Is This Disrespect Or Am I Buggin

[Justa Man]

So i'm leading warm ups a few nights ago, and someone walks in to class late (which is constantly happening and i think that in itself is disrespectful, but that's besides the point). This person, instead of walking around the class (hugging the wall), decides to walk through class, right between me and the class full of people i'm warming up, while i'm leading warm ups.
I'm not at all a person who demands respect from my junior brothers at school, or demands respect from anyone period, but this action doesn't sit right with me. Does anyone view this as inappropriate?
He also took an open spot in the front row of the class to do his warm ups. Am I off for thinking that if you come in late to class, you stay in the back of the room to warm up? Am I off for thinking about this period?
Please let me know I'm not crazy.

[GLW]

Totally rude....

Such things would not be tolerated in my class and were NEVER tolerated in my teacher's class.

You greet, be as unobtrusive as possible and take a back spot...and then get into the mainstream of the class as soon as possible.

Personally, I have been known to stop class and address people directly when they are rude.

I have known of one instance where my teacher came in to class, noted rude behavior, left the school for the day, and let it be known that if a change was not immediate, all classes would be cancelled until further notice. (that is one teacher that does not put up with bad manners from students).

[jjj]

If someone shows up late, make them do 50 pushups.

[Justa Man]

wow man. your teacher's no joke. so many of the students at my school would be reprimanded if they went to your school.
thanks for the assurance. now i won't mind saying something next time it happens.

[fa_jing]

50 pushups. Or he can go home. Period.
That's how they do things at a traditional school.

-FJ

[apoweyn]

i think you're right. it is rude. it violates the standards of conduct for most dojos or kwoons i know of, certainly. but more importantly, it violates common sense and courtesy.

if you were a violin teacher, and this guy were in one of the later classes, he wouldn't come into your class to 'warm up', would he?

i would take him aside if you can do it though. before or after class. if you do it in front of the class, he may act up to avoid feeling as stupid. it may be that he just didn't know any better. startling, but some people really are that clueless.


stuart b.

[Paul]

50 push ups for showing up late? That's not the kind of school I would care to go to. I don't need to be reprimanded. I'm an adult, if I'm late there is usually a reason. What if that individual can't get off work early enough to make it to class without being a few minutes late? should they just stop going?

[jjj]

That is how my muay thai instructor handled it. If you show up late you do pushups. If you didn't like it then either get there on time or go find another school.

[Justa Man]

that's what i'm saying apoweyn...common sense and courtesy. i've never been told to walk around the class and not through it, and i've never been told not to take a spot in front. it just seemed like common sense to me.
GLW said it best i think...."You greet, be as unobtrusive as possible and take a back spot...and then get into the mainstream of the class as soon as possible." did you have to be told that GLW? somehow i don't think you did.
it could very well be that this guy doesn't know better, so that's how i will handle it. thanks again fellas.
on a side note apoweyn, do you teach? just wondering.

[Galadriel]

That guy was rude and disrespectful! It doesnt matter whether you re doing MA or any other thing, if you re late, you should take your place without disrupting the rest of the class.

As for doing 50 push ups, well, most of us would have a good excuse for being late, and if I'm late, I would send my sifu a txt telling him I'm gonna be late and why, or tell him after class.
But then again, there are loads of people who just dont care.

In my college I train us once a week, just to go over what we learned with our sifu, and one guy, he's late, then he gets a drink and a snickers, eats and drinks while we are warming up.
He is one of the "advanced" students, so he's disrespecting me while I'm teaching, and he's showing a bad example to the newer students.
Got him back last week though, made him do the warm up and he totally f**cked up ;-)

Galadriel

[shaolinboxer]

Perhaps walking through the class is rude, but showing up late for class IMO is not.

Many people show up late for class at my school. We all have jobs and lives, and sometimes it's just not possible to be there at a certain exact time. Better to be late then not show up at all.

