Instructors

Following on from the June blog about grading I got to thinking about instructors. Some have impeccable credentials. Others maybe do not have the depth of background I personally feel someone needs when teaching something like martial arts. So, what gives them the right to teach you?

I wrote this in my PhD thesis which was about professionalism in martial arts coaching and teaching:
‘In the UK there is no controlling body for the whole of the martial arts, with thirty two different organisations being involved in the different disciplines. Significantly there are a considerable number of practitioners that do not belong to any particular organisation, so outside of any type of controlling mechanisms at all. It could be argued that there would be a differentiation of standards with so many bodies awarding qualifications or the right to reach through gaining a black belt or equivalent. There is no figure that can be found for practitioners operating outside of organisations, however, that there can be does raise concerns for a sport or physical activity that can be potentially dangerous.’

This was written in 2013; there has not been much of a change since then. At our club we do not rush promotions and we are externally recognised through IMAS and several other organisations. We have a recognised instructor development programme. We also attend external events and through that can compare our standards to others. External visitors have praised our team and students. We have several awards from different groups that evidence the way others view us. On top of that several team members have competed to world level, gaining medals at an elite level and some even been world champions.

So, I believe our students can be comfortable with what we are doing and know what the instructor team consist of. But if you are reading this from an organisation outside of ours who are your teachers/coaches/instructors? What has given them the right to teach you?

This quote relays a lot of what I think and I included in my PhD:
‘The teacher of martial arts is much more than just a coach, but rather a life guide that beyond technical skills must be able to present the proper moral stance, high class intellectual, mental and character logical qualities. He/she teaches art for which, when used in a manner inconsistent with the oath dojo, may be criminal. So not every person, even featuring a high level of technical skills, can reliably serve as a competent teacher of martial arts.’

(Ambrozy and Czop 2012: 182).

By Sensei Charles Spring