Title: The Martial Arts Teacher
Author: Jonathan Bluestein
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Publish Date: September 2017
Format: Paperback
Pages: 284
Cover Price: $25.00
Content
The Martial Arts Teacher tackles the mentality and conduct of a martial art teacher. This is a glimpse into the many roles a traditional martial art teacher takes on—life coach, motivator, father figure, and instructor (to name just a few).
To help make things easier to navigate, the book segments into two halves—The former focusing on the school and the latter with the teacher.
The first half covers the mechanics of a martial art school carrying traditional values. Expect to learn about student conduct, disciplinary protocol, curriculum design (or, if need be, re-design), and child and adult pedagogy.
In other words, all of the works.
The latter half of the book speaks directly to the teacher; responsibilities and duties, communication with students (and their family, if applicable), the role of ego and humility, balancing self reliance with delegation, and more.
There are quite a few books and magazines out there which concern themselves with the business of running a school, however, few books delve into the heart of a school, teacher, and the students like this.
Pros
As I mentioned above, it’s uncommon to find a book that shares the perspective The Martial Arts Teacher shows, one that focuses primarily on the teacher’s heart and mind.
Its focus isn’t simply on being a good role model for your students, it is also a glimpse into the mechanics of a traditional school.
Rather than teaching school owners how to increase gross revenue, it teaches how to craft a culture of respect in your school.
The Martial Arts Teacher docks in at fewer than three-hundred pages and splits into fifty-five chapters. The many chapters allows it be a very digestible tome, one you can pick up whenever you need some heart-to-heart teacher advice.
Of course, this is primarily for teachers. For students of the martial arts, I truly feel you can get something out of this as well however.
It should also be noted that author Jonathan Bluestein chose to call the book The Martial Arts Teacher. It wasn’t named The Kung Fu Teacher and for good reasons—this is for any classical style. Whether you are a karateka looking to open his first Shotokan dojo or a veteran Taijiquan teacher, there is going to be a nugget of wisdom in this for you. Reflecting Bluestein’s own diverse martial art background, he frames his advice well, allowing anybody seeking to become a master teacher to glean helpful tips.
Cons
Keep in mind that this is a specific way of running a martial art academy or program. What The Martial Arts Teacher shows is a teaching module differing from what some martial art teachers may want. This is how a traditional school strives to run, not necessarily how an MMA gym needs to run.
It doesn’t promote itself as such (nor does it need to) however I believe it is important to make that clarification. With that being said, while it is not geared to less traditional facilities, they can likely still benefit in some ways.
Either way, it is important to remember the focus of the book. This is about you and your school. When it delves into Asian philosophy or talks of problem students, it is to help you as a teacher achieve your goals.
Tradition is all too often seen as peer pressure from the long-been-dead. That’s an unfortunate misunderstanding. It’s not archaic cobwebs standing in the way of modern betterment. A wise person, be they a student or a teacher, understands that the ways of the past are what help uphold the present and show a clearer path towards the future.
It is a sign of either a good reader or a good writer when you can come across something you don’t agree with and yet still glean knowledge respectfully. In this case, author Jonathan Bluestein does well at catering respect while also letting it be known that he may hold a different opinion than some readers.
We don’t have to agree to get along nor to learn from each other. Earnestness can be felt in Bluestein’s writing and this is what helps him write without creating strife when he says something you may not agree with.
Conclusion
Overall, the book is a great addition to any martial artist’s library, whether they are a new school owner, a veteran who’s been at it for years, or simply a student aspiring to one day open his own dojo/guan.
Docking in at under three hundred pages yet split into over fifty chapters, you can open The Martial Arts Teacher at anytime and receive very helpful heart-to-heart teacher advice. Definitely a recommended read!
I grade it four out of five ninja stars!
Have you read The Martial Arts Teacher? Drop kick a comment below and tell us what you think!
Jonathan Bluestein is also a Martial Journal contributors whose exclusive content can be seen here!
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