Your thoughts on being a MA instructor

[Jenna]

My opinion is you shouldn't air family laundry on the internet. You should go apologize to your dad.

Could not agree more.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

My organization gives instructor certifications - If you are a certified instructor, you have the authority to open a school and submit individuals for promotion within the organization, regardless of your dan ranking. If you are not a certified instructor, you don't get to open one within the organization. When a certified instructor is present, they get first refusal on the chance to teach the class, even over higher dan-ranked individuals, unless our kwan jang nim has told the certified instructor otherwise.

When my former GM began his own kendo federation, that was how he did it. I earned my cert and began teaching in a different part of the county, renting space at a ballet studio. He had me begin teaching when I was second dan to cover for Choi Sensei while he was away. I served as an assistant instructor and began teaching on my own in 2009 and was a third dan in his organization at the time.

 

[KempoGuy06]

to answer the OP this time around.

im only an assistant instructor so my opinion and experience is limited

I enjoy it with the limited teaching i do. Helps me to really get the material down. the best part is when a student asks a question and im like "that is a good question! ill have to get back to you on that."

B

 

[Black Belt Jedi]

Ideally, I believe that 3rd dan is a good enough eligibility to open your own dojo. These days in North America, too many instructors open up their dojos at Shodan and Nidan, even I heard that individuals open their dojo when they are in kyu belt levels. That IMO, is getting way out of hand. Let's go back to traditional standards and get it right.

 

[lklawson]

Ideally, I believe that 3rd dan is a good enough eligibility to open your own dojo. These days in North America, too many instructors open up their dojos at Shodan and Nidan, even I heard that individuals open their dojo when they are in kyu belt levels. That IMO, is getting way out of hand. Let's go back to traditional standards and get it right.

Which tradition? The tradition that doesn't have dan rankings or kyu rankings at all and only has a certificate authorizing the bearer to teach (menkyo), and, menkyo kaiden certificate?

Or maybe one of the dozens of other systems outside of the Japanese method?

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[Chris Parker]

Which tradition? The tradition that doesn't have dan rankings or kyu rankings at all and only has a certificate authorizing the bearer to teach (menkyo), and, menkyo kaiden certificate?

Or maybe one of the dozens of other systems outside of the Japanese method?

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

Ah, dammit Kirk, got there before me... what you said! But to add to it....

Yeah, "tradition standards"? Even if we just keep to Japanese systems to keep it within the idea of Dan grades, Dan ranking has only existed for less than a century, with a large number of systems adopting it even later. If you really want to keep to traditional standards, well, the tradition is that you can teach when your instructor/system says you can. Whatever that is in your system. Trying to apply a single approach to all the arts just doesn't work.

 

[MJS]

3rd dan should be a high enough belt. Then again, as Steve said, it could depend on the art, org, etc.

 

[Dirty Dog]

My Dad is a 3rd Dan in Ju-Jitsu and is thinking of opening his own club up (the same style of Ju-Jitsu, just somewhere else to train) but in my eyes he isn't a high enough rank to be an instructor.
What are your opinions?

I suspect that you won't much like my opinion.
I think you lack the training and experience to have an informed opinion on who is, and who is not, qualified to teach.

For one thing, rank has little, if anything, to do with the ability to teach.

For another, he's your father. Pretty much all 15 year olds think their father is an idiot.

It's extremely difficult, and for many people impossible, to form an unbiased opinion of those closest to us. My wife, son and daughter are all students in our school, and this is exactly why I bend over backwards to avoid judging them. I have scored them on things like pre-tests, but I'm very upfront about the fact that I know I will judge them more stictly than I do others of their rank. In part, it's a reflex to avoid even the possibility of favoritism, and in part it's just having higher expectations of them simply because they happen to have constant access to an instructor.

Given your age and lack of training and experience, I think it's pretty much impossible for you to form an objective opinon about your fathers teaching abilities. Leave that to him and HIS instructors.

You also, as at least one other person has mentioned, might want to clear up the mutually exclusive statements you've made; specifically, that you're a white belt with no other experience and also that you've trained in more than one other system, always with 5th Dan (or higher) instructors.

 

[lklawson]

Ah, dammit Kirk, got there before me... what you said!

