Why seminar avoidance

[stickarts]

While I see a great deal of students attending seminars, there also have been a large number I notice that never attend or even seem interested!
As a seminar promoter as well as school owner, I like understanding what I can do to motivate people to participate and learn.

If you are a student that doesn't like seminars: why not? The extra cost? Do you feel its not beneficial? why not? Do you feel nervous about attending?

If you are a promoter or even if you just have your own ideas, what do you think?

How do you motivate as many students in your own school as possible to attend seminars that you know will be beneficial to them?
We do ok with seminar attendance from within the school, but I want to do better!
I already have a number of approaches that I take but maybe there is more that i can do.

Thoughts? What are the reasons students will choose not to attend or even consider it and how do you overcome it?

 

[Tarot]

I looovveee going to seminars if I can. It's a great learning experience because you get to interact with other people you don't normally train with. Plus you get to learn from a different instructor which I think can only help one grow as a MAist. Learning from someone else gives you the chance to try new things and challenge yourself.

One of the things we do for sems is give discounts for early registration. This way if people are concerned about the cost, it gives them a chance to knock some of the price down.

For some of the bigger sems, along with early registration, some instructors also include things like sticks and/or camp tee-shirts.

 

[Drac]

I looovveee going to seminars if I can. It's a great learning experience because you get to interact with other people you don't normally train with. Plus you get to learn from a different instructor which I think can only help one grow as a MAist. Learning from someone else gives you the chance to try new things and challenge yourself.

Bravo Tarot , well said..With my schedule its difficult to attend regular classes, the weekend seminar are a real blessing..Plus I've made friends with MA and LEO's across the State and Country...

 

[Shaderon]

Quite a few of the students from our Dojang don't go to seminars, the ones that do go are usually the same ones every time. One or two of the younger ones (teens and early twenties) seem to have more social things they want to do and some of the teens have exams at this time of year, work interferes and then there's the ones that prefer to, or are pressured to spend more time with their families.

We find that any medal winners who go and show off any competition medals and get congratulated at the next lesson are a good promotion, and the instructor's enthusiasm about what good it will go the students... also the odd "those who went got a lot from the seminar" type statements help too. Not only that but if you can fire up a few students to tell everyone else about what a good time they had and how they benefited with enthusiasm, that helps also.

It wouldn't harm to offer an incentive, like having a photo board up in the training hall of the students at the seminar and maybe a public congratulations, like names on a class board with dates and maybe a class certificate signed by the instructor.

Once those too lazy to go see that the attendees get attention, they should want in on it.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Well I personally love seminars and host and attend as many as I can. However I have noticed through the years that some people are just not interested. Sometimes it is due to a busy family life on the weekends or it might just be that they are content with training as they are currently doing it. One thing is for sure is to have incentives as that seems to really help. People who attend seminars in almost every field become more diverse and are able to adapt quicker and their skills grow immensely so I do encourage it quite a bit.

 

[stone_dragone]

It seems as if the choir is giving all the "Amen"s. I love going to seminars when I get the chance, but that's the catch...usually my Army schedule gets in the way of my attendance, either directly or indirectly.

After returning from Iraq this last time, there was a seminar from a teacher that I have wanted to study with for about a decade 45 minutes from where I lived...the catch, it was my son's 2nd birthday. Result, I spent the time with my son and am looking for the next one.

 

[searcher]

As an instructor I love he chance to get out and go to a seminar. The problem is that finding the time to go. It always seem like there is something that is going on or coming up. I have enough trouble making it to the annual training camp, let alone the weekend seminars.

I will admit, I always walk away from a seminar with new material and I am alway refreshed and ready to work harder. Even if the seminar is poor, you can learn something.

 

[Kacey]

Time, money, motivation... once a student has been to a good seminar, they are much more likely to go to the next one. It's getting a student to that first seminar that is hardest, and if the first one is bad the student may never go again; if it's good, the student will go to every seminar they can reach.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Time, money, motivation... once a student has been to a good seminar, they are much more likely to go to the next one. It's getting a student to that first seminar that is hardest, and if the first one is bad the student may never go again; if it's good, the student will go to every seminar they can reach.

Excellent point Kacey! The first seminar definately needs to be a good one.

 

[Gordon Nore]

I was pretty overwhelmed at the first seminar I attended at my own club. The instructor was Oleg Taktarov -- this is back a few years -- and I was a yellow belt and pretty much out of my depth in a room full of ground-fighters. Fortunately, a couple of my buddies who were the same age and rank were able to show up, and we practised together.

I think beginning rank students and even those who train regularly but have many interests and obligations outside martial arts need encouragement to attend. I often tell people going to their first seminar to bring a partner, and if they feel overwhelmed by the material (because sometimes a lot of curriculum is pushed out at seminars), to pick one or two activities or techniques they're interested in and focus on that.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Excellent post Gordon. I can relate as my first seminar oh so long ago was with Remy Presas and we went right from easy to really advanced in a heart beat. Right after that was Dan Inosanto who started off slow and then went to light speed really quick. The advice about bringing a partner roughly your level is great.

 

[Marginal]

While I see a great deal of students attending seminars, there also have been a large number I notice that never attend or even seem interested!
As a seminar promoter as well as school owner, I like understanding what I can do to motivate people to participate and learn.

If you are a student that doesn't like seminars: why not? The extra cost? Do you feel its not beneficial? why not? Do you feel nervous about attending?

