“The true teacher defends his pupils against his own personal influence. He inspires self-trust. He guides their eyes from himself to the spirit that quickens him. He will have no disciple.” Amos Bronson Alcott, Orphic Sayings. From The Dial [July 1840]. The Teacher.
Amos Bronson Alcott has, in these few words, captured the essence of teaching Karate. Really, no more needs to be said, except to expound on the meaning of this deep and intricate saying. As a kata that seems so simple in its few movements, but has dozens of fabulous and deadly bunkai applications to each movement, so does this quotation seem outwardly simple, yet within its few words lies dozens of applications and meanings for the one who seeks to teach Karate.
The person that sets out to teach embarks on a difficult journey, but the one chosen to teach Karate (or any Martial Art) tackles the most difficult path. While a teacher teaches his own field and generally ignores the rest of reality, the teacher of Karate is called upon to instruct his students in all three aspects of the Human Trinity: the mind, the body, and the spirit.
The Karate instructor must teach his students to take control of their natural fight-or-flight instinct, and make split-second, rational decisions followed by quick, decisive acts of brute force. “On the street, the only rule is to fight for your life, and certainly the sooner you react with effective movement the better” (Robert Scaglione, Building Warrior Spirit, p. 23, 1990). This ability to quickly respond to stimuli with decisive, conscious use of brute force, in and of itself, makes the martial artist superior to common mensch. Mahatma Gandhi once said that, “In this age of the rule of brute force, it is almost impossible for anyone to believe that anyone else could possibly reject the law of the final supremacy of brute force.” Therefore, the Karate instructor imparts to his students the ability to join the ranks of the supreme, which means that the Karate instructor has a greater responsibility than, say, someone who teaches Algebra.
For this reason—as well as many more—it becomes imperative that the Karate instructor be a person of the highest moral fiber, committed to passing on his knowledge, not to making disciples. A great danger of teaching Martial Arts is the ego of the instructor. This ego can get in the way, and when the students—or the instructor himself—elevate their instructor to the level of a minor god, then we shouldn’t be surprised when that self-deified individual rebels against his style and his superiors and either sets out on his own or attempts to overthrow his own superiors (while there are often valid reasons for separation, and at some point it is inevitable that the student leave the teacher, lest he forego his potential, this is not the focus of this statement, but rather the egocentrism that poisons even the most devout students and instructors). There was only one Teacher in history that made disciples to Himself, and as we are not He, we are not to attempt such a pious feat.
Therefore, the first requirement of a good teacher is humility. This humbleness will manifest itself in several ways: First, it will prove to the instructor’s teacher that he is worthy of more learning. Once humility and teachability is proven, then the instructor’s teacher will impart more knowledge on the instructor, who will then be able to, in turn, pass that knowledge on to his own students. Second, the humble instructor has a much easier time keeping his students focused on “the spirit that quickens him”—Karate—than the egocentric instructor that spends his time telling his students how good he is. The humble instructor keeps his own personal influence out of the class, and allows the students to learn Karate themselves, so that it becomes a part of them in mind and body and spirit, rather than just a random set of mechanical movements. In the mind of the student, this lifts Karate from a hobby to a way of life. Which means that the students become disciples, not of the instructor, but of Karate.
Furthermore, the Karate instructor must be knowledgeable and be constantly increasing that knowledge. It is painfully obvious that, before a person can teach something, they must first know it. As Eric Hoffer once said, “In a time of drastic change, it is the ‘learners’ who will inherit the future. The ‘learned’ find themselves equipped to only live in a world that no longer exists.” The Karate instructor is called upon to know everything from the mechanical movements of kata to their bunkai applications, from First Aid to minor psycho-social counseling techniques, from basics to “secret” advanced techniques that will keep even the most self-reliant Brown Belt guessing. Instructors are called upon to know about other styles, personal safety, logic, tactics, prevention, strategy, body mechanics, and even anatomy. He is required to be a motivator, a disciplinarian, an encourager, and at times, even a parent-figure.
Now that we have a clearer understanding of the immense requirements and responsibilities placed on the shoulders of a Karate instructor, it becomes obvious that the methods of instruction must also be as diverse and flexible as the Karate instructor himself. The Karate instructor has more on his shoulders than just teaching punching and kicking; he has the responsibility to instill character in his students.
