Respecting Younger Instructors

KarateMom · Yellow Belt

At the DoJo I study at we have an Instructor (he sometimes fills in for the regular Adult instructor) he is 17 and a Second Degree Black Belt. He mainly teaches the younger students. I prefer the adult instructor for the following reasons:

1. I am not a child and do not appreciate being treated like one.
2. I am not there to learn how to exercise ( 30 squats, situps, pushups, etc.) I am there to learn Karate!
3. I don't want to hear a fifteen minute story about his school day.
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Kyle-san · Brown Belt

I'm fine with any instructor if they know what they're talking about and can explain it in a way that I can understand. If they're younger or older than me, it doesn't matter, as long as they can teach.

I've had some experience teaching at a young age (when I was 12 I helped teach the white belts in my Karate class, 14 I was teaching white belts in my Taekwon Do class) and all I can say is that you have to be assertive. There will always be people that don't want to listen to what you have to say, but all you can do is stick with what you know and attempt to get the point accross.
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three60roundhouse · Pre-Black Belt

I don't know why I never really replied to this thread..I've been slacking off as far as the forums are concerned.

Anyway, for those of you who don't know, I'm 15, just like monkeygirl. I have been training in tae kwon do for four years now, and I am a high red belt (one and a half full belts from black). When I was a high green belt about 10 months ago or so, my instructor wanted me to come in and "assist" with the low-ranking kids class. This is probably because I am extremely dedicated in training, and I also am the oldest of 6 kids. I was coming out of being in the kids class at the time (now I train with the adults) and usually "kids class assistants" were junior black belts. To say the least, I felt out of place. We didn't need to take a teachign class or anything; we learned from gradual experience. I began by tying belts and keeping the lines straight only. I was there mosatly to observe class and keep everything in order. Than I began to be given a small group of white belts and a hand pad and work basic drills. Then I would take a small group of kids and instruct them moving forward up the mat with technique. Then I would take a kid who had just made rank and teach him a move or two he would need at that rank (flying side kick for white, back kick for orange, hammerfist at yellow, etc.) Then I was given the smallest classes to conduct a warm up. Now I occasionally will run a class under the supervision of a full instructor. I am also oftten in charge of attendance checks and things like that; I know the name of every kid (except some of the brand spanking new white belts) in the entire school, that is around 400. Everyone knows me. A few days a week I get off the school bus in the town of my dojang, walk to the dojang with my school bag and a gear bag, and stay from 3:30-8 or 9. Then i will go home and do my homework, sleep, and get up in the morning to do my cardio at 5. I have to sacrifice almost all my free time and sleep in order to help young kids excel in the martial arts. For people who have never taught, you have no idea how proud it makes me to have a white belt who had a hard time learning a side kick to come in one day saying he got promoted and had to break a board with a side kick. Or having a small, young girl's mom tell me that I was looked up to by the few girls in the class. Or be called ma'am by a child who undoubtedly is uncontrollable in school. Am I the most qualified teacher? Probably not. Am I the hardest worker? Definitely. I have expanded my knowledge SO much by trying to teach, having to break down simple things like a front kick into steps and intricacies. I am growing as much as a martial artist as much as the white belt whose fresh new gi I tied on yesterday.

Sorry for my long-windedness.
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ckdstudent · Green Belt

I'm an Assistant Instructor (we only have assistants and full, nothing in between) and I started when I was eighteen. I've never had any trouble with disrespect, quite possibly because as soon as there is any shown it gets cracked down on not only by me, but the whole team.

Anyway, for younger instructors we do have a few, but not many. Assistant instructors have to be over 14, and have to be exceptional. They also have to certify and take part in a course, as well as first aid training. They are expected to make extra classes, train more in their own time, and be dedicated to the art.

Just because someone's young doesn't mean they can't be a good instructor, no matter how elitist the views of some people may be.
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aes · Green Belt

In the Dojo I go to there are some younger Black Belt assistant instructors, but the main ones are 3rd Degree and 8th Degree Shorin-Ryu Karate.

The younger ones I am guessing are running around 16 to 18 years old. I do not have any issues with taking instruction from younger instructors. If they are good teachers are not there to show off what they can do better than you etc, great.

The two younger ones I have mostly know their Karate and I like for the most part. I however get my best training from Shihan Dai (3rd Degree) and Kyoshi (8th Degree), but I would expect no less.

So, the key to me is the skill of the instructor. At this point it is all good learning for me.

