipline/dedication whereas someone else who goes every day and never misses a class should go up in rank faster in my opinion.

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

[Nightingale]

open your own school at least 10-15 miles away from your instructor, so you're not competing. and don't let any of his students come train with you. that's just rude.

[ace]

U may have spent 5 or 6 years
With them it's there choice!

If your school is like a Family
Then That would be like
turning Your back on Your Brother or sister.

Your instructor made the desison at
one time to go on his own!

><><><

[GouRonin]

If you can get strippers from the local strip bar to join you're set.

Not that this ever crossed my mind or anything...

[Nightingale]

Originally posted by ace

U may have spent 5 or 6 years
With them it's there choice!

If your school is like a Family
Then That would be like
turning Your back on Your Brother or sister.

Your instructor made the desison at
one time to go on his own!

><><><

yes, your instructor made his decision to go on his own. and he earned his students. it isn't fair to him if you leave and take half his students with you, because that's half his paycheck! I'd say if they really want to come train with you, you need your instructor's permission.

[7starmantis]

Originally posted by nightingale8472

yes, your instructor made his decision to go on his own. and he earned his students. it isn't fair to him if you leave and take half his students with you, because that's half his paycheck! I'd say if they really want to come train with you, you need your instructor's permission.

My thoughts exactly, Ace said the school is like a family, well then my Sifu would be the father, and that would be wrong to take half his paycheck. I've got a little time to figure it out, but I'll most likely teach for him, then when the time comes move out of town to open mine. I've allways wanted to move to Seatlle anyway!! :D

7sm

[jeffkyle]

If i was training under my instructor and was teaching as well I would continue to do so IF we could BOTH benefit from the situation. I wouldn't necessarily have to get paid from him, but there are other ways of compensation as well. For one I shouldn't have to pay him to train if I am helping do his job for him. So if I could get my training for free, or a very good discount, then i would continue to train and teach at his studio. I don't see why the situation couldn't be a mutual advantage for the both of us. He would have a bit of spare time to do other things, and I would be teaching for him and still learning.
However, if it was that BIG of a passion that I continue to Teach and he and I couldn't agree on something, then I would and attempt to open my own place if possible, or at the very least teach a handful of people at my home or something of the sort.
With or without his permission (call me a rebel, or whatever else you want but if something can't be worked out, then my instructor and I probably aren't getting along anyway and can't agree).
I don't believe it is being ungrateful for the time and effort he HAS given me, but at those times I, being a good student, should have paid him back somehow if at all possible. So we should be even at that point.

If I did get a place opened and some of his students came to my place, I WOULD turn them away IF They owed him money. I would seriously Inquire WHY they left and make sure that is a decision they really wanted to make. After all HE probably has alot more knowledge than me. But if they REALLY wanted to stay, I would welcome them.
But there would be times, I am sure, where a student may not like my teaching and how I am running things (and i may not like somethings about him too) so I may send him to my old instructor, and they may hit it off nicely. Even though i may be in "competition" for the business, It can still be a situation that is beneficial to both parties.

I will step down now off of my :soapbox:

Have a great day!