Assist instructor requirement

[Headhunter]

Doing something and teaching it are two almost entirely different skill sets. While on paper it seems like teaching something gives you a deeper understanding of what you’re doing, realistically speaking I don’t think it does. There are many people who are very good at what they do yet don’t have a clue as to how to teach it effectively. And there are many who are very good teachers who can’t do what they can teach.

Not everyone can nor should teach. And no one should be forced to do so as a requirement. Some people should be urged to do so to help them realize their potential in that area.

I used to think teaching equals a learning a greater understanding of the subject matter. The more I’m around different things (including being an academic teacher and assistant MA instructor who lead some of my own classes, among general life experience), the more I realize teaching is far more about effective communication than anything else. Being a chief instructor or teaching higher level classes requires a higher level of understanding the material; but to assist another instructor? It really doesn’t take much understanding beyond how to communicate what’s going on and possibly demonstrate it.

A CI shouldn’t need to see a student teach to if they understand what they’re being taught. Watch them do it under different scenarios during class and ask questions to check their understanding.

I think teaching is an essential part of reaching higher dan ranks like 6th and above, as those ranks IMO are more about what you’ve contributed to the art and advancing the art than your own physical skill level is. But under that level, requiring teaching is a great idea on paper that IMO genuinely doesn’t mean much. Especially for someone who has no desire to teach nor should be teaching. And for the people who I say shouldn’t be teaching, it isn’t a shot at them at all. There are great people who just don’t have that skill set and won’t develop it no matter how hard someone pushes them. Teaching effectively is really more about a personality and mindset than anything else. I know plenty of great MAists that can easily help practically anyone understand how to do MA stuff in a brief one-on-one setting. Getting up in front of the class and running it effectively is an entirely different thing.

Agreed I see everyone saying how teaching makes you so much better...well I've never felt that at all from teaching...sounds like a way to get people to teach classes for them

 

[Tez3]

Agreed I see everyone saying how teaching makes you so much better...well I've never felt that at all from teaching...sounds like a way to get people to teach classes for them

I wouldn't agree that teaching makes you better, I'd say it can but it depends on quite a few things. I dislike that many places automatically make you an instructor ( or assistant) as soon as you get to brown and black belt.
I think helping to teach in class when you are a higher grade is normal but then don't we all try to help if we see a lower grading struggling with something or if we are we'll ask a higher grade for help?

As I said before I'd like to see coaching/instructor qualifying courses for those that want to instruct not just the black belt meaning you can teach, there's far more to it than knowing your techniques, there's thing like 'duty of care' first aid, child protection where applicable, things like understanding public liability, anti bullying ( not just applicable to children) etc.

This site is Sport England, it covers all sports including martial arts and boxing, their aim is to have professional coaches in all sports ( not professional as in being paid but as in being qualified)
Workforce | Sport England

This is from the same site explaining why we should have good coaches. UK Coaching - About Coaching

 

[Gweilo]

sounds like a way to get people to teach classes for the

I dont think every school is that way, sure there are some schools that will do that, but do you really think it is that common.
Imo teaching/ instructing gives you the same opportunity as full length mirrors in the gym, it gives you the opportunity to veiw structure, techniques in others, you get to recognise the common bad habits students pick up, which can help you eliminate them in future training and students, you can veiw movement at angles you would not normally see, we all know, that watching a sparring session or competition/fight, on the outside you see more, more mistakes, more opportunities.
But I do agree, you have to be the right type of person, to teach/instruct, but it is a quality that can ge taught, if you have the right teacher, and if there are schools out there that are awarding 1st Dans to those who dont deserve it, well imo that speaks volumes about the school and the teachers quality, and its a school I wouldnt want to attend, but I do understand awarding very low grades to below average students to boost confidence.

 

[dvcochran]

Mostly though, at least here in the UK, the word 'teacher' is used almost exclusively for those who teach in schools, I never hear it used in martial arts or any other sport where 'instructor' ( sometimes coach) is used as it is for those teaching in institutions such as the military, the police etc. I don't think one word denotes more expertise than the other, the words 'teach' and 'instruct' are synonymous. It's more the subject and sometimes the age of those they teach/instruct that will denote which word is used.

Teacher is the more traditional, older used term used to address someone in the Martial Arts. More a term of endearment. Just like titles continuously change in nearly all forms of business, using the term 'instructor' came along because people thought it sounded cooler. In some larger sects there likely came a need to categorize and a new term (instructor, asst. instructor, etc...)started being used.
Just like @Danny T 's way of thinking, I feel calling someone my teacher has a higher level of meaning and sentiment.

