Teaching Styles

Wai Jia: The Kung Fu Forum Kung Fu Forum
1

Teetsao’s thread on his new instructional DVD created a debate on whether or not one can learn from a video. Some say “yes”, others say “no”.

Something that I believe is missed in the discussion is: what is really important is how people learn. I have taught in a college setting and my wife is a public school teacher. So, we have a bit of experience in the teaching field.

I believe most martial arts instructors, due to a lack of training in teaching techniques, simply mimic the way their teacher taught his classes. This can be good, or this can be bad.

Before one begins to teach, one must first understand how people learn. Not everyone learns the same way. To be successful, teaching must be patterned for the student.

How many of you have seen students that quickly pick up what the teacher instructs, while others lag far behind? The problem may not be the student. The problem may be that the teacher only knows one particular manner of teaching. Those that learn through his method have brains that have been programed from birth to respond to this type of instruction. Those who lag behind learn only when the material is presented a different way.

There are two main types of learners in a martial arts context. Those who learn visually and those who learn by doing things hands on.

People who learn visually have an uncanny ability to watch something performed, pick it apart mentally and repeat it. This type of person could learn/benefit from watching an instructional DVD. I am this type of learner. My instructor would permit me to videotape him doing a form. Then I would go home and practice with the video. With minor corrections, I could pick up almost any form very quickly. Classes were spent learning the applications and drilling the combinations found in the form. Fortunately, my instructor was willing to cater to my needs as a student. :slight_smile:

People who learn by doing things hands on have a harder time watching and repeating a performance. The teacher may have to break everything down into the simplest pieces. Even physically move the student’s feet and hands where they need to be. This type of student would get very little out of watching an instructional DVD.

Some things instructors may want to consider:

  1. Am I simply parroting the same teaching style my teacher used?
  2. How can I change or supplement my teaching method to make my lessons easier for each individual student?
  3. How do I learn? And do I pattern my teaching only for others who learn like I do?

Just some food for thought!

2

Richard,

Salute to you first. Yes, some people can learn from a video. With regards to what you said, I would say people who can learn a lot by watching a video are ones who have previous experiences and knowledge of the subject. And people who learn by doing things hands on have a harder time watching and repeating a performance are likely not talented in the subject. A good teacher should be frank to his student on whether he is suitable material to learn the subject.

  1. Am I simply parroting the same teaching style my teacher used?

    I am not a teacher, but I will not parrot nor duplicate the same teaching style
    my teacher used.

  2. How can I change or supplement my teaching method to make my lessons easier for each individual student?

    Customized the training program according to the student’s physique, character, ideas of
    the subject.

  3. How do I learn? And do I pattern my teaching only for others who learn like I do?

    There is more than one way to learn. Over time, a teacher should develop a teaching
    method for the subject. It is not carved in stone as cannot be changed a bit. It is used
    to teach all kinds of student, of which minor adjustment is made to suit individual student
    if necessary.

Regards,

KC
Hong Kong

3

You can learn alot from video but here are some things I’ve found help out the process immensely.

1.) It helps alot if you are not a beginner at the skill. If you are “upgrading” or “improving” an existing skillset video will be much more helpful. Retraining ones basics into a new version of the same skill is very feasible.

2.) It helps alot if the video is “chunked” over a longer period of time than a normal DVD viewing. If you are getting a bit today, then another bit in a few weeks or a month, then another bit a little later this provides “ripening” time for you to ponder and experiment.

3.) It helps alot if the source of the video (the teacher) has clear-cut goals and is hyper-organized in the presentation of the material. Obviously it’s best to be clear and in accord with them as the receiver of the material.

4.) Feedback is CRITICAL. Ideally via the same medium as you got the information (i.e. video). If you get detailed feedback over an extended period of time (as you slowly learn the material) the results are far better.

