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Michael Clarke
4th August 2002, 15:15
This question is directed towards those who teach.

In your dojo, do you have students, customers, clients, followers, punters, pupils, or disciples ?

Mike Clarke.

tamashi
4th August 2002, 15:29
Without definitions of each of your categories, it is
a little difficult to accurately answer the question.

that being said, I would estimate I have students.

regards,

n2shotokai
4th August 2002, 17:34
IMO we are all students and always will be.

For those who look upon their students as anything other than a student, then perhaps they should not be intsructing ......

Steve Beale

Victor
4th August 2002, 18:42
How about friends as an answer?

Ones you're sharing with.

Victor Smith
Bushi No Te Isshinryu

Laotse
4th August 2002, 21:15
marks

:D

Michael Clarke
5th August 2002, 03:08
I just wondered how people saw those they teach the martial arts to?

Marks. ehm, yes? I'm sure there are those who do see it like this.
Targets too.

Friends. Can you teach budo to a friend? I'm not sure you can, and still remain friends. Though I do belive if you manage to pass on the budo way of seeing things to someone, you become friends in the prosses.

Always a student. Very true. But then I'm not asking if those of us who teach should stop seeing ourselves as students.

Definitions. What makes people see others in a particular way.
That's a big ask. Who knows how or why people think and see others as they do? My question was how do YOU see the people you teach?

By the way, I'm not trying to say there is a right way or a wrong way. I'm just asking.

Mike Clarke.

5th August 2002, 11:20
Since I am also a student I have fellow students in my dojo.

I am thinking you may want to add "customer" to your list. I have seen many schools that are run more like a store rather than a dojo.

Victor
5th August 2002, 13:15
Let's see,

Friends, well the adults who've been training with me have all been here about 15-20 years. I think friends is a good answer, as I don't charge and they all still find our sharing challenging and rewarding.

Likewise I've trained youth for 25 years for free. Continuing a tradition of public service I saw many adults do in my home community when I was a boy.

The youth are students, but it is out of friendship towards the community that I'm teaching them.

Individually we are all seekers. Nobody 'teaches' us, we have to learn it ourself. The instructor points the way, chipping away at bad habits, and supporting the good ones.

There are plenty of pretend-instructors who do see a student as a mark or a positive cash flow. I feel very sorry for them. All they do is pass their cynicism on to future generations to grow up in the arts and become cynical just as they are.

BTW, Friends doesn't mean they don't get pushed, as their growth requires. Friends don't let friends pretend anything, or drive drunk either.

Victor Smith
Bushi No Te Isshinryu