“Education has for its object the formation of character. To curb restive propensities, to awaken dormant sentiments, to strengthen the perceptions, and cultivate the tastes, to encourage this feeling and repress that, so as finally to develop the child into a man of well proportioned and harmonious nature—this is alike the aim of parent and teacher.” Herbert Spencer, Social Statics, p. 180 (1851)
“Karate strives to build character, improve human behavior, and encourage modesty. It cannot, however, guarantee it.” Ankoh Itosu (1831-1915)
“To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society.” Theodore Roosevelt
“The ultimate aim of Karate-do lay neither in victory or defeat, but rather in the perfection of one’s moral character.” Gichen Funakoshi (1868-1957)
Since the ultimate purpose of Karate is to build character, then the first method of teaching Karate should be by example. The Karate instructor should be morally upright, honest, sincere, humble, and not prone to fits of egocentrism-inspired bravado or machismo. The Karate instructor should be the hero of his students. He should be active in his community and in the lives of his students, and inspire them with his positive attitude and firm moral base. This takes place as much outside of the dojo as within.
Once it is established that the Karate instructor is someone that the students can admire and trust, it is up to him to focus their admiration on the Martial Art itself, rather than him. This instills loyalty to the instructor and the school, as students are more prone to listen to a humble instructor than a self-interested one. It also instills loyalty to the style, as the students will associate good character qualities with the Karate itself, and believe that if they apply themselves, then one day, they too will be like their hero—their instructor.
Now that the students have their goal in sight, all they have to do is achieve it. To help them on their way, the Karate instructor must be a motivator. Karate practitioners of all levels must be motivated by outside sources. Some people are motivated by encouragement, others by demands to do better. Still others are motivated by pending tests or competitions—the chance to show-off in front of their family, friends, instructor, and fellow students. It is the job of a good Karate instructor to provide all of these as necessary.
It is also the Karate instructor’s job to occasionally withhold motivation, so that the students have the opportunity to learn how to motivate themselves. This strengthens their spirit, and teaches them to rely upon themselves (what Alcott calls “self-trust”), and to focus on Karate instead of their instructor (what Alcott means when he speaks of “guiding their eyes … to the spirit that quickens”).
Motivation is essential, and motivation comes from and is enhanced by confidence. As D. L. Feltz said in his book, Understanding Motivation, “You can do it if you just have a little confidence.” The karate instructor can motivate by building confidence with such techniques as creating situations where the experience will be a positive one for the student.
“Creating positive experiences is a strategy for coaches. Their teaching and leadership style, communication skills, coaching philosophy, knowledge, and experience will ultimately affect (positively or negatively) their athletes’ self-confidence level. … [T]here is a direct relationship between self-confidence and consistency in high-level performance (note carefully, this is performance level, not the competition outcome). Consistency in performance positively affects self-confidence, which in turn facilitates an optimal mind set: emotions, thoughts, and concentration. Further, an optimal mind set facilitates good performance, which enhances self-confidence, and so the cycle continues.” Artur Poczwardowski, Ph.D., “Your Self-Confidence and Your Performance,”
STADION News, vol. 4, no. 3, summer ’97, p. 2
In short, motivating and creating what Alcott calls “self-trust” (self-confidence) begins an upward-spiraling cycle that continues on its own to boost the student in all aspects of Karate. This will also have positive effects on other aspects of his life, which he will rightly attribute to his study of Karate and the good teaching of his instructor, which will in turn make him a better student, which will build his confidence, which will have even more positive effects on his life, and so on.
Now that the instructor has built up the student’s confidence, it is important that he then keep the student from becoming the egocentric, self-deifying type of individual that causes splits in Karate and deviation from the Way. The first dojo that I trained in had a banner on the wall, directly in front of where the newest students sat. It was written in Japanese, and for years I asked what it meant and was never told. Somewhere around Green Belt, when my talent started to show and my ego began growing with my abilities, I sought to enter tournaments, or test quickly, or do something to show off what I was learning. I wanted to assert myself as a candidate for the Alpha Male role. Around that time, my first sensei took me aside and told me what the banner said: “Do not treasure illustrious titles or certificates, but adhere to the Way and polish your technique, for the wind cannot read.”
That struck me as profound. As with Alcott’s words, these few words held volumes of hidden meaning for me. It became clear—at the time I needed to learn the lesson—that the importance in learning Karate wasn’t in seeing what I could do, but rather who I could become. This goes back to what Gichen Funakoshi and Ankoh Itosu said about character development. So, I was taking Karate not for exercise, nor so I could kick someone into next week, but rather so I could become a better person.
“We all agree that martial arts is good for people and for the community. The more people learning and living the principles of respect, self-control and discipline, the better for everyone. With that in mind, we have to ask ourselves: ‘If martial arts is so good for people, why aren’t more people involved?’” John Graden, How To Open and Operate a Successful Martial Arts School, p. 58 (1997)
It can be argued that Karate, properly taught, can change a person’s character and make them a “better person” suddenly full of “respect, self-control and discipline,” but this would be a poor argument at best. In this aspect, Graden shows his foolishness in believing that Karate is for everyone, and that running a “successful martial arts school” equates to running a school with more students than a university.
