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Old 09-24-2003, 11:42 AM   #24
kironin
 
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Dojo: Houston Ki Aikido
Location: Houston,TX
Join Date: Aug 2000
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Quote:
Tom Williams (twilliams423) wrote:
In the martial arts it has been said that there are basically 2 kinds of teachers.

One is the type who is on his own path, developing his own skills and understanding and takes only a few chosen students to futher his own progress. Students can learn quite well this way, but usually have "to steal" their teacher's technique.

The other is the one who has more or less given up on his own active training to turn outside himself to assisting others. Technically, this one may stop progressing, but is always trying to produce students who surpass him.
You post was an excellent one except for this part. This idea of a dichotomy in my view is completely false. Pure B.S. as bad for MA as the over-repeated cliche "those who can't do, teach"

Someone who has given up on their own active training (and learning) will soon have students that do not have much of a challenge to surpass him. No matter how well intentioned this is a lousy teacher.

A teacher that understands how to facilitate and illuminate must also understand how to research and to discover. Those who do will not technically stop progressing and it will be real souce of pride in teaching if their students catch up to them and even possibly surpass them.

Ideally then, what you have as a teacher is a student is more advanced in understanding than you in the midst of their own training decides to play the role of facilitator and illuminator to some degree. That degree might be zero and you have to steal everything, very very few have a chance to catch up in that case. That degree might be everything including what they are working on themselves at the moment giving you a chance to see how to discover and learn on your own. In the latter part of the continuum it is much more likely that you will find talented individuals surpassing you. And if your open to it, if you are sincerely a student, they will return the favor.

that's ideal. unfortunately all too often teachers give in to becoming lazy students. and of course egos screw things up to.

Craig
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