Heya guys, here's a question. What do you think of Junior instructors taking classes on their own? I don't mean anyone under a certain age. I'm referring to instructors who themselves have been studying a Martial Art for under five or so years. The reason why I ask, is that I've noticed more and more around my area. To me, it seems a little early to start teaching- especially when there's no senior instructor available to aid them.
I think that it is okay given certain criteria. If the junior instructor is just covering for a few lessons (we all need a holiday) then no problem. Are they doing regular private lessons with the principal instructor so that they are getting checked, same again no problem. If the junior instructors are running their own classes I see no problem as long as the students are aware. If those same students are given access to the principal instructor through school visits or seminars then all should be okay. I think the problem arises when the junior instructor goes off on his own and his school is not policed by those above him/her.
I don't like it, because it means that I'm buying something shallow. A teacher without any depth in the subject has very little to teach.
It would depend on the knowledge of the junior instructor. Also the age and maturity. I'm hoping my little 16 year old will be working at the gym full time over the summer. As well as cleaning, admin etc I'm sure he'll be taking some of the privates as well as the warm ups etc in the normal sessions. We'll see though 'eh? Edit: thread reminded me to ask him again and it looks like it's on better tell the gym owner and figure out the logistics of the thing.
What Moi said. I know of a certain tai chi guy who's learned a ton more in I think six months than I've picked up in about two years. Granted he's not exactly a child, I'm just pointing out that some people can learn a fair bit despite not having spent years studying it. I feel it's one of those "depends on the individual" things yet again lol
Ah, ten years. Very good. At my kendo school you're not a teacher until 4th dan. It takes a minimum of six years to go from 1st dan to 4th dan. Minimum. Add the time from white belt to shodan and realistically you've been doing kendo for at least ten years before you're allowed to teach. It's quite reasonable to pay someone for instruction in XYZ (kendo or tai chi or karate or tkd or wing chun, for example) when he's been doing it for ten years, because it's quite reasonable to believe he knows XYZ. It is *not* reasonable to think someone who has been doing XYZ for six months or even two years knows it very well. Therefore, it is not reasonable to pay him for instruction. I would never take lessons from that six-month tai chi chuan person. I want someone who has been in it for ten years or more.
Not suggesting he's ready to teach or anything, was just illustrating the different rates people learn at. And for the record certainly wasn't suggesting I was ready to teach lol
I think you raise some fair points. Well said. (Although, if given the choice between senior and junior instructor, the senior would win my vote every time.)
Who is the better instructor though ? Some people can perform technique, spar, fight brilliantly but are absolutely rubish at instruction !!! Smurf
Have to remember that he's wasn't a twice a week student. He attended maybe 15 hours a week in lessons over several arts for pretty much most of that 10 years together with quite a vigourous home training routine. Let's see how he gets on anyway as I've sorted his summer job out thanks to the reminder this thread gave me. (that's going to look interesting on his CV when he's applying for jobs as a chemist)
I was a red belt taking a tkd class a few times when my instructor was unable to. I had probably been doing it for 5ish years at that point, and I think i took the class well. (lol ego?) However, I did have like 3 years karate and 3 years kung fu prior to that and I really knew the mechanics of what I was doing which i wanted to pass onto the class. However, I found that because what I wanted to show, just a little like "your punch works better if you keep your elbows in and rotate the fists here" really wasnt wanted by the class. They just wanted to do their grading work to get ready for grading, but not understand or actually be able to perform or use these skills. So maybe my experience and knowledge of even the simple things like how to improve someones punch was not wanted as much as the freedom to believe in the "im at training i wanna do my kata which means Im doing real training" mentality, even if they had no idea what they were doing
It sounds like your goals differ from that of your general classes. If all people want to do is get their black belt, i say give them one and let them walk out of the door. I would love to get my black belt, I just believe it should be a reward rather than a goal for the student.