Usually I'll avoid seminars that I've already taken, and if they're removed enough from what I typically train, I consider the seminar's value somewhat lacking. Sure I'd learn a few interesting things, but I'd also forget a few interesting things since it'd never be reinforced in class.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Seminars are ok and I have gone to a few, but I have always felt that if the school I am going to is teaching the style well then why do I need to go to a seminar?

I don't go to any Yang style Seminars anymore, I get all the training I need from my Sifu also he has nothing to do with seminars.

I do still go to Chen seminars because that is the only way I can currently get to train with the person I want to train with.

I hopefully will go to a systema seminar for the same reason.

My first sifu had people coming for seminars and I went to them, but they were teaching things he didn't so I went.

 

[terryl965]

Although I enjoy seminars, I believe the biggest problem is not enough time for question over the techniques being shown. Also most places do not have enough instructor to guest ratio for the majority to fully understand what is going on and why they are being told this is better than that.

 

[stickarts]

Thank you for all of the great responses!
There were a few things mentioned that I could be doing a better job of.
Also, some great points about the importance of the first seminar experience being a good one, re-enforcing the techniques in classes afterward, bringing a partner, recognition to the attendees after the seminar, proper instructor to student ratio, etc...
Also about overwhelm.
I felt overwhelmed at my first modern arnis camp way back when. I remember having a headache after 10 hours of training! And that was just the first day of camp!
I am hardheaded and it just made me train all the harder but I can see where it would be too much all at once for many.
I really appreciate every persons responses.
Thank you so much.
Any more?
Don't be shy!

 

[Flying Crane]

I am not a big fan of seminars. Like Xue mentioned, if the seminar is in an art I already train, then I feel I get what I need from my instructor. The only thing a seminar gives, in that case, is the chance to view a different person's approach to the same art. After you've seen that a number of times, it get's harder to be impressed by it. Since my instructors are top notch, I don't feel I get much out of this kind of seminar.

If the seminar is in an art I don't train, then chances are good what is taught will not be well learned in the short time together. Without an extended chance to keep working with the instructor to better develop the lessons, it just gets dropped by the wayside, or at best, practiced poorly without followup instruction.

 

[Chizikunbo]

While I see a great deal of students attending seminars, there also have been a large number I notice that never attend or even seem interested!
As a seminar promoter as well as school owner, I like understanding what I can do to motivate people to participate and learn.

If you are a student that doesn't like seminars: why not? The extra cost? Do you feel its not beneficial? why not? Do you feel nervous about attending?

If you are a promoter or even if you just have your own ideas, what do you think?

How do you motivate as many students in your own school as possible to attend seminars that you know will be beneficial to them?
We do ok with seminar attendance from within the school, but I want to do better!
I already have a number of approaches that I take but maybe there is more that i can do.

Thoughts? What are the reasons students will choose not to attend or even consider it and how do you overcome it?

Hello,
I think this is due, in part, to several factors. Seminars seem to be benefit/risk ventures, for instance, some seminars are VERY ($$$) expensive, and by shelling out the cash you may come out with a very well presented, and run event, that gives you a new level of insight or understanding into or of the subject manner...whereas seminars that are not as expensive ($$) seem to send the "you get what you pay for vibe"...Personally I have done both...I have been to three day intensives that were $$$ where the seminar was beautifully presented and run, and well worth the money. I have also been to the same type of seminars and paid equal amounts of mula and not learned much of anything, and the presenters were haphazardly there, and well... (nothing nice to say). When I pay $$$ I AM expecting a good seminar, and am really disappointed when it does not happen.
I have also been to $$ seminars that were not good...(pay for what you get concept), and I have been to $$ seminars that were AWESOME! So there is really no way of judging what you are getting until you put the cash and time on the table. This results in large amounts of trepidation in would be seminar goers. I know that I once attended a seminar put on by a particular VERY senior GM, paid the $$$ and the whole time we just ran, and ran, and ran through techniques...I only recalled one or two things from the entire day...
In seminars presentation is EVERYTHING...in short it is better to climb one mountain 100 times than to climb 100 mountains...Instead of focusing on tons of small details that will not be retained due to the very nature of the seminar format, depending on the length of the program a few CONCEPTS need to be covered, big pictures that can be remembered and easily implemented into the practitioners training...Properly done it results in lots of repeat consumers, folks who know that by paying the money they will learn something good out of it...
In this regard, one bad experience may very well spoil the entire idea, especially to a noob ;-)
How do you motivate students and grow your regular seminars? Well you need to start small and present well...these things are mostly spread through word of mouth, if you do several seminars well your reputation, and that of your seminar will grow exponentially, however make one mistake and you may not have another shot.
You need to target a dedicated audience, not a fad (certification in a weekend) audience (because in general they are not the ones that will stick around or shell out more cash...they got what they want...the PAPER)...
In closing a general rule of thumb...its all about QUALITY...not quantity...I mean that on several levels...
take care,
--josh

 

[IWishToLearn]

I <3 seminars. Can't wait for the IKCA seminar August 4th. Be my 3rd one in a row.

 

[utb1528]

I have noticed a dramatic decrease in seminar attendance.

I blame the Michigan economy.

 

[stickarts]

Thanks!
This is great input and gives me some ideas to better communicate our seminars to everyone.
I have found seminars to be very beneficial to me but I agree that you always run the potential of attending a bad seminar if you don't know much about who you are going to see.
I have attended 150+ seminars in my career and only a few were very poor, but I usually already knew the one conducting it, hosting it, or I got referred to it from a respected source.
Thanks again! Anyone else been turned off to seminars or have never gone? Why or why not?