Becoming a teacher in spite of myself...

[Flying Crane]

While I have occasionally thought about teaching the martial arts in a small, non-commercial way, I have always been too busy being a student to pursue the idea. I have done some "substitute" teaching in the past, specifically in my capoeira school when the head instructor was unavailable, but I have never branched out on my own to be a teacher in any of the arts that I have studied. In the last couple years I have had some people ask if I teach anywhere, and expressed an interest in studying with me, but the circumstances have never worked out to make it happen.

Lately, my sifu has been asking me to help teach in the Tai Chi class. There is a group of people who have been studying with him for a while in the Tai Chi hand sets, and he is now introducing them to the basics of the Tai Chi sword. A few years ago he taught myself and a few others a series of short "mini-forms", that are an intermediate step between basics and the full-length forms. I am the only one who continues to practice them, and the only one who still remembers them. For the past few weeks he has asked me to teach them to the group of newbies. It's been kind of fun, and the students have given me a very positive response to my teaching style. He has left for a few weeks to study with his teachers in Beijing, and he wants me to continue to work with them while he is away.

Last week, in a discussion with another student he referred to me as one of his "in-door" students. I've been with him for about 8 or 9 years now and I guess I have known this intuitively, but it has never been explicitly stated. It was a nice thing to hear, since all I usually hear from him is "needs more work".

I don't really have a point to all this. It's just not what I expected to do but I think it's good and wanted to share.

 

[Carol]

Wow, Michael, that is really cool!

Instead of you finding a teaching role, the role found you.

That is wonderful!

You have one of the most interesting MA backgrounds of anyone I've met, online or IRL. That is so cool :asian:

 

[Xue Sheng]

That is absolutely great to hear.

Thank you for posting this.


But wait, does this mean you are no longer interested in Teaching Xuefu!?!?!? :uhyeah:

 

[stickarts]

I think there are levels of martial arts that are difficult to reach without teaching experience.
Good for you! Many students will benefit from your knowledge and experience. You are in it for all the right reasons!

 

[crushing]

Michael, That sounds great, like a huge compliment.

 

[Bigshadow]

That is really cool! You will probably find as I have, that sort of turbo boosts your own learning process/curve. With encouragement from my instructors, I recently began leading a class to get more training time in. My intent was to go over the more basic stuff for our newer students, since we often are working at a higher level in class (closer to his level). In the process, I have learned quite a bit. I also enjoy sharing the information with those who have a good heart and are sincere with their training. :asian:

 

[still learning]

Hello, Part of learning the martial arts...is sharing knowledge...as you get more experience....teaching should become a part of your training!

Most schools that alot of us attends find the upper ranking students helping the Sensi/Instructors with there classes, especially helping the newer students.

I found teaching to be very rewarding in terms of sharing our knowledge with all the students. Helping others to become better......Aloha

 

[Bigshadow]

Hello, Part of learning the martial arts...is sharing knowledge...as you get more experience....teaching should become a part of your training!

I agree, I believe it is a natural progression in one's training.

 

[Kacey]

I agree with the previous posters - after one learns, one learns to teach. It is one thing to understand a technique well enough to be able to perform it; being able to teach that same technique is the next level. When I started TKD, I never thought that I would be teaching it, but I moved into it gradually, first leading warmups (everyone did that, starting around green belt), then teaching first night students (new students were given individual instruction nights 1-4, from a different student each night, to give different perspectives and explanations). Congrats! Teaching is, in my opinion, the best way to give back to an art that you enjoy and have benefited from; I can think of no better way to demonstrate to my sahbum how much I appreciate his instruction than to pass it on to others.

 

[pstarr]

My teacher always said, "If you really want to learn, TEACH!" You'll learn lots of things that you never even suspected were there....Congratulations!

 

[Fluffy]

Those who can do, those who understand teach.

Remember to have fun with it and don't take yourself to seriously.

 

[Bigshadow]

Remember to have fun with it and don't take yourself to seriously.

Very good advice!

 

[Makalakumu]

That's great news, Michael. I've found that teaching MA had completely changed my outlook on the martial arts. My dojang has been open for only five years and I've had several revolutions in my thinking. Especially when it comes to actually building skill in an art and using it.

 

[MA-Caver]

That's good news. You should feel honored that your teacher or someone sees you knowledgeable enough to want to have you to continue the tradition of passing learning and knowledge of your art(s) to the students.
While we're all (always) students no matter what or how much we learn, we will find ourselves obligated to teach the future what we know and learned from the past.
Kudos.

