Learning to teach, teaching to teach
Gassho
This is an issue I am thinking about some time now and maybe I can get some enlightening comments from this forum.
First some information about the background of this question and myself, to eliminate any misunderstanding. We are three Shodans in Berlin, running the club and getting support from the German Federation recently. One day some years ago I stood in front of the Kenshi and had to lead the training because nobody else was there to do it (I guess, that’s how most of you who now teach started). I was nervous and mainly did what I had seen others do before. I was not prepared for this and thinking about how to do good sessions (also about what to do, but mainly about how to do it) as an instructor ever since.
My first session probably wasn’t a good one. This is of course getting better after some time, and in the meantime I know my collection of Taiso and Kihon exercises and what points should be made when explaining a certain technique. But on the one hand I think this is a hard way to learn it and on the other hand I have the feeling learning it this way misses out some important points. I am talking about e.g. constructing the sessions, so everyone is challenged to his/her own abilities, being able to spot, what should be covered next, being able to create an atmosphere that is relaxed or intense, as needed – it’s really hard to write down what I more feel than I can grip, but I hope you get the impression.
So how do we actually learn to teach (a good way)? When I try to stick to what is in Shorinjikempo about this already, I only find shu-ha-ri. But this principle focuses on mastering a technique and not so much on mastering teaching. I understand that ha and ri will work later on, you have to adapt your teaching and finally find your own way, but what about the initial input, the shu? The only ways I have found so far is watching and copying Senseis and trial & error. You also hardly going to be corrected, because when a Sensei is there, he will teach and not standing there and watching to correct you afterwards. Of course it is always possible to ask a Sensei a specific question, but I feel, that this knowledge is not handed down systematically. Maybe that is intended, I don’t know.
I recall from another thread on this forum, that in Australia to run a MA class you have to do a specific instructors training first by law. Could this be beneficial, learning something independent of style?
It also goes down the line. Some Kenshi are gifted to be able to talk and explain, to others this is more a problem, although they are really good Kenshi and have valuable knowledge to share. How can they be helped to improve also in this field?
Maybe I am just thinking that there is more than the obvious, and in the end it is only coming down to experience, common sense, knowing your techniques, following the rules outlined anyway and some basic psychology. But also maybe there is more.
Kesshu
Joerg Rackwitz
Shorinji Kempo
Humboldt-Universitaet Berlin Branch
"If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear." George Orwell