I don't get to do it often.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[frank raud]

I suspect that you won't much like my opinion.
I think you lack the training and experience to have an informed opinion on who is, and who is not, qualified to teach.

For one thing, rank has little, if anything, to do with the ability to teach.

For another, he's your father. Pretty much all 15 year olds think their father is an idiot.

It's extremely difficult, and for many people impossible, to form an unbiased opinion of those closest to us. My wife, son and daughter are all students in our school, and this is exactly why I bend over backwards to avoid judging them. I have scored them on things like pre-tests, but I'm very upfront about the fact that I know I will judge them more stictly than I do others of their rank. In part, it's a reflex to avoid even the possibility of favoritism, and in part it's just having higher expectations of them simply because they happen to have constant access to an instructor.

Given your age and lack of training and experience, I think it's pretty much impossible for you to form an objective opinon about your fathers teaching abilities. Leave that to him and HIS instructors.

You also, as at least one other person has mentioned, might want to clear up the mutually exclusive statements you've made; specifically, that you're a white belt with no other experience and also that you've trained in more than one other system, always with 5th Dan (or higher) instructors.

Him say what me think with better words. Mongo likes.

 

[chinto]

Sandan is more then high enough to be a Sensei. you can grade, at least in most arts, to one rank below your own once you are dan ranked.

 

[Black Belt Jedi]

Which tradition? The tradition that doesn't have dan rankings or kyu rankings at all and only has a certificate authorizing the bearer to teach (menkyo), and, menkyo kaiden certificate?

Or maybe one of the dozens of other systems outside of the Japanese method?

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

I think more of when the early years of dan/kyu ranking system was, when students showed their Sensei that they worked hard to earn their rank instead being handed out to them like a Christmas present. Today most dojos are like that, those are Senseis that are looking for financial gain instead of teaching students the principles and methods of realistic combat. I hear ridiculous stories of kids earning their black belts at the ages inbetween 7 and 13 years of age.

Although, a part of me actually feels that the dan/kyu ranking system is an abomination and should no longer exist, since it grew into a cancer in our community filled with egotistical and ignorant instructors and students that don't know that the importance of Martial Arts training is about building character instead of wearing a nice colourful belt around your waist and step on fellow Martial Artists thinking that wearing a black belt always mean that you are always better than the average white belt. Hearing stuff like that gets me angry.

 

[Black Belt Jedi]

I enjoy it with the limited teaching i do. Helps me to really get the material down. the best part is when a student asks a question and im like "that is a good question! ill have to get back to you on that."

You are lucky that you have a light load teaching classes because I don't. Since autumn 2010 I have been teaching all ages, if my Sensei wasn't here, I first thought it was temporary until my senior black belts would come back from their busy lives, but it never happen. I felt that the big role I was playing was a burden, but I never complained because I love to teach Karate. Then in August 2011 my Sensei gave me the Sempai title.

 

[Chris Parker]

I think more of when the early years of dan/kyu ranking system was, when students showed their Sensei that they worked hard to earn their rank instead being handed out to them like a Christmas present. Today most dojos are like that, those are Senseis that are looking for financial gain instead of teaching students the principles and methods of realistic combat. I hear ridiculous stories of kids earning their black belts at the ages inbetween 7 and 13 years of age.

I'd be interested to hear where you get your concept of the difference between "then and now" from... I get the feeling that you're suffering from a case of "the older it is, the better it was", when that really just wasn't the case. Youths with high ranking was found in older days as well, and the "early days" of Dan/Kyu ranking were the application of it as a new ranking system by Kano Jigoro, who looked at his students, and awarded them ranking based on his perception at the time. Dojo teaching for money isn't new either, same with there being schools that taught highly questionable material (while some others taught more "serious" stuff).

I could tell you stories of old, traditional teachers charging the equivalent of about ten grand to teach a technique, stories of 13 year old Menkyo Kaiden (full mastership), 12 year old founders of systems, and so on. Dan ranking or not didn't really have any effect on that.

Although, a part of me actually feels that the dan/kyu ranking system is an abomination and should no longer exist, since it grew into a cancer in our community filled with egotistical and ignorant instructors and students that don't know that the importance of Martial Arts training is about building character instead of wearing a nice colourful belt around your waist and step on fellow Martial Artists thinking that wearing a black belt always mean that you are always better than the average white belt. Hearing stuff like that gets me angry.

