What Does a Great Instructor Look Like?

Taiji : It's A-Maze-ingIt’s just a question.

Help me — I’d like some belligerent, some kind, some gentle, some raw, some serious, and some funny ideas.

  • See…I’m biased.

Because I’m the best instructor, I’m biased ;)

I like to cover at 3-5 kinds of content per Taiji class: natural motion, striking things, perfect (or at least excellent) form, great drills for two or more people, and wildly awesome applications. And I like to adjust, refine, and detour each of my Taiji classes based on individual skill level, student questions, and flow…you know…the things that are going well: making them more awesome.

Enough about me.

I’m even more biased because I have students lurking on the edge of instructor-hood. I have students that, once immersed in Taiji, who grew fast and sunk deep.

  • You know who you are!

They’re filled with delight, and they’ve expanded their other arts…motion and music among them. They’ve grown great grins and, at the same time, owned a whole new level of existential stillness. Of course, they can each hit hard while owning some capacities to offer a healing touch too.

  • They’re way better than an average instructor.

So, you see…my biases are so filled with visions of excellence, I need some tempering. Hammer me out some visions, some quotes, some notes, some wisdom about:

What does a great instructor look like?

Of course, I don’t mean merely looks…I’m wondering: how does one behave, what skills might they have, what methods do they teach with…etc…etc. And, while Taiji is our central topic, other visions of refined and awesome instructors may apply too.

Let me know…

6 Responses to What Does a Great Instructor Look Like?

  1. Nate says:
    30 March 2011 at 5:56 pm

    Great question. I’d like to share.

    Equality is so key in interactions. Even though I can’t always see and understand it – I strive to interact with everyone on principles of equality. One thing I’ve noticed and that I look for in people now is: if they regularly recognize a higher power – its a key piece to equality as I’ve come to see.

    Being a teacher, while still being you. I watch for people who attach to their roles, those who think because they’re teacher that they’re right and must be listened to. And because they’ve associated it so closely with themselves, they get offended when it doesn’t go their way. So, I watch for people who realize that they’re still themselves – they’re not always right nor should they always be listened to. Then they can be receptive too, which leads me to…

    Always a teacher, always a student. It’s just too hard to interact with those who are all one or the other it seems – you know to get a 2-way dynamic communication going.

    I agree, Steven. Never say never or always or any of that – so I’ll just say you’re REALLY good :)

    I mean that.

  2. Rex says:
    30 March 2011 at 8:43 pm

    Sorry but equality to me Soundzzzz more like boring convention and conformity and why does a person have to recognize a single biased and ultimately hollow definition of: “higher” power hmmm!!!!?

    Being “open-Minded” and ALL-INCLUSIVE: flexible and adaptable to discerning individual giftzzzzz. Remarkable Sense of Humour and LEVITY: not Uppity nor up tight and DIVISIVE

    • Nate says:
      30 March 2011 at 9:44 pm

      Every time I see a person who doesn’t recognize a higher power I see some one who doesn’t know who’s greater than who – so they have a hard time seeing equality. A higher power doesn’t have to be a person, it could be an idea, or a natural law, or whatever the individual feels comfortable with. I think it’s pretty essential to equality. Boring? Maybe how you’ve heard it. To me, its fundamental and key.

  3. Rex says:
    30 March 2011 at 8:46 pm

    Someone who seezzzz da PotentiaL in Others and has a Wonderful knack 4 accentuating and Coaxing da best outta everyone

  4. Rox says:
    31 March 2011 at 12:57 pm

    Irony: u “say” EquaLity: but u “Say” Greater than “who” as weLL?

    SeemS: More Like: in YOUR: Opinion: how u “view” the World, ja?

    There is “no” Way: no “right” no “Wrong” only “how” we CHOOSE: :P

    2 “view” this “world” ja? the “path” is da “Way” ja?

    No “need” 2 “RECOGNIZE” what’s “already” THERE: ja?