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Old 12-23-2008, 09:12 AM   #6
Amir Krause
Dojo: Shirokan Dojo / Tel Aviv Israel
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 692
Israel
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Re: a teaching mistake

Quote:
Avi Rosenberg wrote: View Post
Hello all
I would like to hear some feedback that has to do with a teaching mistake of sorts.
Our teacher has gone abroad for a month and left the senior students to manage the practices in his absence. On one occasion, when I was managing the practice, I tried to show a particularly advanced technique towards the end of the practice. I performed the technique quickly and unexpectedly and my uke did not understand what I wanted to do. Then instead of maybe doing the technique very very slowly while broadcasting my intentions, we more or less fumbled around a couple of times and then I stopped and decided we should do something else.
I once saw something similar occur with a senior instructor and he insisted on switching uke's until he came across someone who knew how to "cooperate".
What do people think would be the best way to continue when something like that happens.
Thanks,
I prefer the simplest solution, saying "OOPS, forget it, I made a mistake. Lets do something else." and returning to teach something much more basic. In this, I follow my teacher, who does not hesitate to act this way even though he is senior.

Another advice my sensei insists on is one should not teach anything he does not control at a relativly good level (one can always improve...).
Experimenting is good, and is encouraged, but you should not experiment while teaching, that goes against your obligation to your students. Unless, of course, you are instructing them to experiment and try to show them some directions (in that cas, you must be willing to admit mistakes and electing an unfavourable solution).

BR
Amir

P.S.
Send my regards to Zeev
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