By Rochelle E. Brenner
This is my original insight on the ladder of teaching ability for martial arts instructors. The standards here should apply to most other coaches, educators, and advancing pursuits.
The lowest form of teaching is counting. Anyone can name a move and count reps. It’s the most basic level of teaching. Think of this as a boring lecture from someone reading from a book. It's as much originality as color by number. It goes up from there.
The next level up is 2, to name the moves. They do several moves in a row by naming and demonstrating them each time. “Jab cross.”(Class repeats Jab cross) “Again, go.” “Jab Cross.” At this level the teacher can do a move and the class mimics it by watching and repeating. Think of this as a kindergarten class looking at flash cards and repeating what the teacher says.
At the next level, 3, the instructor knows the moves by memory and can guide the class through it step-by step. “Step back, downward block, advancing front kick, palm strike.” Think of this as a multiple choice test where the instructor knows all the answers to what the next move is. They can’t divert from the instruction manual. Move here, then here. And done. A poor habit at this level is moving the student for them, literally taking their hand or foot and moving it where you want it. In most cases, your words and demonstrations should generate the intended action.
The next level is stage 4, which is excellent execution. This level is for someone who is quite good at performing the skills, but does not have the skills to teach them. This is the stage for some of the best students, who have not developed teaching skills. An example of this might be an accomplished musician or athlete who can do all of the things beautifully, but doesn’t know how to get someone else to do them other than “Do what I’m doing” “Like this” “Just repeat after me.” This level is challenging because the performer is so good people want to work with them, but they are demonstrating their ability, not pulling out the ability of the student. Teaching requires communication.
One rung up the ladder at level 5, a teacher can provide some perspective on what they are doing. It’s not simply do the moves, but “This step to the right is to create distance, this elbow strike is to get them off balance and create momentum for the next strike. This next step is to be able to see your attacker.” Instead of “step, elbow, strike, step.”
This concludes the skill levels necessary to be an adequate assistant instructor or demonstrate a drill in martial arts. These are amateur level skills. If your skills do not rise above this level, you are not yet ready to teach a class without a head instructor on the mat with you.
Identifying your ability on the ladder will help you to be comfortable in your ability and grow as an instructor. Your goal should not be to get even better at the first 5 levels, but to progress into the professional skills at level 6.
Level 6 and above includes the realm of teaching qualities that create better classes and better martial artists.
The first stage of professional teaching incorporates adaptability. That means changing. It entails adjusting the teaching method, strategy, approach and words, to the person you are teaching and where they are at. It’s the ability to recognize a student as beginner, intermediate or advanced. It’s the ability to see if they are “getting it” and redirect how you’re teaching until they get it. It’s the awareness that everyone isn’t going to do it exactly how you do it, and they’re still doing it right. It’s allowing for modification for individuals. It’s identifying whether you explained it well or need a new metaphor. “This hand position is called a crane.” “A crane is a bird with a beak.” “Make a beak with your hands.” “Imagine you are holding a piece of paper with your fingertips.” “Open your hand and press all four fingers against your thumb.” Instead of just saying “do it better, stronger or louder” you specify what will make it better.
The next level is 7 and it reflects personality. You’re comfortable enough in your teaching and knowledge to add your own commentary. You say motivating things, tell stories, add personal observations, maybe tell jokes, or inspire discipline, or come up with another way to get them to do a “crane.” Your speaking at this level is generally strong and confident and you consciously work on editing out repetitive “verbal crutches” because you know what to say and you say it without “um” “right” “now we’re going to” “like this” “got that?” after every sentence.
Level 8 cements that you’re prepared and you have a style. This is the level where you are really identifiable as a unique instructor with a style of teaching, a tone, a flow. You’re in control like a conductor in front of an orchestra. You see the little things. You’re personally prepared for each class mentally and physically. You thought about what you’re going to teach, how you’re going to teach it, and you’re ready to go. You could teach the class with your hands tied behind your back, but you prepared anyway to make sure you hit all your points.
What I love about this level is saying this: No matter how many seminars you go to, how much training you do, no one is going to change your style: You will always have your own style. You will grow and adapt and improve, but your style is yours.
The best way I like to describe style is not in similarities but in the differences between instructors. Imagine the free throw of the top 5 basketball players in the world. If their images were turned into silhouettes, so you couldn’t identify what they look like, could you tell who it is by their motion? Of course if you watch basketball the answer is yes. It’s the exact same move done perfectly by different people, but they all do it so differently, it’s recognizable by an amateur. That’s style.
The next level is 9 and this requires passion and interest. This is your purpose, you love what you are doing, and you get true joy out of seeing the light come on for your students. You learn from them and revel in seeing them being just as good as you, and in some areas, better. You encourage them to seek out more knowledge and gain confidence as they do. You are a leader by inspiring students to gain knowledge. You are leading leaders, in that they are not just learning, but others are sharing knowledge they got from you. At this level you’ve gotten to the point of speaking clearly and authoritatively without repetitive cliches.
Level 10 is innovation. This is where you can do “disguised repetition” 20 different ways backwards and forwards, make things up on the fly and make every class a unique enjoyable experience for sweating, smiling and learning. You can write curriculum and see students get better because you created new ways for them to train using different tools and approaches.
The final level is 11: the basketball player who never stops practicing who makes the whole team better and whose free throw is a work of art. This is the level where knowledge and creativity meet, someone with such deep knowledge, they can teach not just what they’re teaching, but perspective on other strategies and styles. They can teach Tae Kwan Do, knowing the history, application, development, modern adaptations, physically challenging, elite level, alternative ways of doing it. And they can bring their students to an elite level. They have a trained eye, hyperfocus to detail, and their own spin. Their teaching can be inspiring but can’t be copied.
Having worked with every level, I can tell you I’m not an 11. I’m a 10 with lots of areas to improve.
A few caveats, all of these levels are in fact teaching and can be done in limited doses effectively. A legitimate skill of a professional is they know when to incorporate levels 1 to 3 to help move students along, but that’s not their only tool. Even coloring by number helps teach colors, patterns, and staying in the lines. It’s OK to count, to name a move and do it, to go step by step, to demonstrate exquisite form. That’s all part of the hierarchy of teaching. But if you’re going to be a professional, you have to keep adding tools. Professional martial arts instructors have a superpower to make people learn with a full workbench of supplies.
The best way to use this list is to encourage instructors to honestly address their level and then help usher them to the next spot. Give them a chance to incorporate personality in a drill as they grow in confidence. Ask them to add a spark into class with a new drill idea, provide the freedom to come up with a new way to teach a move. And when they do it, congratulate them on reaching the next level of teaching. As their number rises, so does yours.
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