Questioning your Instructors?

Discussion in 'General Martial Arts Discussion' started by Scarlet Mist, Apr 17, 2007.

  1. prowla

    prowla Valued Member

    It very much depends how you go about asking the question, how many questions there are, and whether they are in context.
    If it comes across as whining/challenging/correcting/disrupting/interrupting things, then clearly your instructor could get miffed. It would be worth apologising and explaining that you were not being discourteous but genuinely wanted to understand.
    When I ask a question, I like to put up my hand and say "Osu! sensei". It clearly shows respect and also lets him see who it is.

    My experience is that instructors are that because they wish to teach people, and will always take the time to help you understand.
    I was lucky enough to have our chief sensei working through the bunkai of a kata to our group last week, and I asked questions a couple of times. He responded with clear comprehensive explanations, and gave relevant background information.

    As a further note, our written handbook/syllabus states that the time before class is available for a student to ask advice from higher grades.
     
  2. koyo

    koyo Passed away, but always remembered. RIP.

    I was told never to question my instructor UNTIL I HAD STRIVED TO UNDERSTAND BY MY OWN EFFORTS. If I failed to understand but had been seen making the effort I would be shown. BUT the instruction would be minimal so that I would continue to attempt to find out for myself.A good instructor shall know when to give you the information to progress and shall be pleased to do so.But it is NOT his job to constantly think for you.
    My opinion.

    regards koyo
     
  3. ap Oweyn

    ap Oweyn Ret. Supporter

    While I'd love to believe that I could provide an answer that was so perfectly technical, so sublimely clever, and so damn impressive as to supplant the need for a student to do their own thinking, I find that highly, highly unlikely. :D
     
  4. Davey Bones

    Davey Bones New Member

    I don't know the circumstances of your question, so I won't comment on that Scarlet. What I will say is that I have serious concerns, assuming everything was on the up and up in terms of how you handled the sitch, that you got popped like that for asking a question. You need to speak with your instructor. I'm not of the abasement school of thought, mind you; I don't believe that you should go crawling back begging to be taken back and have everything made nice. I also don't believe you should just up and quit without attempting to open up a dialogue first. I would try to speak with the instructor and let him know you'd like to discuss the matter. If you're blown off by the instructor, then you may want to walk; if you get popped for a question AND blown off for trying to resolve the issue, then s/he's a real jerk.
     
  5. KempoFist

    KempoFist Attention Whore

    Rule of thumb: If the move is deemed "too complicated" or "too advanced" for you to understand at the moment (lowly orange belts!).....they are full of excrement and you should leave your school.
     
  6. SifuJason

    SifuJason Valued Member

    As an instructor, I encourage my students to ask as many questions as possible. Students are there to learn, and people often learn by questioning. Plus, sometimes things we do in the martial arts don't make immediate, intuitive sense. In my mind, an instructor who yells at his students for asking questions is simply insecure about the art they are teaching. Sometimes, my students might get a little over-zealous and so I will ask them to hold off till after class to finish the discussion, but that is pretty rare and I never yell at them for it. However, if they are being disrespectful when asking, then I simply demonstrate the technique with a bit more gusto than normal.
     
  7. Yohan

    Yohan In the Spirit of Yohan Supporter

    I think alot of people want to make a cut-and-dry, knee jerk decision for you based on the limited amount of information you have provided. Don't do that.

    While the instructors are there to teach you the art, in the end, it's up to you to learn it and make it effective. If your instructors aren't even giving you a chance to learn it and make it effective, then it might be beneficial for you to have a civil sit-down with your instructors and discuss what your objectives are, and how you are going to acheive those objectives.

    A big part of martial arts is social. You have to work with the people in your class. You have to talk about what you are doing, question it, and work it out with your fellow instructors and students to make it right.
     
