Comments on: Teaching methods http://www.edwinstearns.com/2009/10/08/teaching-methods/ Edwin's notes on Aikido, programming and what I'm reading. Tue, 09 Nov 2010 11:54:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Edwin Stearns http://www.edwinstearns.com/2009/10/08/teaching-methods/comment-page-1/#comment-109 Edwin Stearns Sat, 12 Jun 2010 18:48:09 +0000 http://www.edwinstearns.com/?p=41#comment-109 <p>Thank you for your comments. Open mindedness as a student (or a teacher) is a very good quality and one that I would like to develop more. Deep knowledge requires looking at you own hidden assumptions and often the best way to do that is to train with those from a different background and experience. When I look back at my post, I am dismayed at my negative tone towards Mr. Riggs honest assessment. I am sure that he has learned and experienced many things that are closed to me because of my background. I will keep working on that open mindedness thing that is so elusive.</p> Thank you for your comments. Open mindedness as a student (or a teacher) is a very good quality and one that I would like to develop more. Deep knowledge requires looking at you own hidden assumptions and often the best way to do that is to train with those from a different background and experience. When I look back at my post, I am dismayed at my negative tone towards Mr. Riggs honest assessment. I am sure that he has learned and experienced many things that are closed to me because of my background. I will keep working on that open mindedness thing that is so elusive.

]]> By: Dan Herak http://www.edwinstearns.com/2009/10/08/teaching-methods/comment-page-1/#comment-108 Dan Herak Sat, 12 Jun 2010 00:42:30 +0000 http://www.edwinstearns.com/?p=41#comment-108 <p>I really enjoyed this post and think it sheds light on some important issues and touches upon at least one other important, though rarely discussed, point. I agree that instructors, even high ranking ones, who try to impart wisdom or insight verbally are often not using precious mat time efficiently. My experience contrasted with that of my friend demonstrated this point to me.</p> <p>We both started at an independent dojo in Cleveland with an instructor who trained through ASU. My friend moved to Phoenix and has received her shodan through ASU. Part of that training, however, consisted of the dojo cho regularly calling her and several other students to the back mat area for the second half of class for lectures on aikdo. I moved to Florida where I train at Florida Aikikai (as you know, a Federation dojo). Although I now appreciate the emphasis on basic technique, I found it very frustrating at first compared to my previous concept-oriented training.</p> <p>I went to visit my friend and, despite her dan ranking as compared to my yukyushu-for-life limbo, I was (and I mean no disrespect here) really underwhelmed by not only her technique, but that of others at the dojo. Where was the benefit of all the dissertations?</p> <p>I think one issue that this touches upon, though, is the issue of shihan worhip (as opposed to shihan respect) one sees in some branches of aikido. Or, put more narrowly, the tendency of some to develop a cult of personality with respect to their shihan to the point of denigrating not only what others have to offer, but the manner in which the information is presented by someone with a different approach. I had that strong feeling upon reading Joel Riggs piece, although will explicitly state that I do not know the man and am merely going upon the tone of his interpretation of Yamada Sensei's seminar. But I could not shake the thought that what Riggs Sensei wanted was a shihan with the same style as Robert Nadeau Shihan (under whom Riggs Sensei trained) but with slightly different information.</p> <p>Although I am happy with the Federation, one benefit to having trained independently at first is that I haver found myself more open to a variety of what others can teach me (though perhaps that is my ego speaking; alas, I cannot say). That is not to say I think it is all good. I have seen some high ranked instructors teach techniques that I, lowly perch that I may occupy, think are useless in terms of self-defense, and often just extensions of the instructor's ego on the mat. But those relate to individual techniques or instructors, not general concepts.</p> <p>Just my $0.02, for what it is worth.</p> I really enjoyed this post and think it sheds light on some important issues and touches upon at least one other important, though rarely discussed, point. I agree that instructors, even high ranking ones, who try to impart wisdom or insight verbally are often not using precious mat time efficiently. My experience contrasted with that of my friend demonstrated this point to me.

We both started at an independent dojo in Cleveland with an instructor who trained through ASU. My friend moved to Phoenix and has received her shodan through ASU. Part of that training, however, consisted of the dojo cho regularly calling her and several other students to the back mat area for the second half of class for lectures on aikdo. I moved to Florida where I train at Florida Aikikai (as you know, a Federation dojo). Although I now appreciate the emphasis on basic technique, I found it very frustrating at first compared to my previous concept-oriented training.

I went to visit my friend and, despite her dan ranking as compared to my yukyushu-for-life limbo, I was (and I mean no disrespect here) really underwhelmed by not only her technique, but that of others at the dojo. Where was the benefit of all the dissertations?

I think one issue that this touches upon, though, is the issue of shihan worhip (as opposed to shihan respect) one sees in some branches of aikido. Or, put more narrowly, the tendency of some to develop a cult of personality with respect to their shihan to the point of denigrating not only what others have to offer, but the manner in which the information is presented by someone with a different approach. I had that strong feeling upon reading Joel Riggs piece, although will explicitly state that I do not know the man and am merely going upon the tone of his interpretation of Yamada Sensei’s seminar. But I could not shake the thought that what Riggs Sensei wanted was a shihan with the same style as Robert Nadeau Shihan (under whom Riggs Sensei trained) but with slightly different information.

Although I am happy with the Federation, one benefit to having trained independently at first is that I haver found myself more open to a variety of what others can teach me (though perhaps that is my ego speaking; alas, I cannot say). That is not to say I think it is all good. I have seen some high ranked instructors teach techniques that I, lowly perch that I may occupy, think are useless in terms of self-defense, and often just extensions of the instructor’s ego on the mat. But those relate to individual techniques or instructors, not general concepts.

Just my $0.02, for what it is worth.

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