[Ansteorra-rapier] talking about teaching (venting)

[Delphina Champeaux]

Good morning,

Lately, there has been a lot of talk about teaching
others. (It seems to be on every list I'm on ...
smile)  I have been thinking about the fact that I
don't teach as often as I used to and wondering why.
I've come up with two reasons...

1. I'm burned out on teaching.  I'm a professional
educator and there are just times of the year that I
need a rest. This is not the main reason because I do
love to teach but is a factor.

2. For the last year or so, I have not been teaching
that much because I got tired of hearing the same
thing from the people I tried to help.  (Now, before
you think that I was just butting in and demanding
that they listen to me, I was not.  Most of the people
asked me for help and the others I politely asked if
they wanted my observations. To which they answered
yes.)

There is an instinct to defend what you are doing when
another shows you a different way.  If anyone whats to
get better the different way may help.  I do not
believe that there is [echo effect on] ONE TRUE WAY
[echo effect off]. But as a teacher I got real tired
of offering suggestions just to hear... "Well in
_________ (fill in a marshal art) I was taught to do
X."  or "Yeah but __________ (fill in a reason to lean
forward leaving your face open)."

If you are offered help please listen without telling
the 'teacher' that it won't work for you unless there
is a physical problem, ie: "My knee and toe don't
point the same way."  Try it.  It may not work for
you, that's OK. Say thank you, even if you don't ever
use the information again.  That way the 'teacher'
will want to help you again and who knows there might
be something that they have to say that can help you.

Thank you all for listening to me vent.

Delphina






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