What level is your Wing Chun at?

[anerlich]

And do you know how easy it is to pass a Level 2??!! Which means that some assessed to 'Sifu' or Coach levels haven't got the experience let alone skillset of a teacher who has trained for over 40 years! And most of them will refuse such 'silly' assessments too!!!

I don't know how easy it is to pass a level 2. We go to a level 4 here, FWIW. My WC instructor had been teaching for 25 years, my BJJ instructor had black belts in multiple TMAs before he started the first BJJ school in Sydney. Both of them though obtaining the quals were worthwhile. I'd have to question the motivation of those that refused assessment. Some people think they're above the constraints that affect their fellow citizens, perhaps.

Ive been in IT for nearly 40 years, did assembler and COBOL on IBM mainframes and DEC PDP-11's back in the day. Unfortunately I have to keep doing the same certifications all the young mofos do to remain employable. Teachers, doctors, etc. have it no different. Experience counts, but you're still only as good as the last batch of students you produced.

I've always been of the opinion that most, if not all Martial Arts will have elements of Art, Sport and Culture and so should be supported by governmanet at local and national levels. Not saying that government should be too involved in the assessment process, but they should know who's who, especially in the Chinese communities our beloved Wing Chun comes from!!

Ideally perhaps, realistically you have to put your eggs in the most likely basket. There's more support for sport than for art and culture - the former is regarded as good for public health, the latter, perhaps unjustly, smacks of elitism. Lots of people sign their kids up for sport MA or self defence, not much demand for Chinese calligraphy or lion dancing.

In my experience the Chinese communities here haven't done much to spread TCMA except within that community itself, and to a considerable degree they have kept it to themselves. Real propagation has been done by individual businessmen, and in my experience most of those are very good at making money for themselves, but far less keen to share it or invest in the community. There's no law against that, but I'm not expecting a flood of TMA-teaching philanthropists to appear any time soon.

[wolf3001]

I just graded actually I am Level 8 I guess I don't remember the levels. I have technically completed the Biu Jee form and the dummy but have been absent for some time so I am ahead of where I am at in the school. Although I have learned most of what I need to know to become a first level instructor I still have a couple of gradings to go and I wish I was better. I have been at this for 10 years several years were spent training on my own while I was in school.

[LoneTiger108]

In my experience the Chinese communities here haven't done much to spread TCMA except within that community itself, and to a considerable degree they have kept it to themselves.

Totally similar here in the UK in most Chinese systems, although there will always be at least 'one' decent western student originating from within this Chinese community. But again, none of us should be judged by our Sifus behaviour or commercial teaching, but it has happened and will continue to happen.

In the UK our old NVQ training has recently been replaced and offers Levels 1-6 and I totally see what you're saying about keeping up with these young mofos!

Personally for me, experience in the hall actually teaching/coaching is a must for any wannabe instructor but some do tend to 'teach for the first time' when they open their own schools. I don't think that should be accepted as the 'norm' for Wing Chun people. You should look for a teacher that can offer you some sort of apprenticeship, so you can be assessed 'while' you're helping your teacher to teach!

Only my personal view, but one which influenced my mind tpo start this thread in the first place.

Now I've been teaching for 7 years independently (kind of!) and my own Sifu is interested to see me more these days and catch up. Assessing where he thinks I'm at and advising on what I can do to develop even further.

I only wish I had taken the time more seriously (business wise) as I have only had a handfull of students due to my growing family and work committments. Hence, why my Flystudio promotions will only ever be minimal until a new team/troupe is developed.

[wolf3001]

Totally similar here in the UK in most Chinese systems, although there will always be at least 'one' decent western student originating from within this Chinese community. But again, none of us should be judged by our Sifus behaviour or commercial teaching, but it has happened and will continue to happen.

In the UK our old NVQ training has recently been replaced and offers Levels 1-6 and I totally see what you're saying about keeping up with these young mofos!

Personally for me, experience in the hall actually teaching/coaching is a must for any wannabe instructor but some do tend to 'teach for the first time' when they open their own schools. I don't think that should be accepted as the 'norm' for Wing Chun people. You should look for a teacher that can offer you some sort of apprenticeship, so you can be assessed 'while' you're helping your teacher to teach!

Only my personal view, but one which influenced my mind tpo start this thread in the first place.

Now I've been teaching for 7 years independently (kind of!) and my own Sifu is interested to see me more these days and catch up. Assessing where he thinks I'm at and advising on what I can do to develop even further.

I only wish I had taken the time more seriously (business wise) as I have only had a handfull of students due to my growing family and work committments. Hence, why my Flystudio promotions will only ever be minimal until a new team/troupe is developed.

Just thought I would jump in here. My Sifu from what I understand went from Kansas to Australia many times to learn Wing Chun under William Cheung. Im not sure when he actually started teaching but what I understand he and his wife spent a lot of time going there to learn. We don't have many Chinese here mostly Vietnamese an Laotians now some Burmese. My Sifu is Master Jerry Bolding he is a local farmer im guessing he is from the area but im not really sure. There are no martial arts schools really other than Karate around here. My school when I started doing Wing Chun had several people who were at instructor level. It was required for anyone above Chum Kiu to help teach at times lead drills and such. I feel you have to learn to teach. I had to lead class many times and I now help teach in our own little school. Our Sifu could no longer keep the school open and my friend and I have been working hard to keep it alive.

[LoneTiger108]

There are some insightful posts here, so thanks for sharing your experiences

I was recently sent a link to this clip on Youtube which is promoting a model of assessment/learning which I found very interesting. From Sifu Leung Tings teachings I believe, so has anyone gone though this sort of thing??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZA9MmE5uS0

"Sifu Martin Dragos introduces himself and his Wing Tsun Masters Academy Bootcamp - the intensive way of learning the complete WingTsun-System within 7-10 days. This video is also an invitation to all WingChun /WingTsun enthusiasts to join the Bootcamp Introduction Workshop (Villingen-Schwenningen(Germany) and London) for free."