[fa_jing]

As for not being able to make it on time - If your teacher agrees, I don't see why not. The 50 pushups I gave out (in my mind) were for disrespect, walking in front of the class, not asking permission to join the class.
At the same time, I emphathize with you. I used to belong to a traditional class, sometimes group punishment was applied (pushups,) they were sticklers for some rules, and I couldn't deal very well with having to answer to the senior student, who was 18-19 year old youngbuck with an attitude while I was 26. It's one thing when your a teenager that needs discipline, it's another to be an adult who has to work, who maybe has a family. That's one of the reasons I stopped attending that school, which was definitely geared towards teenagers. But, I took with me a few lessons about being serious and respectful in the class. Now I just pay for semi-private lessons, it's better.

-FJ

[qeySuS]

Well at least in TKD there are rules for just about everything you mentioned (rules can be nice for situations like these when your not sure what to do).

You never walk through the lines (during warmups and such there are usually 4 formations rank based, high belts up front), and that goes for ANY time, if the teacher calls your name and asks you to come to the front of class you go to your right or left (whichever is closer) and run around the group, it's disrespectful to run through the lines. Also if yuo show up late regardless of rank yuo always stay back, you can take your right place in the lines once the warmups are over and people start lining up again, but yuo dont come late to class and disrupt the warmups. Also if your late you do pushups, depending on how late. If you KNOW your not gonna make it on time, tell your teacher, dont just say "fu(k you i'm an adult and i have my reasons", if you know for a fact taht you will always have to show up 10 minutes late let the teacher know and chances are it's no biggie, but someone who always seems to be late "just because" sure as hell has to do pushups (it was also like this when i was in Kung Fu and kickboxing).

Btw that's the reason i know my parents f.x. could never take up martial arts, they dont like taking commands and feel they are too grown up to have to do what they'r told "we'r adults i wont be treated like this", they would propably just stop when it gets too hard and say they need rest and not listen to any commands barked at them to keep on going this is suppose to be hard, i just hate that attitude, i feel that discipline SHOULD be in MA class and people who cant handle it shouldnt be there.

DISCIPLINE IS GOOD!

[Chang Style Novice]

It is true that many (if not most) people who take martial arts classes do not and can not give them the first priority in their lives. Inevitably, the pressures of a life outside the kwoon will cause them to be late at some point. This doesn't demonstrate a lack of discipline, in my view.

That said, it will invariably disrupt the class to some degree when someone arrives late, so it must be discouraged with some token punishment. 50 pushups seems reasonable to me and if someone is rude and disruptive, as Justa Man described, I don't see why it shouldn't be made tougher still.

It occurs to me that perhaps walking between instructor and students, taking space in the front of the class, etc. is a way of getting attention. Therefore, perhaps the best way to deal with it is to give this student extra attention when he is conducting himself properly, and ignoring him when he is misbehaving. Also, a lecture on the perils of ego (given to the entire class, not one on one) might be appropriate.

[Arhat of Fury]

Justaman
Your not crazy, I beleive this is rude and he/she should take a spot at the back.
This might be crazy, but I agree with the 50 push ups and another way to look at it is "because Im late I get to do some strength training which is 50 pushups, this can only make me stronger/better".

Even though someone has a very good reason for being late, they know the rules and the respect levels of a kwoon and therefore should not be able to come in late without consequences, this will set precedents for future or brand new students.

OK, maybe I am crazy.


Amitoufu,

AOF

[KC Elbows]

At our school, some have schedules that make it difficult to be at class the minute it starts. I'm included. It takes thirty minutes to get through rush hour traffic from work, and I've only got 20 minutes to be at class. I let my teacher know this, and he is fine with it. When I get there, I get to work, and catch up with the class.

However, people who disrupt do need to understand that they should not do so. We save it for later: we don't do anything until after warm up. Then, let the torture begin. And we let 'em know its coming, but we are not hostile. They eventually learn.

[premier]

Yeah. that's disrespectful.

This is how it's done in our school. If someone comes in late, he has to come to the instructor, bow to him and then the instructor tells him to warm up on his own in the back or join rest of if he's not terribly late. A bit over a year ago we had everyone coming in late do 50 push ups, 50 sit ups and 50 back extensions. And people coming really late were told to think twice before coming to the class. I mean.. What's the point if you've missed the warmup and can't do it on your own?

