Thoughts from Master Thinh
Karate Teaching Ways and Types
Silkisondan Masters:
I think this is a good time for me to share a few thoughts with you.
Karate Teaching Ways and Types: I have seen many, probably too many. One might ask why so many. The right answer is that everyone is doing a little teaching everywhere. My question to me as to what I do with my Karate teaching has always existed. Here is my reply to my question.
Here are a few images that you might retain of me in your mind:
- I show the students a technique and ask them to do it. I want them to see themselves practicing it.
- If I have to explain a technique, I am very brief. I want them to hear and feel my voice. I want to see if they can see themselves listening to me.
- If I give the students a command to practice a technique. I want to make sure that they are not forced to do it, but encourage them to see themselves doing it.
- If I ask a student to demonstrate a technique, I want the class to see themselves observing the demonstration.
- I do not say much before and after the training.
My way of teaching is to teach the students to see and observe themselves.
I also ask myself why the students would benefit from coming to attend my training.
I believe deeply time is the movement that carries some, most, or everything inside of us from the recent past to the recent present. Time is actually “now”. When I see the students coming to the training, they bring many things to the class from within. I observe them as they are. I see them as they are. I will ask them to train as others. I allow and encourage them to grow, adapt, and even change if they wish to do. One thing that I want the most in my karate students is that they should believe that they are their best teachers, no one else.
I will stop for now. Seeing one’s self and time are in my thoughts.
Enjoy the rest of your summer.
I remain,
Master Thinh