Re-read the quotations above about character. At no time does anyone ever say that Karate creates character, only that it builds or perfects character that already exists inside the individual. Therefore, Karate is not for everyone, and never will be.
“A person’s character never really changes. It only manifests itself differently from time to time. Always the true colors will come to surface … again, from time to time. … Serious commitment is reserved only for adults, rarely for children or the immature.” Robert Scaglione, Building Warrior Spirit, p. 22 & 67 (1990)
Here we have encountered the built-in en passe in Karate. The level of commitment, respect, and maturity that discipleship to Karate demands is higher than most people can or will ever achieve. Therefore, when a Karate instructor loses students, it is (provided he is a good instructor as defined earlier in this thesis) not because of poor instruction, but rather because of a character flaw within the psyche of the student.
Karate is not meant for everyone. It is for a select few, those superior individuals that understand what Mahatma Gandhi meant about brute force. And with the use of brute force comes a great responsibility. This is where most students and instructors will fall short—they simply can’t handle the responsibility that being a karateka brings. As a result, they end up defying their instructor at some point, by splitting, quitting, or attempting to usurp their own instructor. This is the ultimate show of disrespect and blatant examples of a serious character flaw. For these students, no matter how the instructor teaches them, they will eventually go astray. Likewise, the instructor that lacks or—as some unfortunately do—loses their way will lose their students to instructors more dedicated to the Way.
So, what is the best way for an instructor to teach Karate? By following Alcott’s advice. Good instructors will teach Karate because they love what they are doing, and not because they see it as a business. When you love what you are doing, then the teaching style becomes meaningless—especially when we realize that for every teaching style, no matter how off-the-wall or mainstream, there is someone out there for whom that is the perfect method by which they can learn. But, what makes a good teacher? Love. Love of Karate: learning, practicing, and teaching it. It is not the words used or the inflection in the voice that makes a good instructor, it is that something that shows through any façade. It is the character of the instructor. An instructor with good character will have students of the same, and those that lack their instructor’s level of integrity will ultimately fall by the wayside.
In the end, it all boils down to character—which makes sense, as character is, after all, the “ultimate aim of Karate-do.”
Amos Bronson Alcott has, in these few words, captured the essence of teaching Karate. Really, no more needs to be said, except to expound on the meaning of this deep and intricate saying. As a kata that seems so simple in its few movements, but has dozens of fabulous and deadly bunkai applications to each movement, so does this quotation seem outwardly simple, yet within its few words lies dozens of applications and meanings for the one who seeks to teach Karate.
The person that sets out to teach embarks on a difficult journey, but the one chosen to teach Karate (or any Martial Art) tackles the most difficult path. While a teacher teaches his own field and generally ignores the rest of reality, the teacher of Karate is called upon to instruct his students in all three aspects of the Human Trinity: the mind, the body, and the spirit.
The Karate instructor must teach his students to take control of their natural fight-or-flight instinct, and make split-second, rational decisions followed by quick, decisive acts of brute force. “On the street, the only rule is to fight for your life, and certainly the sooner you react with effective movement the better” (Robert Scaglione, Building Warrior Spirit, p. 23, 1990). This ability to quickly respond to stimuli with decisive, conscious use of brute force, in and of itself, makes the martial artist superior to common mensch. Mahatma Gandhi once said that, “In this age of the rule of brute force, it is almost impossible for anyone to believe that anyone else could possibly reject the law of the final supremacy of brute force.” Therefore, the Karate instructor imparts to his students the ability to join the ranks of the supreme, which means that the Karate instructor has a greater responsibility than, say, someone who teaches Algebra.
For this reason—as well as many more—it becomes imperative that the Karate instructor be a person of the highest moral fiber, committed to passing on his knowledge, not to making disciples. A great danger of teaching Martial Arts is the ego of the instructor. This ego can get in the way, and when the students—or the instructor himself—elevate their instructor to the level of a minor god, then we shouldn’t be surprised when that self-deified individual rebels against his style and his superiors and either sets out on his own or attempts to overthrow his own superiors (while there are often valid reasons for separation, and at some point it is inevitable that the student leave the teacher, lest he forego his potential, this is not the focus of this statement, but rather the egocentrism that poisons even the most devout students and instructors). There was only one Teacher in history that made disciples to Himself, and as we are not He, we are not to attempt such a pious feat.
