Just Got Permission to Teach

[Flying Crane]

At the same time, there is nothing wrong with wanting to make money from doing something you love. I mean, isn't that the very definition of a dream job?

This is true.

Something to think about, sometimes if you take something you love and try to turn it into your dream job, the frustrations of running a business can end up killing your love for what you are doing. Some things are best kept as a hobby that you love, rather than a business that you hate.

I'm not trying to discourage you, and it wasn't my intention to even discuss that issue, but since you brought it up I thought I would offer the contrast.

I guess what I was really trying to say in my previous post was, don't be afraid to take it slow and figure out if you really like it, even if that means you don't earn any money for a while. Either way it can be a great experience.

 

[JR 137]

As an ex-girlfriend who was once a student there said "Pai me more" was a common nickname for the school. Good to see there are several people from the local area. I'm personally in Clifton Park.

Pai's isnt Tae Kwon Do, it's Take-My-Dough. Master Yang's is even worse. But the apple doesn't fall far from the tree... Master Yang was allegedly one of Pai's top guys before he went solo.

Those two have really done a disservice to TKD in the area. My uncle, who was a TKD black belt in the 60s-70s in Beirut, Lebanon decided to get back into it about 15 years ago and went to Pai's. During sparring, he was repeatedly asked "Why are you throwing punches? They don't score points!" He said "I'm not here to score points." They didn't like him very much. He signed up for the black belt plan. After he passed his test, they wanted $200 for the belt. The contract's fine print stated everything but the belt itself was included in the price. He told them to keep the belt and never returned.

 

[wingchun100]

This is true.

Something to think about, sometimes if you take something you love and try to turn it into your dream job, the frustrations of running a business can end up killing your love for what you are doing. Some things are best kept as a hobby that you love, rather than a business that you hate.

I'm not trying to discourage you, and it wasn't my intention to even discuss that issue, but since you brought it up I thought I would offer the contrast.

I guess what I was really trying to say in my previous post was, don't be afraid to take it slow and figure out if you really like it, even if that means you don't earn any money for a while. Either way it can be a great experience.

I think it depends on what love you are turning into a job. I mean, I doubt Stephen King hates being paid to write. Then again, a martial arts school is different than being a full-time writer. After all, you don't need to rent a separate space to write: you can do that from your kitchen, bedroom, living room, bathroom, etc. Also, he doesn't have to worry about keeping many records; no need to worry if so-and-so paid their monthly tuition yet or anything like that. So while he may have the pressures of deadlines, he does NOT have many other pressures involved with a martial arts school or any other business.

 

[wingchun100]

Pai's isnt Tae Kwon Do, it's Take-My-Dough. Master Yang's is even worse. But the apple doesn't fall far from the tree... Master Yang was allegedly one of Pai's top guys before he went solo.

Those two have really done a disservice to TKD in the area. My uncle, who was a TKD black belt in the 60s-70s in Beirut, Lebanon decided to get back into it about 15 years ago and went to Pai's. During sparring, he was repeatedly asked "Why are you throwing punches? They don't score points!" He said "I'm not here to score points." They didn't like him very much. He signed up for the black belt plan. After he passed his test, they wanted $200 for the belt. The contract's fine print stated everything but the belt itself was included in the price. He told them to keep the belt and never returned.

I have heard that they made people sign contracts where you had to keep paying until you got your black belt, even if you lost interest and stopped going to class. I don't see how they could legally do that. However, I will say that when I could no longer afford to bring my son, they gave me no trouble when I stopped bringing him.

 

[WaterGal]

This is true.

Something to think about, sometimes if you take something you love and try to turn it into your dream job, the frustrations of running a business can end up killing your love for what you are doing. Some things are best kept as a hobby that you love, rather than a business that you hate.

I'm not trying to discourage you, and it wasn't my intention to even discuss that issue, but since you brought it up I thought I would offer the contrast.

