The unapprciated Instructor

[terryl965]

You know the one's they train people for nothing or very little. They do anything for there students. They believe in the true Tenets of TKD.

Why do so many people trea instructors bad like they are the whipping child of society. Students talk back, parents argue over every little thing. I remember my instructor had a jar at the back of the school and said paay what you can each and every month. All the students and parents made sure he made enough to support his school, house and family every single month. So many instructor now believe in the all mighty dollar and heard them in like cattle. What happen to what I and some hold so close, where did the art leave and the dollar came, will it ever go back to the way it was.

 

[Tez3]

You could have posted this on the General Martial arts section and found people nodding their heads in agreement there too. I find it actually costs me to teach rather than be paid to instruct. For most I think it is a labour of love but I think we will be pushed out by the people who have the slick ads and the fast mouths willing to take the money for doing very little.

 

[Manny]

I am one of these instructors, I teach not for the money but to help in my master dojang, my students pay monthly and for their examination (kup test) but I don't charge a thing for the lessons I teach.

Right now I teach because I like it not for bussiness, yes I would like to have a dojang and maybe earn some money to make a living of TKD bit at this moment is not possible, thanx god I have run a family bussiness and maybe I would not become rich but I can take care of my family.

My dream bussiness is a building where I can teach TKD (dojang) with a coffe shop (cafeteria) where the people can have a snack and soda or maybe a cofee or tea or why not a sushi rol.

Manny

 

[granfire]

You know the one's they train people for nothing or very little. They do anything for there students. They believe in the true Tenets of TKD.

Why do so many people trea instructors bad like they are the whipping child of society. Students talk back, parents argue over every little thing. I remember my instructor had a jar at the back of the school and said paay what you can each and every month. All the students and parents made sure he made enough to support his school, house and family every single month. So many instructor now believe in the all mighty dollar and heard them in like cattle. What happen to what I and some hold so close, where did the art leave and the dollar came, will it ever go back to the way it was.

Well, sadly, people do not value that which does not come with a $$ tag.

on top of that, if you let students talk back to you - or parents - you deserve it.

You are as instructor better off setting a price on your services. Never forget the time could be used otherwise, making money or kicking puppies....your life time, the minutes you spend being around people or doing what you have fun with (or not, depends I suppose) does not come with a price tag but is in the end the ONLY valuable thing we have. Once a minute passed you can't get it back



Aside from the poetic waxing, people in general have lost a lot of respect for one another and manners are deteriorating in an alarming rate.


You could have, to pick up on Tez's thought, posted that on pretty much any forum any type of instructor frequents. I think most would agree, the others who don't are the hard asses who have their students keel holed when they behave badly - or kicked out the bad ones a long time ago!

 

[StudentCarl]

I think the modern age and upbringing feed the idea that what is freely given is of less value, so perhaps they value it less. My parents were little during the Great Depression and WWII, which affected how I was brought up--to waste nothing, be thankful for anything, and courteous to any who help you on your path. In our world of plenty, I think there are fewer people who understand the value of gifts.

 

[Kong Soo Do]

If you see someone disparaging an instructor, based on where they teach/how many they teach/how many BB's they have etc, simply ask one question; what are they basing their conclusion(s) on? Have they seen the person teach? Have they talked to any of their students to find out their opinion of the value of what the instructor teaches?

I would rather teach those that truly want to be there and can't afford anything over those with cash to burn and treat training indifferently.

 

[Buka]

I have never seen anyone disrespect an instructor.....and live.

 

[jks9199]

I don't think I've ever been in the black, monetarily, since I took over the club. I may have been in the black for a brief stretch sometime after I became a black belt, but before I took over the class, as I began to teach more and wasn't paying dues. I just don't recall...

Just in the last year, I figure I'm "only" out about $1000 from a few things.

Actually, thinking about it, I have a lot of respect for some of the commercial TKD instructors out there, who not only pay their club fees -- but also teach several of the classes at the club "as part of their training."