[Shaolindynasty]

I see that kind of stuff as not only being ruse but as a challenge. When I used to lead classes while my sifu was away I would somtimes have to literally kick peoples @$$. I say make your authority felt, otherwise they won't respect you.

I had a guy come try out the class last week. He was a "self taught" guy and was pretty rude when I was showing him movements. When i showed this particular inside block he said "You mean outside block" I said no inside and demonstraited again. He mumbles "That's outside" and rolled his eyes while I started to walk away. So I told him firmly why it was an inside block and looked him directly in the eye while doing so, showing him I was no pushover. He was very respectful for the rest of the class and never came back, I don't miss him one bit.

I guess the point is allot of things can be said using only body language. If you are teaching the class there will be allot of people trying to test you. You need to be able to back up your methods if need be. When I used to run the class for my sifu when he couldn't make it some classmates of mine used to test me, which at the time I couldn't understand cause we always had so much fun before. I still don't know if it was jealousy or what but I learned a lesson from it.

As a martial arts teacher you have to be firm and willing to kick some @$$ every once in a while, never back down or let students get away with things even if it's only somthing him and you know about.

[JasBourne]

My kwoon is pretty straightforward about this kind of stuff. If you were to come in late, the instructor would ask (in front of everyone) "why are you late?" and everything stops while you stammer out whatever lame excuse and people snicker at you. Likewise, if you cut across instead of going around, everything stops and everyone stares while the instructor says "hey! Go around. Cutting through is disruptive and very disrespectful. I know you don't want to be disrespectful to everyone here". That one works incredibly well, I've never seen anyone do it more than once.

Amazing what that kind of simple spotlighting and peer pressure can accomplish :)

[Highlander]

What your talking about here is common courtesy. Take it out of the kwoon context and it's still the same. If you were late for a date or appointment, wouldn't you appologize. If you come into a theater after the movie has started, wouldn't you try not to be disruptive. If you know you can't make it to class on time because of work, let the instructor know ahead and that should be the end of it. We have one student that is 10 to 15 minutes late for every class because of work. It's expected and it's not a problem. What I hear everyone talking about is a general lack of respect and courtesy that is becoming more and more common in our society. This student's conduct is not only disrespectful of the instructor, but also of the other students. If you researched it a little I'm sure you would find this is the persons general pattern outside the school also.

Enough venting about that. So here is another one. People that don't show up and don't call. If you have to miss a class, do you call and let you instructor know. This might not be such a problem in a big school where the classes are always full, but in schools that only have 4 to 6 students in a class it is nice to know if anyone is going to be there.

[KC Elbows]

Calling is important, IMHO.

[red_fists]

Hi.

I call it disrespectful.

Yes, we also got Students that come alte but they sneak in at the abck and join in the rear so to speak.

Personally, I don't hold with giving the Students pushups for coming late.
Hey, this ain't the army.

Plus, if a Sifu can't get respect and order in his class without tolling out physical punishment I got my doubts as to his/her ability as a Teacher.
Plus, I also think it is distracting to the fellow students.
As it can lead to unwanted talk in the change room and outside the kwoon.

My Sifu normally just needs to look at Students to get them in line. For really serious infraction she will have a chat with the Student after the class.

But a Sifu should disrupt the class as little as possible.
Just my 2 Cents worth.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

jas took my alternate scenario responce.

i think the most inapropriate thing about the situation is that you didn't say "hey dipsh!t . .. what the fu ck are you doing? walk around the students who were on time." if you said it half serious for the message and half joking for the tone he would have smiled, felt like and idiot, and not made the same mistake twice.

also i don't see what the big deal is about 50 pushups wether you got a good excuse or not. if you missed warm up then that's all the better reason to do it. whole upper body loose and ready to go in under a minute. hold horse stance (or do some squat motioned based exercises or chi gung) for another minute and you just got one of the best halfassed warm ups i can come up with.

[Budokan]

Of course it's disrespectful. Take any other venue: Some guy walks in late, walks between a speaker and his audience, walks through the audience, takes a seat on the front row. How in the f*ck is that NOT disrespectful...?