  8. Yohan

    Yohan In the Spirit of Yohan Supporter

    Just thought I would illustrate why you got "yelled at." Without being there, it's hard for anyone to make a judgement call on what's going on at your school. However, with the attitude exhibited in this post, I'm personally not the least bit surprised with the fact that you got disciplined. If you feel your opinion is well-illustrated by the bolded and enlarged text in the above, then you might seriously consider switching schools. Not because the school is crap, but because what they are teaching is obviously not for you.
     
  9. Kwajman

    Kwajman Penguin in paradise....

    Kind of like Llama-chick (girl?) said, its not what you ask, its how. You can wait till after class and ask what a particular technique is used for rather than calling him out during class. At the same time he needs to chill a little bit.
     
  10. GIJoe6186

    GIJoe6186 Valued Member

    There shouldnt be any reason to wait till after class.

    To ask why we are practicing a technique that we wont be using in sparring is not disrespectful at all. Its learning and questioning.

    This isnt Japan. You pay the instructor for a service and any rational person can ask questions about what is happening. You can tell if something is practical or not. There is no need to practice for years without question before you can understand the art or concept or whatever. If an instructor does not feel ok with this and needs to discipline you, remind him that you are not a child and therefore in no need of any discipline from him. Then leave and go to a real school.

    Your instructor deserves no more respect then you get. Ever.

    At my BJJ school, the instructors name is Chris. I can ask him wahtever I want whenever I want. If I ask a stupid question, hell give me a stupid answer. If I ask him something though, I always get an answer. Sometimes its not what I wanna hear but its an answer.

    Me - "Chris, why can't I get this move? I cant get it to work. Is it any good to use?"
    Him - "Well Joe, the move is as crappy or good as you are. If you want to use it, try practicing it more. If you cant get it to work in sparring, try using it more often."
     
  11. Gufbal1981

    Gufbal1981 waiting to train...

    I seriously say to quit that school right away. If your instructor is going to yell at you for asking a question, then the instructor doesn't want to think about anything negative about the way he trains you. That's a bad instructor. Run fast, run far.
     
  12. Scarlet Mist

    Scarlet Mist Banned Banned

    I think I'll end up leaving. I remember a couple years ago I was told not to cross train, and to wait until after I got my black belt to learn grappling. I decided to cross train anyway, almost quit at that point. Then I came back for a second spell and put up with some of that same stuff for a while, doing it without showing my irritation. Then my threshold was crossed, again.
    If there was another decent striking MA club I would have quit a while ago. Still there is nothing better *sigh*.
    Somewhere, deep inside, I want to say:

    So what's up with the this stance and that stance?
    This stuff is fake - assed like butt cheek implants,
    because please, when it comes to garbage moves like these
    I can't stand it like I got bad knees
    And why is there need to jump around like fairies
    This stuff is more flowery (floury) than ten thousand daises
    or a dry-ass cake, my irritation is baking
    So I'm taking
    Time off ....... indefinitely

    But that would be out of line. And silly.

    This recent insult (being called out, or yelled at and what have you) compounds my desire to leave. If only I didn't enjoy some aspects of it so so much...
     
  13. gungfujoe

    gungfujoe Please, call me Erik. :)

    Kinda like a joke, it's all in the delivery. :) None of us were there (okay, maybe you have classmates on the forum), so we don't know objectively what really happened, only your perception. From your description, the response does seem awfully harsh, but there could be explanations. Maybe the way you asked the question was perceived as extremely arrogant. I was explaining fist formation to my students a year or so ago and one said "I learned a different fist, what if I don't want to use this one?" To me, that's not a question, that's guff. I told him, fairly sternly, that he was presumably in my class to learn something new, not to just keep doing what he did in an art that he quit years ago. Maybe your teacher was having a really bad day, and overreacted. I think we've all said things we know we shouldn't have. If this is the case, your teacher should own up to it on his(her) own and apologize. Talk to him (her), and see if you can get back on the same page.

    Or maybe your teacher really isn't worth learning from, and you should quit. That's entirely possible, and to be honest, if I were to pick a martial arts school totally at random in the US, I strongly suspect the odds of picking a decent school or teacher would not be in my favor. Dunno if Jamaica is similarly afflicted with McDojos or not.

