Retaining Laggers

pineapple · Black Belt

How much effort should be spent on attempting to retain students who are having difficulties grasping the techniques and feel like quitting?

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What works works

busling · Orange Belt

In the corporate world 20% of staff love their job and work really hard, managers want to keep these people. 60% of staff do their job effectively and enjoy their job sometimes, managers want to get these people into the top 20%. Last 20% of people are either terrible at their job or hate it, managers want to get rid of these people.

In a Martial Arts school, wouldn't the bottom 20% of people just go away by themselves?

The Saint · Green Belt

From a students perspective, how much homework should I do? Do I want to finish at the top, middle, or am I here because my parent drop me off at the door? You can offer an olive branch, but they have to be willing to accept it.
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"Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to go to his class." Choi, Hong Hi ITF Founder

Squawman · Orange Belt

Thats one of the oddest questions that I've seen here. It just sounds like your saying that if they just don't get it then I'm not going to try and teach them. As an instructor we have weekly meetings trying to make sure that nobody is left behind. One because yes they are paying our salary but also it's our job to show them that you have to keep trying even if it's hard. Think of yourself as a math teacher, if a kid doesn't get it are you going to just let them quit?

pineapple · Black Belt

Squawman, let me clarify my question. I will teach anyone who wants to learn no matter how their progress is going, but I'm asking how much effort do you make to convince them not to quit when they want to quit.
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What works works

ladyj · Yellow Belt

In my experience the students who truly want to quit just stop showing up without saying anything. However those that talk to me about quitting I encourage a great deal.....Due to the fact that usually they are struggling in some way. Be it a problem with another student, problem with a technique, a miscommunication, etc. We have an open door policy where a student can come in and ask any question or voice any complaint he/she feels is necessary and we attempt to remedy the situation to the satisfaction of all parties involved.

pineapple · Black Belt

Good answer, ladyj

Thanks!
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What works works

SloMo · Orange Belt

That's a tough question. If I have a student for any length of time and they want to quit I see that as a failure on my part and I try ( perhaps stoo hard ) to keep them.

Students get discouraged. When a student is lagging ( but still trying ) I look to see what I could be doing differently help that student progress.

I agree with ladyj that the ones who really want to quit generally just leave quietly. If a student is coming to class and working hard then I think that they do not want to quit and do everything I can to help them.
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TKD WTF/ITF 2nd Dan
"A Black Belt Is A White Belt That Never Quit"

cartoon22 · White Belt

Students come and go. It is very difficult to retain a student once they have decided that they want to quit.

As said before if they want to quit they will just stop turning up.

If they talk to you there is always a chance that they do not want to quit but they no long enjoy training.

Talk it through with them and see what they want from you and then you can tell them want you want from them during the class.

Everyone learns at different speed. I will always show someone somehing over and over again until they get what I am wanting them to learn.

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