And Menkyo licencing didn't do that? Some Daimyo would reward their retainers for attaining ranking in multiple systems, so the idea of choosing "easy" systems, or even buying rank and certificates wasn't uncommon... some systems were known for giving licences to people who hadn't trained a day in the system, for a range of reasons (services to the Ryu, or the head of it, political favours, financial remuneration, and so on).

Dan ranking or not really isn't the cause of any of that.

 

[Rich Parsons]

I'd be interested to hear where you get your concept of the difference between "then and now" from... I get the feeling that you're suffering from a case of "the older it is, the better it was", when that really just wasn't the case. Youths with high ranking was found in older days as well, and the "early days" of Dan/Kyu ranking were the application of it as a new ranking system by Kano Jigoro, who looked at his students, and awarded them ranking based on his perception at the time. Dojo teaching for money isn't new either, same with there being schools that taught highly questionable material (while some others taught more "serious" stuff).

I could tell you stories of old, traditional teachers charging the equivalent of about ten grand to teach a technique, stories of 13 year old Menkyo Kaiden (full mastership), 12 year old founders of systems, and so on. Dan ranking or not didn't really have any effect on that.



And Menkyo licencing didn't do that? Some Daimyo would reward their retainers for attaining ranking in multiple systems, so the idea of choosing "easy" systems, or even buying rank and certificates wasn't uncommon... some systems were known for giving licences to people who hadn't trained a day in the system, for a range of reasons (services to the Ryu, or the head of it, political favours, financial remuneration, and so on).

Dan ranking or not really isn't the cause of any of that.

Chris your comment about the old ways makes me think about those that come in and want to train the old ways with me from time to time.
I always oblige them.

I hand them a stick and say ok. Here is how you Block. Got it? That quick. One demonstration. If they say no, I show again, but not thre times.
I then proceed to hit them. Usually after the second or third hit they drop the stick while running back and yelling STOP what aare you DOING?.

I reply, I am teaching you the old way. You will learn to block eventually or you will quit.

Many stay and train. Some get frustrated and leave. As I have a small club and teach for my enjoyment and to carry on the art(s) I teach, I am not worried about their money. Yet when they insist that they want it the old way and will not move on. I demonstrate why old ways are not always better.

Keep up the fight and best wishes

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

I think more of when the early years of dan/kyu ranking system was, when students showed their Sensei that they worked hard to earn their rank instead being handed out to them like a Christmas present. Today most dojos are like that, those are Senseis that are looking for financial gain instead of teaching students the principles and methods of realistic combat.

If they're getting money for it, I guess that 'handed out to them like a Christmas present' is the wrong description; I make no money when I hand out Christmas presents, though I generally have spent money. And how do you support saying that 'most dojos are like that'?

And as Chris pointed out, use of rank for financial gain is nothing new; the early days of the kyu/dan system also had their fair share of dubious business practices.

I hear ridiculous stories of kids earning their black belts at the ages in between 7 and 13 years of age.

Why is this ridiculous? Without qualification, the award of a black belt may be perfectly acceptable. A first dan does not represent a uniform standard across all arts. And that has been discussed at length here. In some arts, a first dan is simply an advanced beginner. In other arts it represents a highly proficient practitioner.

Although, a part of me actually feels that the dan/kyu ranking system is an abomination and should no longer exist, since it grew into a cancer in our community filled with egotistical and ignorant instructors and students that don't know that the importance of Martial Arts training is about building character instead of wearing a nice colourful belt around your waist and step on fellow Martial Artists thinking that wearing a black belt always mean that you are always better than the average white belt. Hearing stuff like that gets me angry.

If you get rid of the kyu/dan system, those same people will find some other excuse to think and behave as they do. It isn't the system that is the problem.

 

[KempoGuy06]

You are lucky that you have a light load teaching classes because I don't. Since autumn 2010 I have been teaching all ages, if my Sensei wasn't here, I first thought it was temporary until my senior black belts would come back from their busy lives, but it never happen. I felt that the big role I was playing was a burden, but I never complained because I love to teach Karate. Then in August 2011 my Sensei gave me the Sempai title.

my teaching is limited simply because my time in class is limited. if i was there more i would teach more

B