The Will and the Skill
Posted on | July 29, 2011 | No Comments
Although I have been doing instructor training seminars at other schools for several years now, it is usually something that I only do a few times a year. This year is different. I will remember 2011 as the year of the Instructor Boot Camps. As of this writing, I have done 23 of these events for over 900 instructors in three countries with another 12 planned for the rest of the year. Although I would like to think that these seminars are having a positive impact on our profession, I know they are having a positive impact on me. I am learning so much by visiting different schools and watching instructors, young and old, teach their craft. I have to say, that from my perspective, the quality of martial arts instruction now is better than ever. I’m amazed at just how good today’s young instructors are. They are light years ahead of where my generation was when we were starting out. I think there are several reasons for this. First off, my generation had very few resources for instructor training. Many of us simply thought that being a good black belt was pretty much all you needed to be a good teacher. Secondly, we tended to be a bit closed off from other martial artists. If they weren’t from the same style or association we usually didn’t communicate much. Finally, there used to not be as much competition for students. I believe that this allowed mediocre instructors to stay in business without having to improve much. Such is not the case in today’s current climate. To still be in business, let alone thrive, today’s instructor pretty much has to be good. Of course there are a few exceptions, but overall, I believe this to be true and it is being confirmed (at least for me) on my tours.
To be a successful martial arts instructor in this day and age, I believe that you must have these two attributes. They are….The Will and the Skill.
The “Will” refers to the fact that you have to WANT to teach. You must enjoy the process. That doesn’t mean that you are not happy when class is over, or not excited when the weekend comes. It just means that, in general, you look forward to your classes. It means that relish the challenge of helping your students to thrive in their martial arts quest. I think the “Will” is by far the most important attribute. I would much rather employ an instructor with boundless enthusiasm and novice teaching skills than a seasoned veteran that is just trying to get through the week.
The “Skill” refers to knowing how to teach. Of course martial arts skills are important, but what I’m referring to here is teaching skill. Martial arts skills and teaching skills are both extremely important, but very different. We all know talented Black Belts that have no clue as to how to run a class.
One of my favorite quotes is “Once you stop trying to be better, you quit being good.” I think this concept can be applied to many things but it certainly can be applied to teaching martial arts. I don’t know about you, but I find that it is very easy for me to fall into a comfort zone. After all, I have been teaching martial arts for the better part of 40 years and I have had a full time school since 1978. I have learned a lot over the years. However, in my better moments, I know that I am just scratching the surface. I know that when I stay mindful of how impactful martial arts can be for people, I am able to keep my “Will” to teach strong. And when I keep an open mind to new and different teaching methodologies, I am able to add new skills to my teaching arsenal.
Happy Teaching
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About Dave Kovar
Mr. Kovar has been teaching Martial Arts professionally since 1978. Dave is a multi-style Black Belt who has been committed to ever-improving his Martial Arts skills. He updates this blog to provide tips and insights to martial arts instructors around the country. To learn more, click here.
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