 

[dvcochran]

I've been in a few taekwondo clubs where one of the requirements to be a Black belt is to be an assistant instructor.
How common is it to have it as a requirement those days?
I understand that it might be to teach the student how to run a class, and to be more comfortable to instruct claases, but I don't see the point of having it as a requirement.
Any thoughts?

At first blush, I would tell you not to read too much into it. You will find that in nearly every class at some point people break up into groups to work on different things. Usually it is skills relative to their rank. Someone has to lead the sub-groups and some schools use the term assistant instructor to identify these people. There are many interchangeable terms you could use. Sometime over the years instructor and assistant instructor just sort of stuck in the Martial Arts world.
For the 'assistant instructor' it is a great tool for them to understand the material deeper. Also a good visual evaluation tool for the main instructor.
It is a very valid question and it being written into the curriculum can easily be perceived and/or intended the wrong way. Most often I see it written in an effort to motivate people. A goal to reach. Bluntly put, a marketing tool. In the bigger picture of understanding the material, instructing/working with others is an excellent comprehension tool.
If it is presented as a heavy requirement with a lot of ego involved, that would be a red flag.
If you never see the head instructor and only work with assistant instructor(s), that is a red flag.
If it is something that truly inhibits your ability to progress through the ranks, that is a red flag.

It should truly be different for each person.

 

[Deleted member 39746]

As far as i have seen its 1st dan minimum to be a true A/J instructor. But then they have usually let upper belts "teach" lower belts and the like. another org i have seen, has had more support intergergration into it, not really instructors though. But i think that would start at a lower belt.

 

[dvcochran]

Personally I think first Dan black should be purely based on skill level of your style. Later on sure move onto teaching but tbh making people teach to get rank....seems like a easy way for the instructor to get people to run his club without having to pay them

That is way overstating how 'they' are used. Nearly every class gets broken up into groups at some point. Someone takes these sub-groups through whatever they are working on. Assistant instructor is just a phrase that stuck. As long as said person is not getting hung up or the big head with doing this task, it is just an effective way to move class forward. There are also measurables that can be used on the assistant instructor.

Ive got a friend who's a very good martial artist in kenpo better than me imo but he's had a lot of mental health issues and has to be careful with his stress levels and anything he does has to be planned out in advance and he struggles if thinks don't go well.

He's someone who couldn't and shouldn't teach. I mean no disrespect saying that but because of his issues teaching wouldn't be a good thing for his health and it wouldn't be good for the students either. But he is very talented in his skill level. Why should he not be able to get a black belt when he's better than a hell of a lot of black belts just because his mental health means he can't teach

I read that as a potentially dangerous person who is learning skills that they cannot handle even under controlled adversity. This would be a huge red flag as the head of a school. Like it or not, this persons actions, good or bad, are a reflection on the school and head instructor/owner. Should this person be prohibited from advancing? No. It is all in how the environment and expression of the teaching is framed for Each person.
There are generalities in how instruction works for the majority of people but there will always be outliers that have to be handled differently. A typical example is the reality that there has to be a scalar approach to grading people based on age. You may teach a more physically demanding skill to a younger person with emphasis on their ability to do the skill higher/faster/stronger/etc... You will teach the same skill to an older, less agile person differently. They learn the same skill, but it may look very different. Is the latter wrong? No.
If the training in a program is progressive and repetitive (always is) asking a higher belt to assist a lower belt is just part of it. When we line up and do partner drills, we "assist" each other do the drill. Simple as that.

I find it unfair to the other students to force someone to teach. You are giving them sub-optimal training, in order to train someone who doesn't want to or isn't suited to teach long-term. It's different than training someone to teach who wants to, where everyone will benefit in the long run.

This is only true if the person is dead set against 'teaching'. I would imagine the whole class/school is framed wrong if this is a recurring theme. This is something the head instructor/teacher should easily recognize and factor out or work on with the person.
I imagine many of us have seen schools that use every kind of signatory tool to indicate progression. Stripe and stars on the belt and such. A Lot of schools award assistant instructor patches in the same vein. If this is done as an elective that a person can choose for themselves and does Not impede rank progression I have no problem with it.
IF a person is being over-leveraged when given this moniker then there are much bigger problems. If every assistant instructor is being used to open/close the school, run entire classes frequently, do office work, etc.... there is a BIG, BIG problem with how the title, and the person, is being used.
I feel this is very much the exception not the rule.

