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Old 10-23-2011, 09:23 PM   #20
edshockley
Dojo: Aiklikai of Philadelphia
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 92
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Re: teachers can no longer study?

Henry Smith Shihan has has three major surgeries in four years and this last has me teaching 10 or 11 classes per week. While I teach for the sake of the dojo, I am there for my own journey. My solutions have been
1) Split multiple class days with another senior student so we can take one class and teach one class
2) stop being a perfectionist and trust that students will learn by both doing aikido and taking ukemi for me. (i was told that Yamada Shihan trained with students regularly in the early years.)
3) Attend seminars and visit other dojos.
4) Watch videos and work with an advanced partner before or after class
5) practice alone in the mirror with an invisible partner at Tai chi speed.
6) review bokken and jo katas and suburi daily

Combining this with the mental exercise of composing classes for the students has allowed me to continue slow growth until sensei returns to again guide my matriculation.
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