Asking Questions

[MJS]

Reading thru the various threads and posts on here, I often see questions being asked of the more Senior students of an art, and at times, the replies given are almost as if the person being asked took offense to the question. Now, in my opinion, I believe that the only stupid question is the one thats not asked. I believe that there is a right way and a wrong way to approach the question. If a technique is shown and the student turns around and states, "No, I'm sorry, but thats a lousy technique and will never work!" chances are, that is going to be deemed disrespectful. If the same student was to ask, either during or after the class, "I'm sorry, but I'm having some difficulty making this move work. Doing it the way I am, I feel that it would not be very effective. Am I doing something wrong?" would most likely get a different result....or would it?

Many times, I get the impression that students are 'trained' to never question the instructor, because this is the way that its done, or because Master X made this technique work 80 yrs ago, so it still must work today. The list can go on and on.

I realize that we have many traditional and non-traditional folks on this forum, and this can be a 'hot' topic, so I respectfully ask that we all do our best to keep the replies polite. :asian:

So, what are your thoughts? Do you feel its right or wrong to question those that are more senior to us?

Mike

 

[OnlyAnEgg]

Good topic!

I think it's important to be able to ask for clarification, to be sure. I don't have anywhere near the experience to question Sensei's choices in what or how he teaches; but, something like 'Why does this kata end with a block?' leads me to a better understanding of the art.

 

[TraditionalTKD]

It is not polite to interrupt the Instructor when he is teaching to dispute a point or a technique. Also, the student's experience should also be taken into consideration. It is one thing for a black belt with years of experience to question whether a technique would work, it is quite another for a blue belt with all of perhaps one year of training to question whether a technique would work.
If our GM or any of his Instructors are teaching something, he and they will usually allow time for questions done in a respectful manner. If a student questions the validity of a technique, and they are high enough to be taken seriously, what generally happens is our GM will demonstrate it on either them or some unlucky victim. This happened many times in the old days, although I think often because one black belt wanted to see another be the guinea pig. Free fighting usually settled those scores.

 

[Bigshadow]

In our art, if you question it, that is generally seen as an offer to volunteer to demonstrate with the instructor. This usually settles any questions about it's effectiveness.

Questions are part of the learning process. I believe it is OK to politely question something.

 

[Andrew Green]

Students should most definately question what they are taught and not simply accept things at face value.

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That might be a extreme example, but it hopefully makes the point. People too willing to believe in a technique will make the technique work in there own mind, unless they try it on a outsider.

One of the most important things a student can do is call ********, then test it. Maybe they are right, maybe not. Either way someone learns something, and that is what we are training for.

 

[TraditionalTKD]

Why did I know you were going to say that?

Keep in mind, there must be a balance between the Western tendency to question everything and the traditional martial art way of listening to your Instructor and accepting his teaching. There must be that respect. There simply cannot be a constructive relationship if a student is questioning everything I do. If a student insists on questioning everything I teach, I will politely recommend they train elsewhere.

 

[kingkong89]

i agree with you, there is a right way and a wrong way to qeustion a senior belt, but it is not always disrespectful sometimes you can just ask for clearification and there would be nothing wrong with that. if you qeustion the senior belt then do it politely

 

[Andrew Green]

There must be that respect. There simply cannot be a constructive relationship if a student is questioning everything I do.

Sure there can, it's all in how you, as the instructor, approach things. If you welcome questions and don't take offense to them, then they aren't offensive and can be quite productive

Training should not be about learning specific techniques and being able to do them. The "Why?" is the most important part, without the "Why" it is just choreography. And the "Why?" cannot be learnt without questioning things, lots of things, all the time

 

[OnlyAnEgg]

I dunno...I can see TradTKD's point. Constant questioning is disruptive. Some things, one should just learn. I should learn the kata, as taught, before I question. I should learn the kun and not question.

I don't think I'd get anywhere if I didn't question when necessesary and at an appropriate time.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Sure there can, it's all in how you, as the instructor, approach things. If you welcome questions and don't take offense to them, then they aren't offensive and can be quite productive

Training should not be about learning specific techniques and being able to do them. The "Why?" is the most important part, without the "Why" it is just choreography. And the "Why?" cannot be learnt without questioning things, lots of things, all the time

Andrew I have to agree. This is certainly the model that I enjoy training in and fielding questions from students always helps in my own growth as well. Plus even if you do not know or have an answer that is a good training point for everyone as well. Questions and and an honest open relationship between students and teacher's is definately going to create a great learning environment.

 

[charyuop]

It is all up to the Sensei. After few times I asked Sensei questions he told me he appreaciate I ask questions, but that shows him that I am just learning with my head. He would like for me to watch him carefully and train my body to do what he does so that I skip the brain processing part. If I really don't get it then it is ok to ask.

 

[chinto01]

Having come from a dojo that looked down at people who asked questions I can say that they were probably uncomfortable answering them because they did not know the answers themselves. Since leaving that environment some years ago I encourage students to ask questions. However if a student is having a really hard time and their question is taking up a lot of class time I will ask them to see me after class to finish our discussion.

In the spirit of bushido!

Rob

 

[Andrew Green]

so that I skip the brain processing part.

hmm... I think I tried that approach in High school... :lol:

 

[kidswarrior]

I think there is a huge difference between questioning an instructor/senior and asking a question of an instructor/senior. The former may imply a challenging tone, and result in a situation such as the above examples of the instructor demonstrating (with a vengeance? ) on some unlucky student. The latter seems to convey respect for the instructor and instruction, but a desire to come to a deeper understanding of what's being taught.