@Faith , you did not go into detail on your experience or situation. If you are new to a school and read this as a curriculum requirement, it is a fair question to ask the head instructor/owner. However, being new to all of it you still may not fully understand how the title is used until you spend some time in class. There have been many great explanations given in the thread. You should be able to measure how the title is being used after working out for a while.
Great post.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I've been in a few taekwondo clubs where one of the requirements to be a Black belt is to be an assistant instructor.
How common is it to have it as a requirement those days?
I understand that it might be to teach the student how to run a class, and to be more comfortable to instruct claases, but I don't see the point of having it as a requirement.
Any thoughts?

In the NGAA, and most of the mainline schools of NGA, that’s a requirement, because the first black belt rank is also the teaching certification.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

There is some teaching assistance requirement for my son's style. Its just a easy way to see that a student understands the techniques.

Its not running classes....its more helping the instructor in class. Stuff like taking the lower belts off to the side and teaching them their next kata, demonstrating techniques and combos for the class, or walking around helping correct mistakes in techniques during beginner classes.

In the beginner class after free sparring, my son will spar a round with each student while the instructo is giving them and the class tips.

I think that’s a reasonable and useful requirement.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I think a lot of you are putting more expectations into your post than assistant instructors actually have. At my school, the assistants will do simple things, such as making sure the little kids are lined up right, holding targets, or helping setup and break down for drills (i.e. putting out cones and such).

Those who want to teach get a chance to teach, but most assistants don't have that responsibility.

That is different than I was reading into it. That’s a good, easy requirement to fill.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

As far as i have seen its 1st dan minimum to be a true A/J instructor. But then they have usually let upper belts "teach" lower belts and the like. another org i have seen, has had more support intergergration into it, not really instructors though. But i think that would start at a lower belt.

A/J??

 

[dvcochran]

A/J??

Assistant & junior?

 

[Gerry Seymour]

As I said before I'd like to see coaching/instructor qualifying courses for those that want to instruct not just the black belt meaning you can teach, there's far more to it than knowing your techniques, there's thing like 'duty of care' first aid, child protection where applicable, things like understanding public liability, anti bullying ( not just applicable to children) etc.

Theoretically, my curriculum includes a separate instructor training path, including training lower ranks to lead study groups. Theoretically. I’ve never promoted anyone to a high enough level to get to any of that.

 

[Tez3]

Teacher is the more traditional, older used term used to address someone in the Martial Arts. More a term of endearment. Just like titles continuously change in nearly all forms of business, using the term 'instructor' came along because people thought it sounded cooler. In some larger sects there likely came a need to categorize and a new term (instructor, asst. instructor, etc...)started being used.
Just like @Danny T 's way of thinking, I feel calling someone my teacher has a higher level of meaning and sentiment.

it may be a regional/east or west/country thing, I've always addressed instructors as 'Sensei' which of course is neither teacher nor instructor, and we've always called them instructors to outsiders. If I said 'my teacher' to others they'd think 'school' not martial arts as teacher would be a much more academic title.
I'm not sure about calling different groups or styles 'sects' though. That is an emotive word lol

 

[isshinryuronin]

Doing something and teaching it are two almost entirely different skill sets. While on paper it seems like teaching something gives you a deeper understanding of what you’re doing, realistically speaking I don’t think it does. There are many people who are very good at what they do yet don’t have a clue as to how to teach it effectively. And there are many who are very good teachers who can’t do what they can teach.

Not everyone can nor should teach. And no one should be forced to do so as a requirement. Some people should be urged to do so to help them realize their potential in that area.

I used to think teaching equals a learning a greater understanding of the subject matter. The more I’m around different things (including being an academic teacher and assistant MA instructor who lead some of my own classes, among general life experience), the more I realize teaching is far more about effective communication than anything else. Being a chief instructor or teaching higher level classes requires a higher level of understanding the material; but to assist another instructor? It really doesn’t take much understanding beyond how to communicate what’s going on and possibly demonstrate it.

A CI shouldn’t need to see a student teach to if they understand what they’re being taught. Watch them do it under different scenarios during class and ask questions to check their understanding.

I think teaching is an essential part of reaching higher dan ranks like 6th and above, as those ranks IMO are more about what you’ve contributed to the art and advancing the art than your own physical skill level is. But under that level, requiring teaching is a great idea on paper that IMO genuinely doesn’t mean much. Especially for someone who has no desire to teach nor should be teaching. And for the people who I say shouldn’t be teaching, it isn’t a shot at them at all. There are great people who just don’t have that skill set and won’t develop it no matter how hard someone pushes them. Teaching effectively is really more about a personality and mindset than anything else. I know plenty of great MAists that can easily help practically anyone understand how to do MA stuff in a brief one-on-one setting. Getting up in front of the class and running it effectively is an entirely different thing.