Therefore, the first requirement of a good teacher is humility. This humbleness will manifest itself in several ways: First, it will prove to the instructor’s teacher that he is worthy of more learning. Once humility and teachability is proven, then the instructor’s teacher will impart more knowledge on the instructor, who will then be able to, in turn, pass that knowledge on to his own students. Second, the humble instructor has a much easier time keeping his students focused on “the spirit that quickens him”—Karate—than the egocentric instructor that spends his time telling his students how good he is. The humble instructor keeps his own personal influence out of the class, and allows the students to learn Karate themselves, so that it becomes a part of them in mind and body and spirit, rather than just a random set of mechanical movements. In the mind of the student, this lifts Karate from a hobby to a way of life. Which means that the students become disciples, not of the instructor, but of Karate.
Furthermore, the Karate instructor must be knowledgeable and be constantly increasing that knowledge. It is painfully obvious that, before a person can teach something, they must first know it. As Eric Hoffer once said, “In a time of drastic change, it is the ‘learners’ who will inherit the future. The ‘learned’ find themselves equipped to only live in a world that no longer exists.” The Karate instructor is called upon to know everything from the mechanical movements of kata to their bunkai applications, from First Aid to minor psycho-social counseling techniques, from basics to “secret” advanced techniques that will keep even the most self-reliant Brown Belt guessing. Instructors are called upon to know about other styles, personal safety, logic, tactics, prevention, strategy, body mechanics, and even anatomy. He is required to be a motivator, a disciplinarian, an encourager, and at times, even a parent-figure.
Now that we have a clearer understanding of the immense requirements and responsibilities placed on the shoulders of a Karate instructor, it becomes obvious that the methods of instruction must also be as diverse and flexible as the Karate instructor himself. The Karate instructor has more on his shoulders than just teaching punching and kicking; he has the responsibility to instill character in his students.
“Education has for its object the formation of character. To curb restive propensities, to awaken dormant sentiments, to strengthen the perceptions, and cultivate the tastes, to encourage this feeling and repress that, so as finally to develop the child into a man of well proportioned and harmonious nature—this is alike the aim of parent and teacher.” Herbert Spencer, Social Statics, p. 180 (1851)
“Karate strives to build character, improve human behavior, and encourage modesty. It cannot, however, guarantee it.” Ankoh Itosu (1831-1915)
“To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society.” Theodore Roosevelt
“The ultimate aim of Karate-do lay neither in victory or defeat, but rather in the perfection of one’s moral character.” Gichen Funakoshi (1868-1957)
Since the ultimate purpose of Karate is to build character, then the first method of teaching Karate should be by example. The Karate instructor should be morally upright, honest, sincere, humble, and not prone to fits of egocentrism-inspired bravado or machismo. The Karate instructor should be the hero of his students. He should be active in his community and in the lives of his students, and inspire them with his positive attitude and firm moral base. This takes place as much outside of the dojo as within.
Once it is established that the Karate instructor is someone that the students can admire and trust, it is up to him to focus their admiration on the Martial Art itself, rather than him. This instills loyalty to the instructor and the school, as students are more prone to listen to a humble instructor than a self-interested one. It also instills loyalty to the style, as the students will associate good character qualities with the Karate itself, and believe that if they apply themselves, then one day, they too will be like their hero—their instructor.
Now that the students have their goal in sight, all they have to do is achieve it. To help them on their way, the Karate instructor must be a motivator. Karate practitioners of all levels must be motivated by outside sources. Some people are motivated by encouragement, others by demands to do better. Still others are motivated by pending tests or competitions—the chance to show-off in front of their family, friends, instructor, and fellow students. It is the job of a good Karate instructor to provide all of these as necessary.
It is also the Karate instructor’s job to occasionally withhold motivation, so that the students have the opportunity to learn how to motivate themselves. This strengthens their spirit, and teaches them to rely upon themselves (what Alcott calls “self-trust”), and to focus on Karate instead of their instructor (what Alcott means when he speaks of “guiding their eyes … to the spirit that quickens”).
Motivation is essential, and motivation comes from and is enhanced by confidence. As D. L. Feltz said in his book, Understanding Motivation, “You can do it if you just have a little confidence.” The karate instructor can motivate by building confidence with such techniques as creating situations where the experience will be a positive one for the student.
