What makes a good teacher?

OP
Midnight-shadow

Midnight-shadow

3rd Black Belt
Joined
May 29, 2016
Messages
928
Reaction score
243
Let me ask you guys something about kids, for those who teach the young ones. I know every kid/person is different, but for the five, six, and seven year olds, how long is their typical class? And what do they seem to enjoy doing the most, what seems to really grab their attention?

Most of my younger students struggle to concentrate on structured objectives for longer than 20-25 minutes without getting bored. As for what they enjoy doing the most? Usually it's the activity they find easiest to accomplish.
 

Gerry Seymour

MT Moderator
Staff member
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2012
Messages
29,971
Reaction score
10,529
Location
Hendersonville, NC
Hehehe! True!


Ah and another thought, teachers are often idolised and held in an almost 'god-like' status, and often have alot of projected unrealistic expectations upon them from students. And alot of students get disappointed when they don't marry up to be this absolute pinnacle of knowledge, but instructors are people too and not perfect. So I think a great part of this is how the student frames and hold the instructor in their perception, realising that whilst they have a great deal to impart and to be open to their teachings, that they can't teach them everything. I reckon a good teacher will recognise that, and won't pretend to know more than they actually know. Goes with previous posts in this thread, that they're honest about what they know and don't know.

But a big part is how the student holds the teacher, and also how they click with them. Some 'good teachers' are great for some students, and others just do not suit some students, and therefore those students would probably suit better to move on to find an instructor that suits them. Like when I was teaching piano, some students from other teachers were transferred over to me from other teachers who the students just didn't 'click with', when they came to me it was a better fit and they loved the lessons and we're able to learn, and vice versa!

Which is why I'm excited to start looking around for a new style (which is very very soon once all is in order hehe), previously I didn't really feel I had a choice (when I did, but didn't realise it at the time), but now I can really test this out and see which teacher and dojo I really click with.
There is definitely a matter of matching students and teachers. I am pretty informal and loose. Someone who wants/needs a structured teaching style will not be as happy with me as someone who is inquisitive and excited.

As for the deification of teachers, I lay some of that on the teacher’s head. That goes back to the willingness to be wrong - and visibly so. Some teachers expect to be the arbiter if truth in their space, which contributes to the problem.
 

Gerry Seymour

MT Moderator
Staff member
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2012
Messages
29,971
Reaction score
10,529
Location
Hendersonville, NC
Let me ask you guys something about kids, for those who teach the young ones. I know every kid/person is different, but for the five, six, and seven year olds, how long is their typical class? And what do they seem to enjoy doing the most, what seems to really grab their attention?
The classes I taught for that age were 45-60 minutes (45 seemed a bit better, but that might be my reaction rather than the kids’). They liked anything game-ish. Making them run laps around the mats turned into a squealing, rambling race of cutting corners and a game to not be spotted by the instructor.
 

_Simon_

Senior Master
Joined
Jan 3, 2018
Messages
4,397
Reaction score
2,903
Location
Australia
Let me ask you guys something about kids, for those who teach the young ones. I know every kid/person is different, but for the five, six, and seven year olds, how long is their typical class? And what do they seem to enjoy doing the most, what seems to really grab their attention?

Our kid's classes run about an hour or a bit less. They range from about 5 year olds to about 10 year olds. And yeah depends, sometimes the kids are all great and really focused the whole time, then other times they say "it's my beeeeed tiiiiiiiime" XD.

Usually structured with starting with karate, basics etc, and we tend to alternate between that and games. Some are karate or language-based games like using directions in Japanese and the kids having to perform that action or move in that direction (Migi! Is run to the right, hidari= left, age=jump up in the air, oroshi= crouch quickly etc).

A game of poison ball is usually in the mix, but I find the kids love doing pad work too! Kicks, punches, can easily turn it into a game with two teams racing to do the techniques on the pad, running around padholder, hopping back on one foot or doing front kicks back etc. The kids doing as many punches as they can until 'yame' is called is fun, even very very supervised non-contact sparring they seem to enjoy too.

Kids versus seniors in doing exercises like star jumps the quickest, and the loser does pushups whilst all the kids count "ichi, ni, san, shi..."

Mixing it up is always good, but realising that they're kids and wanna have fun is important, so mixing discipline and fun is a good way to go.

There is definitely a matter of matching students and teachers. I am pretty informal and loose. Someone who wants/needs a structured teaching style will not be as happy with me as someone who is inquisitive and excited.

As for the deification of teachers, I lay some of that on the teacher’s head. That goes back to the willingness to be wrong - and visibly so. Some teachers expect to be the arbiter if truth in their space, which contributes to the problem.