I guess what I was really trying to say in my previous post was, don't be afraid to take it slow and figure out if you really like it, even if that means you don't earn any money for a while. Either way it can be a great experience.

Yeah, agreed. Running a school is like..... 5% doing the training you want to do, 35% teaching other people how to do basic things, and 60% handling billing, bookkeeping, sign-ups, attendance, follow-ups, retention, promoting yourself, maintaining your place & equipment, developing lesson plans, refining your program, and praying you don't go out of business.

It's easy to get burned out and lose sight of why you got started.

 

[JR 137]

I have heard that they made people sign contracts where you had to keep paying until you got your black belt, even if you lost interest and stopped going to class. I don't see how they could legally do that. However, I will say that when I could no longer afford to bring my son, they gave me no trouble when I stopped bringing him.

The black belt plan, according to my uncle was you pay one price until you pass your black belt test. Say it's $5k (I don't know how much, that's just a number), you pay the $5k and covers your tuition and testing fees. If it takes you 20 years or 20 months, you only pay $5k. You can pay it all at once, down payment and monthly tuition, etc. But, you pay $5k even if you leave. But if you leave and come back 20 years later (and paid the $5k already), you don't pay more. After you get your black belt, a new plan starts.

Sounds enticing for an adult who knows they'll stick to it. But it's easy to trap a parent. There are ways out of every contract though.

My uncle wasn't on the black belt plan initially. He promoted every 4-6 months. Once he signed up (at a prorated rate), he started promoting every 2-3 months. Why? They got their money and wanted a new contract. After he realized what was going on, he said F them and told them he wasn't ready to test for black belt for over a year after they initially asked him to test. After he passed, they wanted $200 for the belt (the test was included with his plan, but not the belt itself). He laughed and said keep the belt. He never went back.

 

[wingchun100]

The black belt plan, according to my uncle was you pay one price until you pass your black belt test. Say it's $5k (I don't know how much, that's just a number), you pay the $5k and covers your tuition and testing fees. If it takes you 20 years or 20 months, you only pay $5k. You can pay it all at once, down payment and monthly tuition, etc. But, you pay $5k even if you leave. But if you leave and come back 20 years later (and paid the $5k already), you don't pay more. After you get your black belt, a new plan starts.

Sounds enticing for an adult who knows they'll stick to it. But it's easy to trap a parent. There are ways out of every contract though.

My uncle wasn't on the black belt plan initially. He promoted every 4-6 months. Once he signed up (at a prorated rate), he started promoting every 2-3 months. Why? They got their money and wanted a new contract. After he realized what was going on, he said F them and told them he wasn't ready to test for black belt for over a year after they initially asked him to test. After he passed, they wanted $200 for the belt (the test was included with his plan, but not the belt itself). He laughed and said keep the belt. He never went back.

WTF? There is no way a belt can cost $200 unless it is made out of unicorn skin.

 

[Tames D]

WTF? There is no way a belt can cost $200 unless it is made out of unicorn skin.

It's called "profit"

 

[JR 137]

It's called "profit"

Beat me too it.

Actually there are some black belts that can cost over $100 after embroidery (retail). Shureido, Tokaido and Eosin Panther come to mind. They're hand made and are truly built to last.

This isn't what Pai and his boys are giving out though. $30 belts at best. Take-My-Dough.

 

[wingchun100]

It's called "profit"

It's called "ridiculous." Like J R said, they aren't even giving out the high-quality belts.

 

[wingchun100]

I had my first lesson with someone yesterday. I told the guy I am going to be teaching wing chun. Then I get there and he says, "I'm not into forms. They aren't useful in a fight." I tried telling him, "They teach you the proper structure of the techniques in a relaxed environment where you can really focus on them." He was still adamant about not wanting to do them, so I humored him and we played chi sao (he studied JKD so he knew how to...sort of). We also did some drills on focus mitts and a few self-defense applications.

