The Most Genuine Question
For a Martial Arts Teacher
By Jonathan Bluestein
John Taylor Gatto (1935 – 2018) was a famous American educator and public speaker. He spent three decades in the United States’ public school system, thrice earning the title of ‘New York City’s Teacher of the Year’, and once the title of ‘New York State Teacher of the Year’. It is obvious then, that this exceptional individual, John Taylor Gatto, used to not only work for the ‘system’, but was also highly appreciated for his work.
But having grown wiser over the years, Gatto finally decided to quit his job as a school teacher, having become fed up with what he considered to be the physical and psychological mass-torture of young people. He spent the latter half of his adult life lecturing and preaching against the system he once used to diligently serve.
There is much wisdom to gain by listening to John Taylor Gatto, and as he frequently appealed to teachers, a lot of it is relevant to us as well. Once thing Gatto said in particular, struck a chord with me. He proclaimed the following of his role as a teacher:
“I believe that it is the right of every child to ask, in a polite way… Taking into account that I am only human… What is it that we are doing here (in the classroom), and why are we doing it? And if I cannot answer that question well, then I think that child is entitled to leave the premises and do as he pleases, as long as he does not go wild and brings the house down”. Such is the most genuine and fundamental question that a student may pose to a teacher – including he who instructs the martial arts.
This is a very controversial statement to make in the context of public schools, but in my opinion, less so for our own establishments. This is where we must cultivate honesty and humility. Can we say such a thing to our students? Are we truly knowledgeable enough of our skills and methods, to be able to come up with a reasonable answer to most things they might ask? And if not – how could we work hard to remedy the situation?
Case in point, would be the novel and often strange ideas on how to interpret movement forms in the traditional martial arts (Kata or Taulu). We have all been there. Having learned a movement or two from our teachers, we are confronted by a situation wherein a student asks us about the martial usage of said movements. We then realize, that we have never had the opportunity to ask our teachers about the meaning of these movements, of which our student now inquires. Worse yet, we have discounted our ignorance over the years, and never bothered to have a decent reality-check of these movements. Now, we are stuck.
You know what the most common scenario is then, right? The teacher, being embarrassed and wishing to avoid losing face, makes up a vague explanation and attempts to sweep the question under the rug; or opting for the inferior option – makes up some interpretation on-the-fly, which would not likely work in real life, or even in class for that matter.
There are two corrections to be made here, on part of the teacher. The first would be in the immediate proximity to the embarrassment. A true professional should possess the spine and integrity to tell a student that he does not know; which does not mean that he could not add, that he would pursue and come back with an answer sometime later!
The second proper correction would be for the teacher to sincerely seek explanations and clarifications for those holes present in his curriculum and understanding of it. This includes going back to one’s teacher and bowing down once more, or sometimes asking colleagues humbly for instruction with respect to a particular dilemma as such.
By knowing well, not only our techniques and methods, but also the reasons for why we teach, why we do things and why we ask others to imitate us, we then become upright and worthy role models. With a genuine spirit and a striving for authenticity, this can be made possible. Then, when students ask us why a certain thing is there, we would have the answers which they deserve.
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Other articles by shifu Jonathan Bluestein on this website:
https://www.martialjournal.com/martial-arts-teacher-painter-gardener/
http://www.martialjournal.com/what-bruce-lee-did-not-know/
You may also subscribe to Shifu Bluestein's youtube channel, which is regularly updated with rare and fascinating martial arts videos:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR0VUbThdexbXJb9BBSKMbw
All rights of this article are and the pictures within it are reserved to Jonathan Bluestein ©. No part of this article may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission, in writing, from Jonathan Bluestein.
- The Most Genuine Question for a Martial Arts Teacher - June 11, 2019
- What Bruce Lee Did Not Know - December 15, 2018
- The Martial Arts Teacher:A Painter and a Gardener - May 15, 2018
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