Korean Traditions

[terryl965]

i was wondering if your school is a true trditional school or if you are doing your own thing. I mean doe you only speak Korean in the Dojang and hold up the tradintion of a typical Korean school.
Terry

 

[IcemanSK]

In my original school, my Korean instructor taught in both languages. He wanted to be as fluent in English as he could, so he often used English phrases that we used. (He'd say, "We train hard." we'd say, "We workout hard." etc.) I was one who wanted to know conversational Korean.

While he was hard on us Americans, he was brutal on a Korean high school age kid who was undisciplined. (He was that way by American standards, too. BTW.) Sa Bun Nim had a wooden stick that he'd "tap" us on on the back of the leg to get our stances right.

When I start my school in a few months, I want to keep as much tradition as I can. Since a lot of my students (& their parents) are Spanish speakers, I'm going to take Spanish at the local community college in February.

I do have a bit discipline question, however. Most of the kids know me already, but they know me by my 1st name. In the karate class & help teach, I'm Sensei Tom. GM Sell (who I'm chartering my school thru) is BIG on appropriately addressing instructors. Should I have them call me Mr. Jensen in class & Tom outside? Thoughts?

 

[jfarnsworth]

When my instructor had his falling out all of the korean speaking went out the door. Can't say that it hurt my feelings any. Writing the essay's were gone as well. With 5 kids and him strictly at the studio he probably didn't have time for that sort of stuff. I never asked and didn't really matter to me either. When he became an independent a lot of the korean traditions went out the door. We're americans in the middle of the country lifestyle in north central ohio :idunno: .

 

[jfarnsworth]

Should I have them call me Mr. Jensen in class & Tom outside? Thoughts?

That's what I would do if I were you. They need the distinction between the 2 places. Calling you by your first name is fine outside of the studio. Good luck on your upcoming studio.

 

[mantis]

i was wondering if your school is a true trditional school or if you are doing your own thing. I mean doe you only speak Korean in the Dojang and hold up the tradintion of a typical Korean school.
Terry

Sir
thank you for the post
could you please tell us non-korean martial arts practitioners about the proper korean traditions?
I have only met 2 koreans in my life, one of them asks me to bow to him since he's older than me, but other than that i have no clue what korean traditions are like
thanks