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Old 12-31-2009, 07:50 AM   #28
Kevin Leavitt
 
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Dojo: Team Combat USA
Location: Olympia, Washington
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,376
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Re: Everybody Is An Instructor….

There are three basic things I think:

1. Information
2. Knowledge
3. Wisdom

The learning process is a complex one and is multi-level and multifaceted.

"Everyone is an instructor" is a very broad statement.

Sure, on one hand that is true. Everyone should share information and knowledge that they have regardless of rank. It is how we cooperate and learn from each other. so in that sense ..okay "everyone is an instructor".

However, in the more focused view...systems such as Aikido are alot more complex than a collection of individual techniques...it should be a systematic and integrative approach to development and refinement.

It takes alot more than simply "knowing stuff" or "knowing more than the next guy".

To be a Sensei, Instructor, Teacher, Leader etc...it requires alot of things other than information or knowledge.

Being able to communicate consistently and effectively to many different people of varying abilities and ways of learning. What works for one person may not work for another.

It means being able to look below the superficial and reach down and help people find qualties that they do not see in themselves.

It requires looking at the system, the community, and the individual holisitcaly and still implement on a personal level.

So, "everybody is an instructor" is again, one of those phrases that can mean alot of things depending on how you look at it.

I prefer "everybody should play nice together and help one another".

To me being an instructor requires a great deal more vetting and development than the phrase "everyone is an instructor" would imply.

It is probably why Koryu systems don't allow all black belts to teach and why Koryu systems have maintained there quality and integrity thorughout the years.

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