It's another sign of the coarsening of values among people. This a$$wipe should have been hammered into the tatami. In our school he would have been told to get in the back and do his pushups. Didn't like it? Here's your money back guarantee and don't let the door bump you in the a$$ on the way out. Loser.

With no other appreciation for others than what he's shown, he really should have been hammered. It's another sign of how people nowadays think they deserve anything they want just because they are paying for it. Well, it doesn't work that way in most martial arts classes--which happen to be just about the last bastion teaching manners and everyday politeness. (Along with a little modesty thrown in for good measure, something this scrote obviously didn't know anything about...)

And I work all godd*mn day, and I still make it to class on time. That's why I don't buy the "I'm an adult, allow me to be late" argument. Sadly, most adults in our society are decidedly NOT adults and don't deserve to be treated as such--which is why we have a bozo like this t*rd disrupting our normally tranquil lives.

Thus spake Budokan.

[Budokan]

This discussion also brings to mind the news story that's been circulating lately about the woman who had a meltdown in the checkout lane because some other woman brought 13 items to a 12-item lane.

But, you know what? I'm willing to bet that b*tch won't bring 13 items to a 12 item check out lane again because she's going to remember that beating she took. Remember that dumb f*cking kid who was spray painting cars in Singapore, he got caught and the police over there caned his a$$ until the meat hung in shreds? How many cars has that little f*ck spray painted lately...? I'm willing to bet none.

If more people got their tails kicked when they deserved it things would be a lot nicer in this country. And in my book, a LOT of people deserve to have the dogf*ck beat out of them just on general principle: Rosie O'Fat, Leanardo DiCaprio, Britney Spears, everyone on The View, Rush Limbaugh, most politicians, all used-car salesman, lawyers, most doctors, ad salesmen, anyone who works on Wall Street, France, Ashida Kim, child molesters, OJ Simpson, the Ramseys, France (they deserve to be beaten twice), drunks, wife beaters and Larry King are only a few in a long list.

Yes, Budokan's world is a harsh one. Those of you with glass balls need not apply.:D

[Sam Wiley]

Somebody needs a nap....;)

I agree that if most people got the lumps they deserved they wouldn't make the same mistakes over and over again, nor would they make such disrespectful moves.

[red_fists]

Budokan.

IME, People don't change.

You can hit most people multiple times with 50 pushups and they still won't change their ways.

The people that cahnge and go on to become the top of their class I think you will find mostly in Movies.

They might leave your kwoon and do the same thing at the next Kwoon.
Yes, I agree that latecomers need to do a proper warmup.

At my Kwoon we actually look at newcomers and rate them for fun on how long they will stay with us, and funnily enough we are spot on 90% of the times.
Sad but true.

[anerlich]

At our school latecomers are only allowed into the class before the warm up finishes. They are expected to apologise and ask for the instructor's permission to join the class, otherwise it's 50 pushups. If they want to join the class after warmup, no go.

I also get annoyed when my Sifu is absent, I'm in charge, and people think they can get away with things they wouldn't even think of trying when he's there. Sneaking out to make phone calls or check their messages, sneaking out early, wanting to join the advanced class when they're not ready, doing freestyle rolling when they're supposed to be drilling techniques, etc. I ALWAYS call them on it, they always protest, I always say "Sifu makes the rules, he EXPECTS me to enforce them."

I gotta admit, that 13-items-in-the-12-item express lane is a pet hate of mine too.

[DelicateSound]

Originally posted by red_fists
IME, People don't change.

You can hit most people multiple times with 50 pushups and they still won't change their ways.

No, but if you hit them with 200 AFTER CLASS, and a 15 minute hard stomach routine, they will. I'm with Budokan, a whole can of whup-ass needs to be emptied on many people. In my new class the rules are way stricter that I've ever seen, and it's good. I know that if I drop during groundwork and don't get up, that I'll pay for it big time later on.

In 3 sessions I must have lost 10 pounds:D And I love every minute.

As for France - we should have just let the Krauts rape and pillage for a few more years, to really make them pay. Let's all join Budo - and live like its the Dark Ages again.

