Student fit is important
This became very apparent very early to me when recommending parents to certain schools for their children. Each student has a unique personality and learning style, this is also true of instructors and teaching styles. Not all students and instructors fit together. Another important aspect of fit is the instructor’s view of the art that he teaches.
Martial Arts means different things to different people
What do you think Martial Arts means? The answer to this could be the subject of many posts, for today though, let’s settle on the fact that it means different things to different people. Beyond what it means, there is also the focus with which a teacher may take for his classes. It is important that this focus aligns with your intentions as well as there being a good student/instructor learning/teaching style and personality fit.
What else is important to know about my teacher?
If you are serious about learning Martial Arts, it is important to know your teachers lineage. Who did he or she learn from? Are they still studying the art that they are teaching? Did they in fact study the art that they are claiming? Do they have instructor training? Have they been taught how to formulate classes, how to work with different ages and learning styles? To the uninitiated, this may seem a bit excessive. Unfortunately, it isn’t. The Martial Arts industry has too long of a history of shams and unqualified teachers. Referrals from other students may not be enough either.
In the video, you see many students were very impressed. After seeing the end of the video, would this be someone that you wanted to study with? Would this be someone you wanted teaching your children?
Take your time, do your research before choosing a teacher. I would say contact students, teachers and martial artists that the teacher claims to know/have worked with. The decision of “who your teacher will be?” is too important to take lightly.
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