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Old 06-15-2012, 12:00 PM   #19
Nicholas Eschenbruch
Dojo: TV Denzlingen
Location: Freiburg
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 323
Germany
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Re: Teaching .... I have a question.

Re: formalised teaching credentials, even teaching training - I do not believe in them very much (and I have formal teaching certificates of some sort in a couple of fields, and teaching is a central part of my job). Of course, there are valid ideas out there that can help to organise teaching, but at the end of the day, I believe its mostly in one's own inspiration (as teacher or student).

One of my crucial teachers (not in aikido) was a man who in a way actively refused to teach. He still inspired me to learn more than anybody else in that field. If he mentioned a book in passing, I'd read it. Again, he would not have inspired other students. There are people who would pass any teacher training with flying colours and who are totally uninspiring.

Another one of my teachers likes to say:
A bad teacher does not give you permission.
A good teacher gives you permission.
An outstanding teacher shows you you do not need permission.

Yet another one sometimes made me fel I had to learn against his formal teaching. Boy did I try hard, and it helped.

Just to put out a strong thesis: formalised teaching credentials encourage mediocrity in teachers and students.

Morihei Ueshiba never quite "taught" in that sense, did he?
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