I've been sort of approached and asked if I would be interested in assisting our Kendo club training by being a backup leader, and helping lead the advanced beginners in the near future. As the first semester beginners have come to the end of their course, a new set of beginners will start soon, and the old beginners will become the advanced beginners. This is an intermediate phase where they will practice to get better without really learning new things, before they go into bogu.
I'm most happy to assist, and honoured that I've been considered for this, but it is more that I'm an unemployed bum who is available more than others, than the fact that I am a shining example LOL. To this degree, that I have been told I will be given some extra attention in the coming weeks to fix up my own posture and footwork, and my stance. Leading is quite important in presenting the right things since in theory, I won't be teaching, but passing down basics and supporting the teaching from our instructor, who doesn't really teach that much to the beginners on a regular basis.
Kendo is one of those funny things where until you reach a certain level, you are thought to suck at it. At any point below this level, unless you are a instructor of a dojo or sensei, you only guide but you never teach. There is issues of ego and pride involved as it seems. But, to me, it seems to be only semantics in how things are phrased because even if you are not actively teaching something to students, beginners, you still 'teach' them in the 'educate' sense. If they do something that is not right, or their form is bad or incorrect, you are still by definition 'teaching' them the correct form. Except we aren't teaching, we are just passing down the teachings of our sensei/instructor..... quite silly really in some ways if you think about it, but as the traditional aspect goes, that is how it is.
I have plenty of bad habits in Kendo. I know that, my peers know that, my sensei/instructor definitely knows it. In the last six months that I have come back, I have been told 'good' twice by our sensei..... masochistic isn't it? I hope that if I lead any beginners, it should be clear to them from the start, and I will make it so, do what I say, not what I do, since from experience, people who can teach are not always the best at what they teach, while those who are the best at what they do are quite often not always the best teachers. I know this from my time in archery, and fencing, and rifle shooting..... I like to think (and this is where pride comes in) that I am good at teaching things to people, or helping people learn things. But I know that I am not good at much of what I teach also, so in a way, there is that kind of balance present.
I just hope that if I do lead them, they will listen more to what I say to them, than what I show them. Though I wonder about the flexibility and what restrictions there will be place upon me on what I am and am not allowed to show/say/demonstrate/lead with, or exercises etc.
Lets see how my private attention also goes with changing my poor form haha.
I'm most happy to assist, and honoured that I've been considered for this, but it is more that I'm an unemployed bum who is available more than others, than the fact that I am a shining example LOL. To this degree, that I have been told I will be given some extra attention in the coming weeks to fix up my own posture and footwork, and my stance. Leading is quite important in presenting the right things since in theory, I won't be teaching, but passing down basics and supporting the teaching from our instructor, who doesn't really teach that much to the beginners on a regular basis.
Kendo is one of those funny things where until you reach a certain level, you are thought to suck at it. At any point below this level, unless you are a instructor of a dojo or sensei, you only guide but you never teach. There is issues of ego and pride involved as it seems. But, to me, it seems to be only semantics in how things are phrased because even if you are not actively teaching something to students, beginners, you still 'teach' them in the 'educate' sense. If they do something that is not right, or their form is bad or incorrect, you are still by definition 'teaching' them the correct form. Except we aren't teaching, we are just passing down the teachings of our sensei/instructor..... quite silly really in some ways if you think about it, but as the traditional aspect goes, that is how it is.
I have plenty of bad habits in Kendo. I know that, my peers know that, my sensei/instructor definitely knows it. In the last six months that I have come back, I have been told 'good' twice by our sensei..... masochistic isn't it? I hope that if I lead any beginners, it should be clear to them from the start, and I will make it so, do what I say, not what I do, since from experience, people who can teach are not always the best at what they teach, while those who are the best at what they do are quite often not always the best teachers. I know this from my time in archery, and fencing, and rifle shooting..... I like to think (and this is where pride comes in) that I am good at teaching things to people, or helping people learn things. But I know that I am not good at much of what I teach also, so in a way, there is that kind of balance present.
I just hope that if I do lead them, they will listen more to what I say to them, than what I show them. Though I wonder about the flexibility and what restrictions there will be place upon me on what I am and am not allowed to show/say/demonstrate/lead with, or exercises etc.
Lets see how my private attention also goes with changing my poor form haha.
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