True hehe, the teacher contributes to that for sure by their demeanour and intention
 

Balrog

Master of Arts
Joined
Feb 11, 2007
Messages
1,764
Reaction score
482
Location
Houston, TX
Let me ask you guys something about kids, for those who teach the young ones. I know every kid/person is different, but for the five, six, and seven year olds, how long is their typical class? And what do they seem to enjoy doing the most, what seems to really grab their attention?
At around age 6 is where you see the first real growth spurt in kids. It's more mental than physical. There's a sharp increase in vocabulary and comprehension, and you see the beginnings of logical thought: step A leads to step B leads to step C, etc. IMNSHO, this is the age to start teaching kids and it's where they are the most receptive. In my school, they do the regular classes, and as long as I keep them moving and training, they stay focused. If I don't, they will start to see squirrels running across the ceiling. But then, so will the adults - it just takes them longer. :D
 

Gerry Seymour

MT Moderator
Staff member
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2012
Messages
29,971
Reaction score
10,529
Location
Hendersonville, NC
At around age 6 is where you see the first real growth spurt in kids. It's more mental than physical. There's a sharp increase in vocabulary and comprehension, and you see the beginnings of logical thought: step A leads to step B leads to step C, etc. IMNSHO, this is the age to start teaching kids and it's where they are the most receptive. In my school, they do the regular classes, and as long as I keep them moving and training, they stay focused. If I don't, they will start to see squirrels running across the ceiling. But then, so will the adults - it just takes them longer. :D
Remind me, what art/style do you teach? I have a theory about what works with kids that young - I see more success when there's a focus on striking, where they can either be worked in tandem, or can work on higher repetitions. I'm wondering if that's just my experience (maybe there were better kids' teachers in the striking styles I saw).
 

Buka

Sr. Grandmaster
Staff member
MT Mentor
Joined
Jun 27, 2011
Messages
12,952
Reaction score
10,443
Location
Maui
I haven't taught a kids class in five or six years. Taught plenty in that time, just not to kids. Going to be teaching some kids at my buddy's place starting in the next few weeks.

How old do you figure these kids are? I have no idea.

KidsJoesCropped.jpeg
KidsJoes2cropped.jpeg
 

Gerry Seymour

MT Moderator
Staff member
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2012
Messages
29,971
Reaction score
10,529
Location
Hendersonville, NC
I haven't taught a kids class in five or six years. Taught plenty in that time, just not to kids. Going to be teaching some kids at my buddy's place starting in the next few weeks.

How old do you figure these kids are? I have no idea.

View attachment 21252 View attachment 21253
Somewhere between 4 and 10. I'm useless.
 

_Simon_

Senior Master
Joined
Jan 3, 2018
Messages
4,397
Reaction score
2,903
Location
Australia
I haven't taught a kids class in five or six years. Taught plenty in that time, just not to kids. Going to be teaching some kids at my buddy's place starting in the next few weeks.

How old do you figure these kids are? I have no idea.

View attachment 21252 View attachment 21253
I'd say between 8 and 13 they look! But ah I reckon you'll love it, just have to approach it a little differently than you would with adults :)
 

Balrog

Master of Arts
Joined
Feb 11, 2007
Messages
1,764
Reaction score
482
Location
Houston, TX
Remind me, what art/style do you teach? I have a theory about what works with kids that young - I see more success when there's a focus on striking, where they can either be worked in tandem, or can work on higher repetitions. I'm wondering if that's just my experience (maybe there were better kids' teachers in the striking styles I saw).
I teach Taekwondo. I've taught the Tigers (4-5) years and there just isn't the attention span or comprehension until around the 6th birthday. Mother Nature has this down pretty good.
 

Gerry Seymour

MT Moderator
Staff member
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2012
Messages
29,971
Reaction score
10,529
Location
Hendersonville, NC
I teach Taekwondo. I've taught the Tigers (4-5) years and there just isn't the attention span or comprehension until around the 6th birthday. Mother Nature has this down pretty good.
Thanks. Yeah, I've seen some instructors change their youth curriculum (for 6-10 years old, or so) and shift more to striking/blocking from a primarily standing grappling approach. This allows them to move more often and keep them more in sync, etc. Interestingly, the relative safety of working escapes from mount in BJJ seems to work well - it doesn't require the same slow start that learning to take a fall does, so kids get to move more.
 

Prostar

Green Belt
Joined
Jul 28, 2012
Messages
106
Reaction score
37
Location
Baltimore
I once stood in front of a class of 30 people, including a high school intermediate unit principal, two aerobic instructors and a ballet teacher. I told them that I cannot teach you martial arts. No one can. The best I can do is create an atmosphere conducive to learning, and lay the information down in front of you. It is then up to you to either pick it up and learn it...or don't. All the teachers in the class were nodding in the affirmative.

It is a two way street. An engaged student can make you look like a genius.
 

Anarax

Master Black Belt
Joined
Aug 16, 2017
Messages
1,022
Reaction score
377
Location
New Mexico
Humility
Experience
Knowledge
Skill
Understanding
Reliability
Adaptability
Articulation
 

Buka

Sr. Grandmaster
Staff member
MT Mentor
Joined
Jun 27, 2011
Messages
12,952
Reaction score
10,443
Location
Maui
Experience helps. Look at your students. Can they go anywhere, any time, and feel right at home as far as the Martial experience goes? Can they fight? Do they have the same respect and wonder for the Arts that you want them to have?

Can they survive? Can they deal, no matter what? Can they walk the walk?
 

Gerry Seymour

MT Moderator
Staff member
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2012
Messages
29,971
Reaction score
10,529
Location
Hendersonville, NC
Wasn't going for an acronym, but still better than all of these
The 20 Worst Acronyms
I knew he wasn't. But having spent too much time around trainers and speakers who love acronyms (and often butcher their topic to fit a cute one), I immediately looked for one. Now that I think of it, I like it better than some of the cutesy ones I've seen used on stage.
 

Latest Discussions

Top