5.) Dovetailing with #4.. Video-journaling of your progress (or lack thereof) is an AMAZING aid to the learning process. There is a saying that “the camera adds ten pounds”. I am here to testify (can I get an Amen?) that the camera is a horribly horribly truthful best friend. It makes one’s fine and adequate skills look completely flaw-ridden and atrocious. What you see through “another’s eyes” you can begin to fix yourself.

Part of a teacher’s role is to provide the “another’s eyes”. If you can help by “seeing yourself as other’s see you” you can gain alot which you might otherwise miss.

If you have the above elements in place you can transform the “I see them occasionally in person” teaching relationship into something very formidable. The format enforces a certain practice discipline and can yield results far better than a “I go to a crowded class regularly but don’t train much all by myself or get any private lessons” model.

Now how does this stack up to “I spend 2 hours solo per 1 hour of thrice weekly class and have 2 dedicated private lessons with my teacher per month”?

The last option blows it away of course.

The ideal situation is to live with your teacher and spend 4-8 hours a day with them for years on end. But how many of us get that kind of training?

4

Excellent read! :slight_smile:

5

[QUOTE=dimethylsea;1041623]You can learn alot from video but here are some things I’ve found help out the process immensely.

1.) It helps alot if you are not a beginner at the skill. If you are “upgrading” or “improving” an existing skillset video will be much more helpful. Retraining ones basics into a new version of the same skill is very feasible.

2.) It helps alot if the video is “chunked” over a longer period of time than a normal DVD viewing. If you are getting a bit today, then another bit in a few weeks or a month, then another bit a little later this provides “ripening” time for you to ponder and experiment.

3.) It helps alot if the source of the video (the teacher) has clear-cut goals and is hyper-organized in the presentation of the material. Obviously it’s best to be clear and in accord with them as the receiver of the material.

4.) Feedback is CRITICAL. Ideally via the same medium as you got the information (i.e. video). If you get detailed feedback over an extended period of time (as you slowly learn the material) the results are far better.

5.) Dovetailing with #4.. Video-journaling of your progress (or lack thereof) is an AMAZING aid to the learning process. There is a saying that “the camera adds ten pounds”. I am here to testify (can I get an Amen?) that the camera is a horribly horribly truthful best friend. It makes one’s fine and adequate skills look completely flaw-ridden and atrocious. What you see through “another’s eyes” you can begin to fix yourself.

Part of a teacher’s role is to provide the “another’s eyes”. If you can help by “seeing yourself as other’s see you” you can gain alot which you might otherwise miss.[/QUOTE]

All excellent points!

6

Learning from DVD or video

My personal opinion is that there many things you can learn from watching a video, but there are many things you may not be able to pick up from watching a video.

General movements are easy to see and follow, however breathing patterns are hard to figure out while watching a video. Soft power (yao sao) or hard power (gong sao), can you tell from watching the video? Is he using kinetic energy or just speed and momentum?

As far as teaching, over the last 20 years I have learned to adapt my teaching to each individual student. If you want to keep students and teach them something we must adapt to the needs of the people coming thru our doors. Unless you have 3 students you teach out of your garage and don’t care about if they learn or not.

ginosifu

7

[QUOTE=ginosifu;1041940]
General movements are easy to see and follow, however breathing patterns are hard to figure out while watching a video. Soft power (yao sao) or hard power (gong sao), can you tell from watching the video? Is he using kinetic energy or just speed and momentum?
[/QUOTE]

Technically any object in motion is exhibiting kinetic energy.

Kenergy=(1/2)mv^2; where m=mass and v=velocity
or,
Kenergy=p^2/2m; where p=momentum and m=mass

As for details and videos. You’d be surprised how many of those details work themselves out with some effort and a dedicated sparring partner…

8

sorry my use of words may not have been correct. Kinetic may not have been the appropriate way to explain rooting and using energy from the ground to support your technique VS speed and momentum. these are difficult to detect.

SoCo - Your speaking about being able to figure stuff out is coming from someone who already knows some Kung Fu. A person who has no experience in KF will not know anything and will not know what hard power or soft power is. These details can not be figured out by absolute novices but are key to advanced student training.

ginosifu