[Gigante]

I am always 30-60 minutes early to class, so I can do some extra warming up and stretching.

If late, we go to the back and warm up until we are ready to jump into the class. Disrespect doesn't exist. I like my class. 8-)

[red_fists]

Hi Gigante.

Same as with you, there is no disrespect at my Kwoon.

Latecomers to the FULL warmup and than join the Lesson.

So if they are 10 minutes late they loose 10 minutes of Instruction time.

They soon pull into line when they see the other Guys pulling ahead of them.

Also if People are serious about their MA Study they won't be late/ show disrespect in the first place and hence no "punishment" will be needed.

And if they are not serious they will leave the kwoon anyway.

[dezhen2001]

i think it's a sad thing that this type of situation arises all the time nowadays. For example - even in my University classes a certain group of ppl come on average 20 to 30 minutes late each day. They miss out on what's happening for that lesson, or the lecturer has to repeat it. That makes things unfair for the rest of the class who are there on time...They wonder why they keep getting D and E grades though! It's obvious really!

That kind of behaviour may be expected in high school or whatever - but at Uni you go there because you WANT to be there. If you don't then it's a waste of time and money IMO.

Maybe they should make you do pushups or horse stance if you're late for lectures :D
(how many teenagers/young 'adults' would be able to do 50 pushups nowadays anyway?)

If you were really interested in the subject (whatever it may be) you would do your d@mndest to get there on time! If i go to visit my Sifu (2 hours on a train each way), i make sure i get there before class - even if i have to hang out for a while.

You get out what you put in i suppose :)

david

[BoxerChick]

YOU BUGGIN' FOOL!

Your mad because some joe walked inbetween you and the other people stretching out?
And then your madder because he got closer to you instead of getting in the back?
Do all martial arts teach this type of Ego-Maniacal attitude?
If you ask me, you need to chill out and be more concerned about how hard you are training your kung fuey students, not on if they walk inbetween you and the others or not.

This aint ancient China, so drop the whole "face" thing.

[Shaolindynasty]

I remeber one time my sifu was gone and I was leading the class. My sifu's son and another student were sparring, my sifu's son cell phone started ringing(should have been off anyway) and he just stops and runs over to the phone. Man, I went crazy on his @$$. Then I kicked the crap out of him. Funny thing is I was tapeing the sparring and have it on tape. I don't care who he is there are multiple reasons why that was a stupid thing to do. If I was the one sparring him I would have kicked him in his back to show him how stupid it was.

[BiNKy]

Our Kung Fu school seems to be alot more laid back. We have class in a university building so most of the students are in college including me but I started in high school. We never make anyone do push ups or anything though. If someone were to be that disruptive and rude then I would point it out to them and tell em to walk around. We also have close-knit small numbers; we normally have 20 people show up to class each night. Most of us show up on time or even an hour early but due to the vastly different time schedules you show up when you can. We have members that have to drive over an hour from work to get to class or members that can't get off work until later. But since the school is small and devoted, if someone doesn't show up and we need them then we go track them down. The dorms are closeby. Our school is also divided into circles. Each circle is comprised of 4-10 members that are close in rank and close friends. When we show up to class if any of our circle members are missing then we are asked where they are and we are responsible for knowing. Of course sometimes we can't get ahold of em but it stresses communication, responsibility, and loyalty without push ups. But push ups would probably the best way to go for alot of schools.

[GLW]

Common courtesy is becoming oh so uncommon.

When I started training eons ago...class started at 5:30 PM. Traffic was not so bad and if you got off work at 5, you could make it. Then, you could come in at 6 or 6:30 with prior arrangements with the instructor. It was your schedule and there was flexibility, but you had to inform the teacher of when to expect you.

AND....if you were late, you called, and came in in an unobtrusive fashion.

I did NOT have to be told how to come in...I had parents who gave me training in manners...but some don't so we would inform new students of the rules.