Challenging someone in their own school/class is, to me, rude and disrespectful. Respectfully asking questions at the appropriate time (different schools have different protocols)--even if the question may challenge the validity of a technique or concept--should always be allowed, and even encouraged, IMHO. The same principles would seem to me to apply on these boards, also. :asian:

 

[exile]

When I taught skiing way back in the 1970s, I had students who simply did what I told them and I had students who asked questions, often very good ones, about why they were doing a particular movement. And one thing I noticed is that students who asked the good questions tended to learn faster than those who simply took in what I said. If a student asked, why do you want me to get on the outside ski early in the turn, and I explained that it makes it easier for him/her to roll their knee inward onto the new inside edge and get the turn carving, then the student had some clue as to what it was that they were supposed to be feeling—they could work on the technique much more effectively because they had a sense of when they were getting it and when they weren't, and therefore had a target sensation to aim at. Students who simply did what they were told didn't really have a kinaesthetic target to go after, so their solo practice was less likely to be effective.

All that made a big impression on me as an instructor. I'm convinced that the key to success in a physical discipline is internalizing a set of physical sensation that correspond to correct execution of the technique; for example, in teaching a roundhouse kick, you want the student to have the sensation of being almost totally well-balanced on the support leg alone, so that the striking leg can move at virtually any speed and return to chamber with no change in the kicker's stability. To develop that sense, there are certain exercises that prove useful—standing on the balance leg before a heavy hanging bag and delivering at least two turning kicks in perfect form off a single chambering—and I try to explain to my students exactly what they should be feeling when they do this exercise. When I work on hyung performance with them, I try to get them to understand that the `down block' of even the early kicho forms is a series elbow and forearm strikes to a trapped opponent's head and neck, so that they won't see the hyungs simply as dances to be learned by rote; that way, they's execute the block the way it was intended to be applied. If they have questions, all the better—I want them to have those kinaesthetic targets to aim at, and if they ask why they're doing something, it shows that they still don't have a clear objective in front of them—which is something I can try to fix. So for me, asking questions is absolutely the right thing. My own instructor also loves to get questions, because it shows the student's mind is working and s/he's actively trying to master the material.

Sure, no argument: it has to be done politely and constructively... but that's true in any context where one person asks a question of another one, eh?

 

[MJS]

Good topic!

I think it's important to be able to ask for clarification, to be sure. I don't have anywhere near the experience to question Sensei's choices in what or how he teaches; but, something like 'Why does this kata end with a block?' leads me to a better understanding of the art.

Agreed. A question that goes unasked, is not helping the student. If I'm doing something, I want to know what its purpose is, not just to be told, "Because thats the way its done!"

Mike

 

[MJS]

It is not polite to interrupt the Instructor when he is teaching to dispute a point or a technique.

Usually, when I'd teach, after demonstrating something, I'd ask if there was any questions. I'd rather have a question at that time, than have the student attempt to do something they're unsure of.

Also, the student's experience should also be taken into consideration. It is one thing for a black belt with years of experience to question whether a technique would work, it is quite another for a blue belt with all of perhaps one year of training to question whether a technique would work.

Maybe I'm misreading, but are you saying that the blue belt student should just assume because one person can make it work with ease, that they're going to be able to as well?

If our GM or any of his Instructors are teaching something, he and they will usually allow time for questions done in a respectful manner. If a student questions the validity of a technique, and they are high enough to be taken seriously, what generally happens is our GM will demonstrate it on either them or some unlucky victim. This happened many times in the old days, although I think often because one black belt wanted to see another be the guinea pig. Free fighting usually settled those scores.

Yes, there have been many times, I'd demo a technique full speed first and then break things down. I've found that it helps to ease some of the doubt, if there is any doubt.

Mike

 

[MJS]

Why did I know you were going to say that?

Keep in mind, there must be a balance between the Western tendency to question everything and the traditional martial art way of listening to your Instructor and accepting his teaching. There must be that respect. There simply cannot be a constructive relationship if a student is questioning everything I do. If a student insists on questioning everything I teach, I will politely recommend they train elsewhere.

Doesn't this go against the grain of what I said in the OP? Just because Master X used this tech. 50 yrs ago, and because he can make it work, doesn't mean that student A is going to have the same success.

Mike

 

[MJS]

I think there is a huge difference between questioning an instructor/senior and asking a question of an instructor/senior. The former may imply a challenging tone, and result in a situation such as the above examples of the instructor demonstrating (with a vengeance? ) on some unlucky student. The latter seems to convey respect for the instructor and instruction, but a desire to come to a deeper understanding of what's being taught.

Challenging someone in their own school/class is, to me, rude and disrespectful. Respectfully asking questions at the appropriate time (different schools have different protocols)--even if the question may challenge the validity of a technique or concept--should always be allowed, and even encouraged, IMHO. The same principles would seem to me to apply on these boards, also. :asian:

Yes, exactly!! As I said in my OP, it all comes down to how the question is asked. Then again, it seems sometimes, that no matter how the question is present, even if its done in the most polite way possible, the student is almost 'conditioned' to not question anything, ever.

I've never had someone challenge me in a class, but I've had those questions. I'd usually have the person with the question come up and I'd do the defense on them. Not to beat them, not to belittle them, not to use them as an example of never asking me a question, but to help them understand what the move is. Sometimes its the feeling that helps the believing.

Mike

 

[Bigshadow]

Sure there can, it's all in how you, as the instructor, approach things. If you welcome questions and don't take offense to them, then they aren't offensive and can be quite productive

The flip side is too many or constant questioning just side tracks the class and it often dissolves into... well what about this? about that? what happens when aliens attack.?. It can get carried away. So questions can be productive, but they can certainly waste everyones' time.