You got me so I don’t know what I’m doing

[_tove]

I saw School of Rock, because it was free and I had nothing better to do. It was fairly excellent, and involved a man that reminded me of Chuck teaching a bunch of 9-to-17-year-olds how to be rock stars. His teaching method seemed to involve a lot of screaming and insults, but he got results. Aside from reminding me of Dee (my favorite

Comments

[mtrdhunter]

Hmm, Screaming and insults. I think that was Marc's approach to teaching Kung Fu. I think there's a very select few people who that works for.

[damion]

?
  You really didn't get it, did you?

[mtrdhunter]

I suppose I wasn't ancient or abstruse enough to get it.

[damion]

I think "sincere" is the adjective you're looking for.

[mtrdhunter]

How is it sincerity enters into this?

[damion]

Sincere in your desire to learn.

[mtrdhunter]

If you were staying around next year, I would ask you to teach me, as when I did Marc's Kung Fu class, I learned EVERY STEP from either you or Jason. Not to bash learning from peers, but there's a difference between encouraging peers to teach each other and relying on it. Also, I'm not a fan of his walking around and bragging about what an amazing martial artist he is when he could be helping people learn. It's not that I don't want to learn, I feel he won't teach me.

[damion]

It's very common practice to rely on senior students to teach the basics to beginners. The idea is that it frees the teacher to work with other students on more advanced material, where his insight is more useful (as opposed to the very beginning where it's more a matter of building strength). Additionally, it gives the senior students experience in explaining the material for themselves, which puts old techniques into a new perspective

[mtrdhunter]

I say you do have a point with the first issue where you say that the beginning training is a matter of building strength and it should be of higher priority for him to teach the more advance students

[damion]

How Marc conducts himself at a party has nothing to do with his teaching ability. You specifically referred to bragging when he could be helping people learn. As for whether it's in conflict with whatever ideals you assume he has, bear in mind that Kung Fu is what he does. He enjoys doing it, and he enjoys doing it in many contexts. Consider that he may not be doing something outside of class to brag or show off, but instead might be doing it simply because he enjoys doing it. Think about what you say before you say it

[mtrdhunter]

So despite the air of condescention you had in your criticism "Think about what you say before you say it" I took it to heard and thought about making this post before I made it. I slept over it and still see it necessary to say the things I am saying. As far as Marc's bragging, for the moment, I'll entertain the thought that maybe his behavior outside of class is completely unrelated to his behavior inside class despite the fact that that would be DSM-IV worthy. It would be easier for both of us if I just gave you an example of what I'm talking about. I remember asking Marc why it is sparring is done without any protective equipment, to which he partially demonstrated by having me put on one of the foam vests from the closet and then proceeding to wind me. Now instead of following this by having me do the same thing without protective gear, which would have more thoroughly convinced me of his decision not to have people wear protection, Marc saw it necessary to talk about Kung Fu movies and people showing up at Sunrise and the