NOW...class begins at 7 PM to accomodate the traffic and where the school is. It is spelled out that if you can't make it or know you will be late, you are expected to call. (We had one student who was expected, did not call...and later that day, we got a call from his family - at the hospital, and he was not expected to live. So...my teacher wants the call out of concern for student's well being and courtesy.

If you are late, you try to be as unobtrusive but you MUST greet the teacher.

If the teacher has appointed a senior to lead, you greet them with EXACTLY the same respect as the teacher. It does NOT matter what you think of the senior leading...you are showing respect to the teacher, the school, the art, and ultimately to yourself. (I have seen people who did not grasp this who later ended up leading a class....and couldn't do so because no one would follow them due to their history of disrespect.)

If a person acts like an adult, no matter what the age, they are treated like an adult. If they act like a child, they are treated accordingly as well.

It really all boils down to respect and courtesy...simple ideas.

[CrushingFist]

if anyones a buggin fool, it's u. We're all plenty worried about how hard we train, but we ask a little respect.
It's true, it's becoming so uncommon now-adays to have "common courtesy" .

Furthermore, ettiquete is part of how we train students. There is more to kung fu than just punching and kicking. IF the student can't pay attention and never is one time and always disrespectful, how can they take anything worth while away from the class. Use your brain to think before u say stupid $hit next time.

and to everyone else:

i think that A lot of ppl that join martial arts need discipline. Unless they have a good reason, punishment for being late should be enforced. Don't be afraid to punish ppl! From what i've seen, when students start fighting, or talking too much in line, or not practicing, a few pushups will solve the problem and over time, i DO notice improvements. You have to know what kinda student you have too, some ppl you need to make them go do pushups, some you need to verbally address them, some privately, some infront of the whole class.

I've noticed one thing tho, the louder you are when you run class, the less chance they can talk in class. I'm not talking about like, screaming out the punches but if you really get into teaching and always full of energy, than they really don't talk as much as if your quiet and too relaxed.

[qeySuS]

GLW: I agree with the greeeting the senior that is leading the class. I think i heard this sentance in Band of Brothers when someone did a sloppy salute and the guy said "You salute the rank not the person", thought it was pretty cool and translated nicely into MA.

And Boxerchick your an ass.

[Paul]

My sifu leads an informal class. There is no bowing in and out and no lining up for warm ups (warming up is done on your own). This is not to say that class isn't serious, there is no bull$hit going on just hard training.

I usually get there 15 minutes late, big deal, each class is 3 hours long and my sifu doesn't mind.

I got all the discipline I needed from my time in the military that isn't what I learn martial arts for.

[Justa Man]

i'm definitly going to say something to the whole class the next time it happens. i'm not there to be anyone's daddy, so i'm not going to single anyone out (although whover does it will probably feel singled out), or punish anyone for being disrespectful. as apoweyn and some of you said, it could be totally unintentional. but to let it happen when i know it isn't right would be wrong.

boxerchik, "mad" is far too harsh a word. that's what you may think i feel based on reading my post, but you need to read it again. :) if i got mad over something like that then i would be buggin, and i'd have to do a whole lot more mediitation if i was that easily disrupted. it just doesn't sit right with me when it happens. it's not an angry feeling at all. it has nothing to do with ego...as I personally don't feel disrespected. i feel the continuity and flow of the class being disturbed.

but alas, i am resolved. no more mister not-say-anything-guy. :D i'm breakin out the rattan staff for all the disrespectfulls! :D

[don bohrer]

We must aproach the instructor and ask permission to join if we come late. Then it's to the back of the class. Warm ups and exorcise must also be done after class.

[Budokan]

Some people were raised by their parents to show respect and courtesy in everyday life.

And then some people were raised by rat-headed slobs who can't even spell "manners".:rolleyes:

I've got news for you. You are the person you were raised to be. Nothing more, nothing less. Sadly, as evidenced by this discussion, there are more than a few people (and I use the term lightly) who say they are martial artists--but have learned nothing about some of its most basic precepts.

Sad, really, but not unexpected in this day and age of single-minded instant gratification amid a rapaciously 'user' society.:rolleyes:

I have always maintained there should be means testing before some people are allowed to reproduce. Some of the personal stories on this thread have done little to dissuade me of that belief.

