djcaldwell
12-30-2007, 03:52 PM
Eric's post on the other thread led me to revisit something that I wrote last month on the other forum:
There are many titles for what we call our Instructors in the martial arts community. Sensei, Sabunim and of course Sifu. Each of these has a traditional meaning associated with the role they played but in today’s world of social decline and dispersion of etiquette what does it mean to be any one of the above. For purposes of this article as I am a Chinese Martial Artist I will use the term Sifu as it is what is familiar to me.
Let’s take a trip back in time to the 80’s when I began my training. I recall walking into my school and meeting the man they told me to call Sifu. I was sitting in his office this heavyset guy and he asked me what I wanted to do, what I expected to get out of the training. Of course I went with the obvious safe answer of “I want to learn how to defend myself and lose some weight while I’m at it.” He spoke about the training and what we did there. I have to admit it was intimidating when I heard about 2 ½ hour classes 3/4 times a week and watching all the things the guys in there were doing that I thought I would never be able to do. But he helped me set some goals, change my habits and offered me some direction. He also set some “rules” for his students. No smoking. No Fighting (unless necessary) and No drinking (I was underage the older students this was not a rule for). If he found out (and he always did) that we were starting fights or basically representing ourselves poorly he would not train us.
We all respected him and wanted to learn so everyone for as best as I can remember followed the rules. He also had another rule which eventually I had to break. He told us that outside of the school we were not to call him Sifu. Inside the school he was always to be addressed as such but if we saw him at the mall he wanted us to call him by his name. Over the years I had developed such a respect for him that it would have been like calling my parents by their first name. I trained with him for 6 or 7 years before I moved away but to this day recall how much he helped me. He offered us guidance and gave us direction when we needed it. He provided counsel for to me and many others in our school on a very personal level. In my 20’s he offered counsel to me and my family when going through a rough time. To this day it saddens me that I lost touch with him and still wish that I could locate him. After him I trained with two other Sifu’s one who came close to being the friend that Sifu #1 was he taught me a great deal and opened up some interesting aspects of the Martial Arts for me. Unfortunately he moved away and although we kept in touch for many years eventually we lost touch as he moved out of the country.
Then there was Sifu #3 someone who has a great knowledge of Martial Arts and also taught me a great deal about martial arts and introduced some new ways of thinking. He was no where near nor was he interested in being mentor material to any of his students. At the stage that I began studying with him I was not seeking a mentor but a teacher and perhaps the closeness in age made the relationship different. After several years training in what was a new setting to me (more commercial) I learned a great deal about him which disappointed me a great deal. He had a great front on for the outside paying customer world to see, another for those he would call friends (like me) which he used to get things he needed and when he had no use for them any longer he simply walks away. Fortunately, I learned a lot of great things from him – unfortunately, I also learned some harsh realities that not everyone “Instructor” is a “teacher”.
To me the word Sifu or Teacher, whether you ask for it or not comes with some inherent responsibilities. You are a role model for your students (especially younger ones). You set an example and paint a picture of what they want to be. As their Sifu you are in a position of authority, influence and have the ability to alter your students lives for better or worse. For the first 15 years of my training this is what I was taught. My teachers lead by example and it’s not a matter of them being the “perfect” role model as they certainly were not perfect. But they understood they had a responsibility and lived up to it and didn’t hide behind the “I’m just an instructor.” Statement. They were “teachers” they had discussions with their students, taught them right from wrong, showed them respect and did not take advantage of their trust and respect.
In today’s Martial Arts world of commercial schools and MMA mentality (nothing against MMA I love it), it seems that real “teachers” are a dying breed. Students don’t respect their teachers anymore, in part because their teachers don’t respect them and also because there are no consequences for poor behavior. As long as tuition is paid they can learn. The quality of instruction is often sacrificed so that there can be more students. Basic instruction is let go and requirements for advancement are dropped in lieu of good attendance.
I know it is possible to offer quality instruction and still make a good living. I know several people who have and as such as become well respected businessmen and “mentors” in their communities. They are real Sifu’s, real teachers and never lost sight of their responsibilities as such. This is something which in my small opinion has been lost in a vast majority of today’s schools. The ones that do adhere to this are mocked and/or told that they are living in the martial arts dream or stuck in a movie storyline in which the teachers actually mentor and feel responsible for their students.
It’s not a question of tradition or what’s right or wrong. Not every teacher in history has been a shining example of moral integrity. Some of the best have not been – the question is one of personal reflection and how one wants to be viewed. Does one want to be remembered fondly as a great martial artist, teacher and/or mentor or a great martial artist that no one really cares to remember.