Al
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G95champ · Black Belt

I may have a bit more insight on this. I am only 24. I began taching HS at the age of 22. I also coach football and teach karate. Students look at me as moore of their friend than their teacher at times. I feel like I don't get the respect of being called Mr. or Coach or Sensei at times like other would who are older. However remember that Respect is earned not give and it will come with age. If you know your stuff and treat people right they will return the favor.
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shotochem · Pre-Black Belt

In our dojo we dont do the asst. instructor or leadership thing. We just have our senseis. a couple of 3rd dans fill in every now and then. I do not see a problem with a young BB assisting or leading a CHILDRENS class. I look at it this way, I learn more form an adult instructor in reguards to body mechanics, power and technique. I would find it difficult for a child to teach me a full-sized adult any form of self defense. Children are still growing and more flexible and in general have no concept of how the full grown body moves and feels like. Sad to say it is also a little rough on us older folks to take orders from someone as old as our kids.
And no offense intended to all you young MA out there, I pay a lot of my hard earned money to train and I should get to pick the type of instructor I feel most comfortable with and learn the most from.

I know... Im a meanie...

But I thought you might want an adult perspective.

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monkeygirl · KF VIP

I can understand this perspective...however, a "child" can teach a lot about self-defense in the idea that "This technique DOES work...watch 98 lbs. little me throw this 300 lbs. guy".
Once they have figured out how to execute the technique, people can often be skeptical as to whether or not it will really work.

When I teach self-defense, I teach it not only from a small person's perspective, but from a woman's perspective. If things need to be adjusted to fit some people's flexibility or other difficulties, we find ways.

If they can go about it in an intelligent way, "children" can be some of the best teachers for self-defense, especially because we're the ones who will get "picked on" in the dojo. (Bigger people come up and toss us, etc...all in good fun

)

My main problem with some of the posts in here is that people are assuming that "children" (or younger instructors) act in one way or another. I'm just saying: sometimes the ADULT instructors are more childish than the children themselves! Just like not every adult blackbelt is suited to teaching, not every child/teenager should be ruled out of teaching. Perhaps you all just have some bad experiences with some really rotten kids

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Bon · Black Belt

I cannot disagree more strongly with some of the points made here.

Age comes into play when teaching ? You have got to be kidding! Age is merely a number. I started school when I was 4, so most people in my grade a year older than me. We have about 15 people in our grade who study some first year University mathematics, me included. Using the logic behind some of the points that have been made, that would mean:

I am too young to teach my fellow students.
I'm not 'qualified' enough to teach someone taking first year University mathematics, despite the fact I know it.
I have to be a professor before I can teach something as simple as calculus.

Don't you think that's a little absurd ? Teachers go to University, study Mathematics for 3 years, maybe 4 if they do honours. They get a job as teaching, they forget EVERYTHING, except for what they have to teach. There are teachers in the mathematics department who don't know first year University math because they haven't taught it at school! Does that mean I can't get help from them with high school mathematics because I am on a 'higher' level than them since I know first year University math ?

You know the ironic thing ? We have a University student come to school for a couple of weeks and he was more help to me and my friend in making a 3D game than any of the teachers in the math department, the teachers were of no help at all.

My sister is 15 years old, she is incredibly intelligent and attends a selective school. As a result, they teach them far more advanced stuff than what they should be learning to keep them interested I assume - she knows harder and more advanced mathematics than me and the people in my math class. Should I not ask her for help when I need it because she's only 15 and she's only in grade 10 ? That would be ridiculous, she is far smarter than I and many other people ever will be which is why I ask her for help. Her age has nothing to do with her ability to understand things or explain things.

When you understand something, you can teach it. If you can't teach it to someone, you don't understand it.. Age and years of exeperience, do not in any way reflect someone's understanding on a certain thing.

You, traditionalists, are so wrapped up in the traditional way of doing things, you are interfering with your own learning. Does it matter who learn something off ? Where you learn something ? Or, how you learn something ? I think you need to leave your egos at the door, because they're hindering your learning. Belts don't mean jack all in this day and age.
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shotochem · Pre-Black Belt

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monkeygirl
Posted: Thu 10 Oct, 2002 Post subject:

I can understand this perspective...however, a "child" can teach a lot about self-defense
in the idea that "This technique DOES work...watch 98 lbs. little me throw this 300lb guy".

Please understand you ma be good but against a 300lb man who is not willing you will not be able to execute. I have a lot of trouble with techniques on my friend "goliath". He is 6ft 5 280lbs.

Im small and powerfully built it would take me perfect execution and a little softening up to be able to apply SD techniques on him if he resisted. There are odd exceptions but in general that is the case. If hes that big hit then run like hell, the odds are not in our favor.

Most of our kids are very respectful and quite skilled. Many with better technique, speed and skill than me. In point sparring they beat me frequently. All I would have to do is land full contact or grab them and it would be over. That is a fact it is not meant to be demeaning it is purely physics and biology. When the youngsters get older it will be a different story, that kind of skill with a strong full grown body they will be downright scary. I state this to make everyone aware that even though we practice MA it does not make us invulnerable. Let us not underestimate our opponents or overestimate our own abilities. It would be a shame to have anyone get hurt because of this.
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