[David Jamieson]

common courtesy is the rule here.

Students should be aware of the rules surrounding lateness at the school.

Spotlighting someone who is in error fails to create a safe learning environment for the student (and all other students) and instructors who try to spotlight or humiliate students should not be instructors but go back to the drawing board and learn some of the fundaments of teaching people.

I make no apology for that remark, the spotlighting is far more rude and disrespectful of your fellow human being than their error due to their lack of understanding which can be expected, they are the "student" after all.

If you have rules, make them explicitly clear to the students.
That way there will not be these misunderstandings.

If you have an admonishment for the offending student then do it privately if you feel that need to express discipline. Personally, clear rules posted on the wall for everyone to read and re-read will take care of this problem.

If a student persists in their inability to adhere to the rules of your kwoon, then once again, take them aside privately and warn them to follow the rules or to not come back to the school.

pretty simple.

peace

[DelicateSound]

Ah Budokan. It's sadly true that filth breeds filth and so on.

The three things I believe every child should learn are, Manners, Discipline and Respect. Without that they become pond-life. Problem is that these days kids get no discipline from school or from parents. Some people can change [I've seem it with mates who've gone from craphole to Cambridge]

IMHO if you are at a class - you do what the instructor says. He is senior and you respect him completely. Mr "Walkabout" - he'd get his butt-whipped at my school.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

haha ..

my school doesnt really have a policy for this, but i just found out that one of our intermediate students who has been missing allot just got greeted at his house by two other students. he hasn't called or anything so by sifu's request they beat the **** out of him. i bet he'll be there next tuesday.

[David Jamieson]

gda-

sounds like you are involved with a "gang" instead of a kung fu school.

peace

[9dragonshijin]

in my school, if you are late more than 3 times...we castrate you. Usually stops the tardiness.

[Justa Man]

that usually stops a whole lot of things.

kung lek i think you are right. i think i'll talk to the person who does it after class, aside from everyone else. thanks.

[apoweyn]

justa man,

sorry. i've been out of the office all weekend. (well, i'm not sorry for that, but you know what i'm saying.)

yes, i do teach. but only one night a week. at a local gym. before i moved to this area, i taught two nights a week at a friend's taekwondo dojang near baltimore.

for whatever it's worth, i think you have a good handle on this situation.


stuart b.

[BoxerChick]

gunneddown,
sounds like you are involved in one of those freaky cults!
this is the type of wierdness that makes kung fuey freaks
look even freakier!!

[apoweyn]

and that's the type of inane comment that gives non-kung fu types a bad name on this board.

now, why oh why didn't i listen when people said you were a troll?


stuart b.

[xiong]

But I think that the attention you give the detractor should fit the amount of attention they are taking from the class. If someone did that in front of me I would get in their way and indicate to them that they need to go around the back.

So the idea is if they got in your way, get in their way. If they make noise, verbally reprimand them. I do however think that physically assaulting students is never the way to go, unless you want to go to jail.

Ultimately it's up to the school how to handle this. Rules should be written and available to everyone. If parents and schools don't care to hold people to a standard that is not my problem. Students at the wushuguan are expected to behave and train seriously and that is my problem.

I am not yet an instructor, but I train and observe class with that in mind and hope that it will stand me in good stead when I do get the opportunity.

[Frank Exchange]

.. on how formal or informal your classes are to start with.

If your school is into the whole group warm up, instructor at the front type thing, then obviously it is disruptive for the person to do what he did. A quiet word after, or even during, would be all that was necessary to sort things out.

As for pressups for late arrival, why should I be punished for arriving late? I am paying for tuition, am I not? The only person who has missed out would be myself, as I would still have to pay for my lesson, yet would have missed some of it.

If I wanted to pay to be punished, I'm sure there are certain types who might accommodate me.. ;)

As I said, some schools are a lot more informal. Mine is run in a similar way to many in Hong Kong, where informality is common. When you have students who travel for over 2 hours for a lesson, obviously some leeway is called for.

I dont think this is any sort of indication of the decline of civilisation, just a different outlook on learning MA.