 

[terryl965]

That is great your sifu must have a ton of confidence in you.
Let us know how the progession goes over the next couple of months.
Terry

 

[Jade Tigress]

That's awesome. Congratulations. :asian:
It is certainly an honor and sounds like your destiny. Teaching has been chasing you!

 

[Flying Crane]

That is absolutely great to hear.

Thank you for posting this.


But wait, does this mean you are no longer interested in Teaching Xuefu!?!?!? :uhyeah:

But I am the Number Two Man in Xuefu! When the right student finds me, I will teach...

 

[Flying Crane]

Thank you everyone for you positive responses and words of encouragement.

I just returned from class this morning, and was able to spend probably close to an hour with the Tai Chi students working on the sword (after I spent about 3 hours working on my own stuff!). They are mostly middle-aged men and women who are primarily interested in Tai Chi as a form of exercise. None of them are particulary "gifted" as athletes, and I would say that several of them are actually "un-gifted" and in poor states of physical conditioning. This creates its own challenges, as I have to really break things down to the most basic level and work from that. They are all really nice people, and enthusiastic about learning and seem to really be enthusiastic about working with me in particular.

I work thru the movement and give them corrections and pointers, but also express that this stuff takes a lot of time and work to perfect so I don't want them to get discouraged and I don't expect them to get it perfect for a long time (I am still trying to get it perfect myself, and I make that openly known). I just tell them that I am trying to make them aware of the fine details, so that the ideas get lodged into their heads and they can gradually work on making those improvements. But without awareness of those details, they cannot work on them.

I repeat the movement a lot, and then try to get them to perform the movement without following me. I also explain the combat usefullness of the movement. Even tho they are really interested in the exercise portion, I think it helps to understand what the movement is used for, to know if they are doing it correctly. That way they can "see" the opponent in their imagination, and know that the movement they are doing makes sense and is done correctly.

I also encourage them to take some time at home (even if just a little time) and practice what they have learned. Without that home practice, and without thinking about it on their own, it is difficult to ever progress beyond a very basic level and I am trying to make sure they understand that.

anyway, it was a fun session and rewarding in its own way.

Some people here mentioned the notion of learning more thru the act of teaching. I have been aware of this for a long time and am in full agreement, but I definitely see this in action here. Even tho I am teaching things that I practice regularly, the act of breaking it down and explaining it definitely solidifies it in my own mind. Little details that may have slipped my memory come back when I give the explanations.

Thanks again, everyone.

 

[Xue Sheng]

But I am the Number Two Man in Xuefu! When the right student finds me, I will teach...

WHEW.....OK, I feel better now... for a moment there my plans for world domination seemed to be on the rocks.

Thank you everyone for you positive responses and words of encouragement.

I just returned from class this morning, and was able to spend probably close to an hour with the Tai Chi students working on the sword (after I spent about 3 hours working on my own stuff!). They are mostly middle-aged men and women who are primarily interested in Tai Chi as a form of exercise. None of them are particulary "gifted" as athletes, and I would say that several of them are actually "un-gifted" and in poor states of physical conditioning. This creates its own challenges, as I have to really break things down to the most basic level and work from that. They are all really nice people, and enthusiastic about learning and seem to really be enthusiastic about working with me in particular.

I work thru the movement and give them corrections and pointers, but also express that this stuff takes a lot of time and work to perfect so I don't want them to get discouraged and I don't expect them to get it perfect for a long time (I am still trying to get it perfect myself, and I make that openly known). I just tell them that I am trying to make them aware of the fine details, so that the ideas get lodged into their heads and they can gradually work on making those improvements. But without awareness of those details, they cannot work on them.

I repeat the movement a lot, and then try to get them to perform the movement without following me. I also explain the combat usefullness of the movement. Even tho they are really interested in the exercise portion, I think it helps to understand what the movement is used for, to know if they are doing it correctly. That way they can "see" the opponent in their imagination, and know that the movement they are doing makes sense and is done correctly.

I also encourage them to take some time at home (even if just a little time) and practice what they have learned. Without that home practice, and without thinking about it on their own, it is difficult to ever progress beyond a very basic level and I am trying to make sure they understand that.

anyway, it was a fun session and rewarding in its own way.

Some people here mentioned the notion of learning more thru the act of teaching. I have been aware of this for a long time and am in full agreement, but I definitely see this in action here. Even tho I am teaching things that I practice regularly, the act of breaking it down and explaining it definitely solidifies it in my own mind. Little details that may have slipped my memory come back when I give the explanations.

Thanks again, everyone.

Your students have a very good teacher. :asian: