I’ve been teaching martial arts for 15 years now. I’m always learning new ideas and updating my teaching methodology.
While there is a lot I could write about particular techniques to yield specific results, I want to share 2 core ideas that make a huge difference.
One is to debrief all activities, and another is to be lighthearted.
Students tend to appreciate brief, yet poignant explanations as to why they are doing a particular activity, and in any learning environment, a lighthearted nature from the teacher tends to yield a safe space to make mistakes and grow.
More often than not, a martial arts teacher has to go through some training or trial and error before s/he realizes that these concepts are a vital part of keeping students engaged to what they are learning.
The reason why we teachers have to be taught this is that we were the few in our classes who were very self-motivated, and self-directed. We were the ones that went above and beyond the call of duty. We obsessed over the material and practiced it to perfection. We were very serious about our practice because we wanted to get it right and achieve high marks.
As we climb the ranks, we get thrust into a leadership/teaching position, for which we hold a lot of honor.
The fatal mistake we make is that we think everyone is as interested and will be as dedicated and motivated as we are. When that reality check smacks us across the face, we realize that we have to make major adjustments to our approach, or step away from leadership/teaching.
Leadership/teaching is not for everyone. Although it is teachable to anyone, the first step is you have to want to do it. And that may require some swallowing of bitter pills, and taking large steps outside of your comfort zone initially.
Teaching martial arts is an art unto itself, especially in a business setting, where customer service counts. It requires constant practice and evaluation and updating…just like martial arts training. Feedback from students and mentors is a critical component to improving.
Teaching martial arts can be one of the most rewarding experiences, and if a teacher views it as such, then chances are, the students will enjoy learning from that teacher. As teachers, we have to love what we do, and then the rest will follow.