Humor while teaching

IcemanSK

El Conquistador nim!
MT Mentor
MTS Alumni
Joined
Nov 7, 2005
Messages
6,482
Reaction score
181
Location
Los Angeles, CA
When I teach, I try to inject humor whenever I can. I've done a joint lock & then told my uke, "No, you give me your wallet!" (Learned that from an old instructor).

What do you folks (or your instructors) say to lighten the mood?
 

stickarts

Senior Master
MT Mentor
MTS Alumni
Joined
Jul 6, 2003
Messages
3,902
Reaction score
59
Location
middletown, CT USA
We may introduce a new technique at lightning speed and say "ok, got it?" and walk away as if they have to do it now on their own. That gets a laugh but they know i would never really do that to them. Everything is broken down step by step.
 

MA-Caver

Sr. Grandmaster
MT Mentor
Joined
Aug 21, 2003
Messages
14,960
Reaction score
312
Location
Chattanooga, TN
Humor is an absolute must when teaching. How else are you going to keep students attention and to keep them enthused about what they're doing. Yes, training, learning, practicing MA is a very serious venture... but it's okay to yuck it up once in a while to break tension and to help students relax and feel more comfortable.
Nothing beats the power of humor. Can you imagine how droll this board would be if we didn't tease/poke/laugh at/with each other? I'd quit MT a long time ago.
 

TimoS

Master of Arts
Joined
May 25, 2003
Messages
1,607
Reaction score
71
Location
Helsinki, Finland
Heh, last weekend during a camp our sensei threatened to us that if we don't do the technique properly, he will pinch the girls' bottoms and then put the boys to do push-ups outside in the snow without clothes :D (and he just might have done that to us)
 

bushidomartialarts

Senior Master
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
2,668
Reaction score
47
Location
Hillsboro, Oregon
being a martial artist in a room full of martial artists, i'm often pleased at how frequently my students smile, grin or giggle at mention of grevious bodily harm.....
 
OP
IcemanSK

IcemanSK

El Conquistador nim!
MT Mentor
MTS Alumni
Joined
Nov 7, 2005
Messages
6,482
Reaction score
181
Location
Los Angeles, CA
bushidomartialarts said:
being a martial artist in a room full of martial artists, i'm often pleased at how frequently my students smile, grin or giggle at mention of grevious bodily harm.....

I agree. But what makes me especially proud is the rare student who has only slight smile, but a gleem in their eye when its mentioned. It warms my heart.:)
 

Latest Discussions

Top