I agree with just about everything you said. But we're not talking here about being a career instructor - just a short stint as an "assistant" (I wrote out the whole word this time.) Running a class requires a degree of situational control and command - useful skills for a martial artist. Along with all the other benefits mentioned in my previous post, I think it is a good overall experience. At the very least, it wouldn't hurt.

 

[oftheherd1]

Black belts are expected to be leaders. They should be respected by the other students of the school. This teaches them the responsibility to handle that level of respect.

That obviously works in your school or it wouldn't be a requirement. I just don't think technical knowledge equates to leadership ability without additional work. That work may be from outside the school, inside as a thing taught, or both. I don't think everyone's personality permits them to be leaders, even though some can be taught to be. Does your school deny promotion to black belt aspirants if a testable amount of leadership cannot be demonstrated?

I think a black belt should have a complete enough understanding of the system to teach. That doesn't mean that must teach, just that they COULD, if they wanted.

I agree; that kind of goes with the black belt, or at least should.

Sometimes teaching does give you a deeper understanding of your subject so it can be useful to teach as part of your training to black belt but it's going to depend on the student I think.

I agree that teaching can be a way for deeper understanding of a technique, if you will let it be. One of the great values of teaching.

 

[Tez3]

I just don't think technical knowledge equates to leadership ability without additional work

I think this may lead onto a discussion about what a black belt is . I don't think having a black belt should mean you are supposed to be a leader nor entitles you to instant respect. I also don't think it makes you a teacher/instructor.

I agree with just about everything you said. But we're not talking here about being a career instructor - just a short stint as an "assistant" (I wrote out the whole word this time.) Running a class requires a degree of situational control and command - useful skills for a martial artist. Along with all the other benefits mentioned in my previous post, I think it is a good overall experience. At the very least, it wouldn't hurt.

I think it could hurt, people mostly have to be taught how to teach, learning on the job when you are teaching isn't the best thing for anyone. 'Assistant' instructor should mean that you are supervised closely but often black belts are just thrown in expected to take the class without understanding that there's far more to teaching than just showing the class what to do and 'correcting' them. As I've said before martial arts seems to one of the only sports/activities that doesn't have properly trained and qualified teachers/instructors.

Also, if an assistant or just a black belt takes a class how is this covered on insurance is anything goes wrong? Where I am we have instructor's insurance.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Also, if an assistant or just a black belt takes a class how is this covered on insurance is anything goes wrong? Where I am we have instructor's insurance.

In the US, it's the school (normally) that has insurance, not the instructor. So an assistant leading class should still be covered. I've never asked about it, because I've never had a program with an assistant instructor to worry about it.

 

[Flying Crane]

As I said before I'd like to see coaching/instructor qualifying courses for those that want to instruct not just the black belt meaning you can teach, there's far more to it than knowing your techniques, there's thing like 'duty of care' first aid, child protection where applicable, things like understanding public liability, anti bullying ( not just applicable to children) etc.

This site is Sport England, it covers all sports including martial arts and boxing, their aim is to have professional coaches in all sports ( not professional as in being paid but as in being qualified)
Workforce | Sport England

This is from the same site explaining why we should have good coaches. UK Coaching - About Coaching

I am of a mixed mind about this. I agree that this kind of training can be beneficial, but I do not believe it is absolutely essential, at least not for everyone, not in every case.

Martial arts were historically, in many cases, a folk art that was taught from one generation to the next, from elders to juniors. This was done without the benefit of modern Western academic studies of coaching and physiology and kinesiology and teaching. Young students were taught by parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents, neighbors/village members, etc. I suspect they taught largely from the example of how they were taught by the previous generation.

Certainly some of them were better at it than others. Some people have a knack for teaching, without any formal teaching training.

Certainly some of them were worse at it than others.

But my point is, this stuff was successfully passed along for many generations, without the benefits of Western formal education on teaching and coaching and related fields of study.

It can certainly continue to do so.

I ask a question to the group at large, and particularly those who champion the pursuit of formal training in coaching and teaching: if you are a teacher, have you yourself taken a formal academic course of study in coaching/teaching/kinesiology/physiology, at a university level? If not a complete program, then have you done any such courses at all?

A second question: if your martial arts school includes a teacher training program for those interested in becoming an instructor, upon what is it based? Has the school owner/head instructor undertaken a formal university-level course of study in coaching/teaching etc., and is your program based on that? Is it required for an aspiring teacher to take such university courses, in addition to your school’s program?

It is often suggested in these forums that such a course of study should be done. So I ask: how many of you instructors have actually done so?

 

[Deleted member 39746]

Assistant & junior?

That is indeed what i meant, for clarity sake.