There are many titles for what we call our Instructors in the martial arts community. Sensei, Sabunim and of course Sifu. Each of these has a traditional meaning associated with the role they played but in today’s world of social decline and dispersion of etiquette what does it mean to be any one of the above. For purposes of this article as I am a Chinese Martial Artist I will use the term Sifu as it is what is familiar to me.
Let’s take a trip back in time to the 80’s when I began my training. I recall walking into my school and meeting the man they told me to call Sifu. I was sitting in his office this heavyset guy and he asked me what I wanted to do, what I expected to get out of the training. Of course I went with the obvious safe answer of “I want to learn how to defend myself and lose some weight while I’m at it.” He spoke about the training and what we did there. I have to admit it was intimidating when I heard about 2 ½ hour classes 3/4 times a week and watching all the things the guys in there were doing that I thought I would never be able to do. But he helped me set some goals, change my habits and offered me some direction. He also set some “rules” for his students. No smoking. No Fighting (unless necessary) and No drinking (I was underage the older students this was not a rule for). If he found out (and he always did) that we were starting fights or basically representing ourselves poorly he would not train us.
We all respected him and wanted to learn so everyone for as best as I can remember followed the rules. He also had another rule which eventually I had to break. He told us that outside of the school we were not to call him Sifu. Inside the school he was always to be addressed as such but if we saw him at the mall he wanted us to call him by his name. Over the years I had developed such a respect for him that it would have been like calling my parents by their first name. I trained with him for 6 or 7 years before I moved away but to this day recall how much he helped me. He offered us guidance and gave us direction when we needed it. He provided counsel for to me and many others in our school on a very personal level. In my 20’s he offered counsel to me and my family when going through a rough time. To this day it saddens me that I lost touch with him and still wish that I could locate him. After him I trained with two other Sifu’s one who came close to being the friend that Sifu #1 was he taught me a great deal and opened up some interesting aspects of the Martial Arts for me. Unfortunately he moved away and although we kept in touch for many years eventually we lost touch as he moved out of the country.
Then there was Sifu #3 someone who has a great knowledge of Martial Arts and also taught me a great deal about martial arts and introduced some new ways of thinking. He was no where near nor was he interested in being mentor material to any of his students. At the stage that I began studying with him I was not seeking a mentor but a teacher and perhaps the closeness in age made the relationship different. After several years training in what was a new setting to me (more commercial) I learned a great deal about him which disappointed me a great deal. He had a great front on for the outside paying customer world to see, another for those he would call friends (like me) which he used to get things he needed and when he had no use for them any longer he simply walks away. Fortunately, I learned a lot of great things from him – unfortunately, I also learned some harsh realities that not everyone “Instructor” is a “teacher”.
To me the word Sifu or Teacher, whether you ask for it or not comes with some inherent responsibilities. You are a role model for your students (especially younger ones). You set an example and paint a picture of what they want to be. As their Sifu you are in a position of authority, influence and have the ability to alter your students lives for better or worse. For the first 15 years of my training this is what I was taught. My teachers lead by example and it’s not a matter of them being the “perfect” role model as they certainly were not perfect. But they understood they had a responsibility and lived up to it and didn’t hide behind the “I’m just an instructor.” Statement. They were “teachers” they had discussions with their students, taught them right from wrong, showed them respect and did not take advantage of their trust and respect.
In today’s Martial Arts world of commercial schools and MMA mentality (nothing against MMA I love it), it seems that real “teachers” are a dying breed. Students don’t respect their teachers anymore, in part because their teachers don’t respect them and also because there are no consequences for poor behavior. As long as tuition is paid they can learn. The quality of instruction is often sacrificed so that there can be more students. Basic instruction is let go and requirements for advancement are dropped in lieu of good attendance.
I know it is possible to offer quality instruction and still make a good living. I know several people who have and as such as become well respected businessmen and “mentors” in their communities. They are real Sifu’s, real teachers and never lost sight of their responsibilities as such. This is something which in my small opinion has been lost in a vast majority of today’s schools. The ones that do adhere to this are mocked and/or told that they are living in the martial arts dream or stuck in a movie storyline in which the teachers actually mentor and feel responsible for their students.
It’s not a question of tradition or what’s right or wrong. Not every teacher in history has been a shining example of moral integrity. Some of the best have not been – the question is one of personal reflection and how one wants to be viewed. Does one want to be remembered fondly as a great martial artist, teacher and/or mentor or a great martial artist that no one really cares to remember.