Just Venting

[Little Apple]

Ok, so today was my first day this semester teaching class. Our normal instructor was out of town, and normally that means this other guy fills in with a Capoera class, but he was going out of town too. So I was going to teach, along with the dude who's taking over the clubs next year. And what happens?
5 people show up. Normally we have about 15. I know I'm a small female, and they aren't used to thinking of me as an instructor, but it upset me.

I'd ID'ed a handful of things that would have really helped everyone, and then the people who needed it most, the newer students, barely showed up. Am I not worth that much respect to them? It makes me want to see each and every one of them doing push-ups. Did they not think I was capable of teaching a good class? Every single person who did come, got noticibly better within the time of that class. I hope that teaches them to skip when it's my day to teach.

[GranFire]

I do TKD, and we have a flexible lesson plan...yeah for being commercial so sometimes we have solo classes (good deal, because they cost extra if you have to book them) or really small classes. One day we had as many instructos as students on the floor! Oh the fun...


Anyhow. It's their loss, and the students that did show got a treat with extra attention.

I like the way you think though...next lass you can work them extra hard!
And Push-ups is ot punishment but neccessary exercise

Just don't let it get to you! It is not your problem, but their's if they don't see the value in a class, even if a different instructor teaches. We have two main instructors in our school, the owner and his wife. While I usually take with him - the schedule works better for me this way - I enjoy the change of pace working out with her - different worlds. Who ever coined the phrase *Dynamite comes in small packages*, he must have met her!

[chalambok]

Well, when I feel I've been disrespected by a student, I ignore them. I believe in rewarding good students, but I don't believe in punishing poor ones. The growth in the students who did come to class will show, and peer pressure is always your best ally as a teacher.

[treelizard]

Nice job helping the students that did show up get better. Focus on that, imo.

[Little Apple]

I know, I know. I'm just venting because I was all happy about finally teaching some of the stuff I saw them missing, and then so many of them didn't come. Did I mention that some of them used the room as a meeting spot, and then left to go hang out? That was a bit frustrating.

[Slavez3ro]

Well sorry about that i never had any problems being taught by a girl they are so much more gentle and have much more patience than the male instructors.
Anybody who has the courage to teach someone else has my respect.

[Tim Mousel]

Don't take it personally. The students get used to training with their instructor and many times when their instructor isn't there they aren't motivated to go.

I remember years ago at Rickson Gracie's academy he went through a period of time where he didn't teach a lot of his classes. He had a very good and qualified BJJ black belt teaching when he wasn't there. Many students stopped going on the nights Rickson wasn't there. It wasn't because the BJJ black belt wasn't good, it was because they were used to training with Rickson.

If you were to have your own class and your own students the same thing would happen to the instructor that was filling in for you!

Hang in there!

Tim

[Caddock]

I have had that happen to me in the past. It happened less the more often I filled in.

Some of it can be that they are used to one instructor and lack the motivation to come when someone else is in charge, or see it as a way to play hookey for the day. Everyone likes to feel they are sneaking a break now and then, it may have nothing to do at all with what they feel about you personally.

I believe, as noted above, that is good on you for giving your best to those that did come. Good for you as a coach and good for them as practioners. They may well become your greatest ally in curbing the slackers' behaviour later on. They may just start talking about how cool something you did was etc. I like to believe in my case that happened, or at least they just got more used to my ugly mug.

My instructor has moved off to another city now and I have taken on the administrative duties as well as the coaching. I was able to do this smoothly because of the times I filled in on past occassions and a good transition time with our coach.

If I can pull it off I am sure you can.

[GranFire]

I know, I know. I'm just venting because I was all happy about finally teaching some of the stuff I saw them missing, and then so many of them didn't come. Did I mention that some of them used the room as a meeting spot, and then left to go hang out? That was a bit frustrating.

You sound like someone I'd like to train with! Keep it up!

[Little Apple]

Thanks, I think I feel better now.

I'm just going to use this face again though, because it's kind of cool looking, and this is my angry thread:



heh, look and the little flames go. I like that the thing says "err" to make that one.

[chalambok]

Not All Tests Are Announced

and especially, many of the most valuable ones you learn in life. This was a good test for you, to see if you can maintain your cool in a stressful situation, brush it off and continue to do what you want to do. Class that night ended up being more for you than for them, on lots of levels. It was extremely disrespectful for them to show up and then leave, but you learned a lot about them that might not have shown until you needed them to show for real. So you learned something, maybe from their body language, or their verbiage or even something they have been exhibiting for weeks before. Because you have been a diligent student, taken good notes (I know you do...lol), never missed a class if possible, somewhere inside you knew this was going to happen. Your job/test now is to find it within you and learn to believe in it in a more timely manner. So then you see you are, in a sense, starting to learn how to manipulate events. We say in krabi-krabong that when you notice a mistake it is really in response to the mistake you made the step before. You got more out of this class because they were not there, so you should go up to each of them and say, "Thank you."