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Instructors care

Intro

Students rise or sink to the level of their instructors! This is why instructors care.

Instructors care about their martial art

Dave Lowry wrote that the martial art practiced by the Japanese swordsmen of the Yagyu Shinkage Ryu endured past feudal times because,

"Men who cared more for its philosophy and ethics than for its murderous techniques passed on the teaching with the loving respect with which outstanding individuals have always regarded something of value."

This is what martial arts instructors do. They love and respect their martial arts as something of great value to society and they want to pass its philosophy and ethics on to their students. Instructors teach students; the students learn and supply feedback to the instructors, who learn from the students. The desire of every instructor to have his or her students surpass him or her as a martial artist.

Instructors care about their students

Few professions require as much dedication as does martial arts instruction. Rarely does a martial arts instructor earn a living teaching the martial arts; the teaching is done out of love of teaching; the living must be earned elsewhere.

Instructors deal with students daily. They know the personality, the emotions, the courage, the abilities, etc. of each student. The success or failure of a martial arts student is in the hands of the instructors. Thus, the success or failure of a martial arts school is in the hands of the instructors.
Martial art instructors are looked up to and emulated by students, so they must always watch everything they say and do for it will not only reflect upon them, their school, and their martial arts, but it may affect the lives of students and the paths they take in life.

From their first day in class when they first meet their instructor, many students dream of the day when they too will become instructors. Some will become instructors; some will not. Some will become good instructors; some will not. Some will instruct for most of their lives, some for only a short time. Whichever the case, instructing is a challenging, but also rewarding, undertaking.

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