    I had a student ask a very similar question awhile ago - why are we doing this? I'd never do this in a fight. I did what I think any decent teacher should do in that situation - I tried to explain why we do that particular drill, and why its benefits indirectly help one's fighting ability (in this case, it was a balance and leg strengthening drill).

    On the flip side, I've seen techniques that, at first glance, I thought were too complex to be useful. Years later, as I've learned to have better command of my movements, I've found that they're actually quite effective, and not all that hard to do. Some students dismiss things as useless far too casually. Some faith in your instructor is necessary, but that faith needs to be based in something tangible.
     
    Last edited: Apr 17, 2007
  14. Shiho-Nage

    Shiho-Nage I'm okay to go.

    The only place that requires total subservient devotion to the leader without questioning is a cult. Punitive repercussions for defiling the number one rule of unquestioning loyalty is another flashing red warning sign.

    However, as others have mentioned, the manner in which the question(s) was(were) asked (phrasing, tone, level, etc.) makes a huge difference. Even if the techniques you were doing were completely worthless, to say so loudly across the dojo during practice is most likely to elicit a negative response.

    As always, I advise you to trust your gut. If you think something feels just wrong about the place and/or its instructors then you need to act on it. But, be honest with yourself. Strip your ego away from the event and determine if you weren't part of the problem. Try hard to view what happened as objectively as you can.
     
  15. CKava

    CKava Just one more thing... Supporter

    What MA class are you talking about Scarlet- Choy Li Fut? or BJJ?
     
  16. Scarlet Mist

    Scarlet Mist Banned Banned


    CLF. Great art. But sometimes, as is the case here it's practice is not to my liking.
     
  17. bmcgonag

    bmcgonag Valued Member

    So the concensus is that asking questions is good, and I whole-heartedly agree with that, but make sure you ask in a respectful manner.

    My students ask me all the time, why are we learning this? how would I ever use this in a fight? What's the purpose of this exercise?

    I love it, and it's good that they want to know. Knowledge goes with the skill.

    Just make sure you ask ina respectful way. If they still won't answer, time to find a new training place.

    Best,

    Brian
     
  18. fruitjuice!

    fruitjuice! Banned Banned

    Ask, don't question. DOn't have your mind made up before you ask either. Ask so that you can learn your master's view, not so you can preach yours. And if you don't like their view, don't be taught by them, go elsewhere.
     
  19. Tiger_ARVN

    Tiger_ARVN Valued Member

    Me personally, I think it is appropriate for a student to question what a teacher is TEACHING.

    But not question the TEACHER's abilities. IF you are there to judge him/her as your instructor, than whats the point of learning from them? In order for them to teach
    you their skills so you can one day make it your own, they need you to trust THEM.

    However, if a drill/principle/technique which is being taught confuses you, you should have every right to ask the Sifu

    1) What is the purpose of this drill? Is it to help my balance? Footwork?
    Is the drill really taken from this section of our form?

    2) How does this drill/technique/principle help me in regards to my development as a Martial Artist?

    3) In what way can I improve this drill Sifu? Do you suggest me doing more of it? Doing it with another partner? Do it more relaxed with proper intent/focus?

    ****BUT****

    TO question your Sifu's abilities is rather rude.

    For example

    A) How do I know your knowledge is good Sifu? What proof do you have to prove you are worthy of my money?

    B) I am 36 years old Sifu! Don't tell me your form is correct. Cuz I went online and saw Yip Man doing a totally different form, please don't try to fool me. (very very rude).
     
  20. Yohan

    Yohan In the Spirit of Yohan Supporter

    I personally think that a skilled teacher will be able to hanlde any questions or questioning that has been mentioned here. If your teacher is good and you questions a drill or something you are practicing, he/she will help you work it out. If you question his/her ability, she should bloody you good and proper.
     

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