“Creating positive experiences is a strategy for coaches. Their teaching and leadership style, communication skills, coaching philosophy, knowledge, and experience will ultimately affect (positively or negatively) their athletes’ self-confidence level. … [T]here is a direct relationship between self-confidence and consistency in high-level performance (note carefully, this is performance level, not the competition outcome). Consistency in performance positively affects self-confidence, which in turn facilitates an optimal mind set: emotions, thoughts, and concentration. Further, an optimal mind set facilitates good performance, which enhances self-confidence, and so the cycle continues.” Artur Poczwardowski, Ph.D., “Your Self-Confidence and Your Performance,”
STADION News, vol. 4, no. 3, summer ’97, p. 2
In short, motivating and creating what Alcott calls “self-trust” (self-confidence) begins an upward-spiraling cycle that continues on its own to boost the student in all aspects of Karate. This will also have positive effects on other aspects of his life, which he will rightly attribute to his study of Karate and the good teaching of his instructor, which will in turn make him a better student, which will build his confidence, which will have even more positive effects on his life, and so on.
Now that the instructor has built up the student’s confidence, it is important that he then keep the student from becoming the egocentric, self-deifying type of individual that causes splits in Karate and deviation from the Way. The first dojo that I trained in had a banner on the wall, directly in front of where the newest students sat. It was written in Japanese, and for years I asked what it meant and was never told. Somewhere around Green Belt, when my talent started to show and my ego began growing with my abilities, I sought to enter tournaments, or test quickly, or do something to show off what I was learning. I wanted to assert myself as a candidate for the Alpha Male role. Around that time, my first sensei took me aside and told me what the banner said: “Do not treasure illustrious titles or certificates, but adhere to the Way and polish your technique, for the wind cannot read.”
That struck me as profound. As with Alcott’s words, these few words held volumes of hidden meaning for me. It became clear—at the time I needed to learn the lesson—that the importance in learning Karate wasn’t in seeing what I could do, but rather who I could become. This goes back to what Gichen Funakoshi and Ankoh Itosu said about character development. So, I was taking Karate not for exercise, nor so I could kick someone into next week, but rather so I could become a better person.
“We all agree that martial arts is good for people and for the community. The more people learning and living the principles of respect, self-control and discipline, the better for everyone. With that in mind, we have to ask ourselves: ‘If martial arts is so good for people, why aren’t more people involved?’” John Graden, How To Open and Operate a Successful Martial Arts School, p. 58 (1997)
It can be argued that Karate, properly taught, can change a person’s character and make them a “better person” suddenly full of “respect, self-control and discipline,” but this would be a poor argument at best. In this aspect, Graden shows his foolishness in believing that Karate is for everyone, and that running a “successful martial arts school” equates to running a school with more students than a university.
Re-read the quotations above about character. At no time does anyone ever say that Karate creates character, only that it builds or perfects character that already exists inside the individual. Therefore, Karate is not for everyone, and never will be.
“A person’s character never really changes. It only manifests itself differently from time to time. Always the true colors will come to surface … again, from time to time. … Serious commitment is reserved only for adults, rarely for children or the immature.” Robert Scaglione, Building Warrior Spirit, p. 22 & 67 (1990)
Here we have encountered the built-in en passe in Karate. The level of commitment, respect, and maturity that discipleship to Karate demands is higher than most people can or will ever achieve. Therefore, when a Karate instructor loses students, it is (provided he is a good instructor as defined earlier in this thesis) not because of poor instruction, but rather because of a character flaw within the psyche of the student.
Karate is not meant for everyone. It is for a select few, those superior individuals that understand what Mahatma Gandhi meant about brute force. And with the use of brute force comes a great responsibility. This is where most students and instructors will fall short—they simply can’t handle the responsibility that being a karateka brings. As a result, they end up defying their instructor at some point, by splitting, quitting, or attempting to usurp their own instructor. This is the ultimate show of disrespect and blatant examples of a serious character flaw. For these students, no matter how the instructor teaches them, they will eventually go astray. Likewise, the instructor that lacks or—as some unfortunately do—loses their way will lose their students to instructors more dedicated to the Way.
So, what is the best way for an instructor to teach Karate? By following Alcott’s advice. Good instructors will teach Karate because they love what they are doing, and not because they see it as a business. When you love what you are doing, then the teaching style becomes meaningless—especially when we realize that for every teaching style, no matter how off-the-wall or mainstream, there is someone out there for whom that is the perfect method by which they can learn. But, what makes a good teacher? Love. Love of Karate: learning, practicing, and teaching it. It is not the words used or the inflection in the voice that makes a good instructor, it is that something that shows through any façade. It is the character of the instructor. An instructor with good character will have students of the same, and those that lack their instructor’s level of integrity will ultimately fall by the wayside.
In the end, it all boils down to character—which makes sense, as character is, after all, the “ultimate aim of Karate-do.”
© MES, 1999
Great post! And i think you, as Sensei, do an awesome job of living up to the standards you wrote about.
ReplyDeleteThank you for all you've done and taught.