He was also familiar with my former Sifu, who was accepted as a student under Ip Ching. This fellow busts out with, "That was a lie, you know. He is not Ip Ching's student." I am not really on good terms with Sifu Cichon anymore, but I would never discredit his qualifications. It struck me as disrespectful. Not for nothing, but why would Sifu Cichon put it out there for all the world to know that he is Ip Ching's student, when those who care to pursue it enough could find out it was a lie?

Anyway, on the one hand I know I am trying to run a "business" and should therefore not get "personal" about it, but then again I think a teacher should also have the right to refuse a student if they choose to. Imagine if someone comes to you and you know them to be the kind of person who gets into bar brawls on a regular basis. You wouldn't want to give them tools to be a DEADLIER bar brawler, right?

I think a working relationship has to WORK. If something about a student rubs you the wrong way, I think you have the right to not teach them anymore. Then again, if you turn away TOO many people, that could be a problem as well.

 

[wingchun100]

Had another guy contact me and kept asking about my lineage, how long I have studied, if I could give a number for a "reference," etc. I asked my Sifu if he would mind this guy contacting him. He said, "No, but your skills should speak for themselves." I said, "I agree, but a lot of people are obsessed with lineage."

Then this would-be student kept insisting that I send him training videos. I have none available, and I admitted as much. I had previously told him that the first lesson is complimentary, so he should just meet me for that free lesson. He said, "Okay but I really think you should get some videos up, so people can prove you are who you say you are."

I said, "I know no one knows me, and I don't know them. However, all we have to do is meet, and my skills will speak for themselves. Not knowing each other is another reason why I suggest having the lesson (which, for the moment, are one on one) in a public place."

He stopped replying. Oh well. It was starting to give me a bad vibe anyway.

 

[Paul_D]

Hey everyone,
Recently I was given permission by my Sifu to teach Wing Chun.

Forgive my ignorance, but I am curiois. Why do you need his permisison?

 

[wingchun100]

Forgive my ignorance, but I am curiois. Why do you need his permisison?

It is important to me personally, as it should be to any self-respecting martial artist, to get their teacher's permission before moving on and teaching students of their own. It is the teacher's way of showing that you know what you're doing, and you won't be doing a disservice to those who come to you for lessons. Can you imagine if, after one week of classes, everyone ran out of their martial arts class and started trying to teach others? That would be chaos. No, we need rules, and one rule is: out of respect to your teacher, you should not be trying to gather up students of your own unless you have been given permission.

 

[wingchun100]

I realize no one else is posting on this except me, so it is almost like I am turning this into a blog or something. Oh well...if the mods dislike that, I am sure they will lock the thread. LOL

Last night I went to this recreation center and asked if I could reserve a room to teach either as a one-shot demo to get myself some students. They said they don't do that. However, they currently do not have any kind of martial arts programs there, so they would consider HIRING me and having me teach it on a regular basis. I would have to come in and do a demonstration for the people who would hire me.

Sounds promising. In the meantime, I have been calling college campuses and libraries (the ones that are big enough to have activity rooms) to see if I could do a demo or ongoing thing there. The biggest victory would be if I could get on SUNY Albany's campus, since they have the largest student body in my area.

 

[marques]

"They teach you the proper structure of the techniques in a relaxed environment where you can really focus on them."

Just to highlight this sentence. This is important. People want everything fast, here and now (Krav Maga marketing?). Me too.

I would agree with your student but it is just by (de)formation martial (as your student?). I would replace forms by single techniques and a solid target (a person, at best)... And yet, I am always willing to jump to the sparring moment.

 

[Paul_D]

. It is the teacher's way of showing that you know what you're doing

Doesn't your grade do that?

 

[wingchun100]

Doesn't your grade do that?

There are no grades or belts in my school.

 

[Dong xiao hu]

There are no grades or belts in my school.

This is most often the case in TCMA. No belts no grades just hard work (Kung Fu).

Sent from my Z797C using Tapatalk

 

[wingchun100]

Heading out to a gym tonight that is only about 10 minutes from me to see if they have affordable rates.