Poignant observations and made perfect sense. The missing element (for me) is who teaches the teachers? My very limited experience here in the U.K., is no-one. Somehow elevating up through the ranks bestows some ability to teach. Taking what’s worked for you by your teachers and by some miracle of osmosis, a new teacher is born. That’s not to say that it doesn’t happen, an innate, internal teacher mode may very exist. Extracting the myriad of teaching styles and being able to adapt and adopt them to make your own teaching but is that the best way to nurture teaching skills?
I want to be a better teacher / coach? Do you have any thoughts on how to be better?
That is the million-dollar question. Who teaches the teachers? In most budo circles, the honest answer is nobody. We somehow assume that once somebody reaches a certain grade, the mysteries of teaching will descend upon them from above. Of course, being good at kendo and being good at teaching kendo are two quite different things.
Most of us learn by watching our own teachers, pinching the things that worked, quietly dropping the things that did not, and then experimenting on our students until we find our own way. There is nothing necessarily wrong with that, but relying entirely on osmosis is hardly an ideal system.
I think the best way to improve is to observe good teachers as closely as you observe good kendoka. Look not only at what they teach, but why they teach it that way, to those particular people, at that particular moment. Try things, see what actually gets through, ask for honest feedback, and be prepared to admit when an explanation or exercise has fallen flat. That happens to all of us.
Most importantly, teach the people standing in front of you, not some imaginary ideal student. Different people need different doors into the same lesson. The fact that you are already asking how to become a better teacher probably means you are well on the way.
Gordon - amazing observation and I agree entirely. While not a Kendoka I do practice other martial arts and sport. One is biathlon and shooting. What you state is spot on for the individual…. I want to coach, be a better coach so how do I pursue and achieve that goal? While there are numerous resources for becoming a better coach books, mental game, physiology aspects, etc. , along with this personal desire there must be formalized coaching pathways and programs- all which strategically support the sport or thing being taught and learned. Using the Olympics and Biathlon as examples there are formal coaching programs- common sense and obvious but it’s worth stating. And alongside these programs has to be individuals with the DESIRE to be the best coach they can
become. No program instills that desire - in closing , may I suggest respectfully that as we said in the Marines if you’re looking around for someone to lead, that someone is YOU. You have found a gap in UK KENDO, who coaches the coach …. pursue and start a formal program yourself. An instant byproduct will be you meeting and connecting with the best , whilst learning from them - I am excited for you!
Have you had a look at Alex’s brother Blake Bennett’s work? His work is about teaching the teachers. I’ve been lucky enough to attend some of the workshops he holds in New Zealand, and I’ve always found them very useful.
I truly enjoyed your perspective on teaching. As a retired biology teacher (50 yrs teaching), I appreciate the challenges of communicating with students to convey information. As a student of kendo, I appreciate what instructors go through to accomplish the learning process. My takeaway is “keep moving, keep learning “.
Thank you! After fifty years of teaching, you certainly know far more about the challenges of communicating with students than most of us. It must also be fascinating to find yourself on the other side of the process again as a student of kendo. “Keep moving, keep learning” sums it up perfectly. That applies just as much to the teacher as it does to the student. It's all the same really.
Yes, I guess so! I was not consciously framing it in terms of ecological dynamics when I wrote the piece, but there is clearly a lot of overlap, particularly in adapting the learning environment and allowing students to discover solutions rather than simply copying a prescribed movement.
For sure! I think that there are elements of eco dynamics in everything we do, even if we are not conscious of them - we are humans moving in and adapting to the environment after all!
Poignant observations and made perfect sense. The missing element (for me) is who teaches the teachers? My very limited experience here in the U.K., is no-one. Somehow elevating up through the ranks bestows some ability to teach. Taking what’s worked for you by your teachers and by some miracle of osmosis, a new teacher is born. That’s not to say that it doesn’t happen, an innate, internal teacher mode may very exist. Extracting the myriad of teaching styles and being able to adapt and adopt them to make your own teaching but is that the best way to nurture teaching skills?
I want to be a better teacher / coach? Do you have any thoughts on how to be better?
That is the million-dollar question. Who teaches the teachers? In most budo circles, the honest answer is nobody. We somehow assume that once somebody reaches a certain grade, the mysteries of teaching will descend upon them from above. Of course, being good at kendo and being good at teaching kendo are two quite different things.
Most of us learn by watching our own teachers, pinching the things that worked, quietly dropping the things that did not, and then experimenting on our students until we find our own way. There is nothing necessarily wrong with that, but relying entirely on osmosis is hardly an ideal system.
I think the best way to improve is to observe good teachers as closely as you observe good kendoka. Look not only at what they teach, but why they teach it that way, to those particular people, at that particular moment. Try things, see what actually gets through, ask for honest feedback, and be prepared to admit when an explanation or exercise has fallen flat. That happens to all of us.
Most importantly, teach the people standing in front of you, not some imaginary ideal student. Different people need different doors into the same lesson. The fact that you are already asking how to become a better teacher probably means you are well on the way.
Gordon - amazing observation and I agree entirely. While not a Kendoka I do practice other martial arts and sport. One is biathlon and shooting. What you state is spot on for the individual…. I want to coach, be a better coach so how do I pursue and achieve that goal? While there are numerous resources for becoming a better coach books, mental game, physiology aspects, etc. , along with this personal desire there must be formalized coaching pathways and programs- all which strategically support the sport or thing being taught and learned. Using the Olympics and Biathlon as examples there are formal coaching programs- common sense and obvious but it’s worth stating. And alongside these programs has to be individuals with the DESIRE to be the best coach they can
become. No program instills that desire - in closing , may I suggest respectfully that as we said in the Marines if you’re looking around for someone to lead, that someone is YOU. You have found a gap in UK KENDO, who coaches the coach …. pursue and start a formal program yourself. An instant byproduct will be you meeting and connecting with the best , whilst learning from them - I am excited for you!
Have you had a look at Alex’s brother Blake Bennett’s work? His work is about teaching the teachers. I’ve been lucky enough to attend some of the workshops he holds in New Zealand, and I’ve always found them very useful.
I truly enjoyed your perspective on teaching. As a retired biology teacher (50 yrs teaching), I appreciate the challenges of communicating with students to convey information. As a student of kendo, I appreciate what instructors go through to accomplish the learning process. My takeaway is “keep moving, keep learning “.
Thank you! After fifty years of teaching, you certainly know far more about the challenges of communicating with students than most of us. It must also be fascinating to find yourself on the other side of the process again as a student of kendo. “Keep moving, keep learning” sums it up perfectly. That applies just as much to the teacher as it does to the student. It's all the same really.
Thank you for your contribution to making Iadera what it is! We look forward to seeing you next and all future summers in Zadar!
Thank you mate!!
This is really describing elements of ecological dynamics in kendo instruction!
Yes, I guess so! I was not consciously framing it in terms of ecological dynamics when I wrote the piece, but there is clearly a lot of overlap, particularly in adapting the learning environment and allowing students to discover solutions rather than simply copying a prescribed movement.
For sure! I think that there are elements of eco dynamics in everything we do, even if we are not conscious of them - we are humans moving in and adapting to the environment after all!