I looked at the situation I’m in currently and I realize I’ve got access to a lot of the best martial artists in the world – I’ve been fortunate enough to have some pull me aside and say “hey, let me show you something.”

I found myself wondering why – I know I’m nothing special.

Then I realized it’s because I try or at least that’s what it seems to be.

My Kenpo grandmaster loves to drive an hour and a half to come up here and train for nothing more than gas money. He’s told me it’s because my fellow students and I are eager to learn what he has to teach – and we give him the proper respect.

I treat my teachers and what they’re attempting to teach me with respect and I actually try to do what they’re showing me. I actively work to engage with the material – I ask questions and I try to help others understand it as well.

Paying for an Experience

So why don’t more people get this kind of treatment? I think a big part of it is you’ve gotta put in the work beforehand – you need to develop a base level of skill before someone advanced can show something really interesting. See the post: There are No Secrets for some further context.

Beyond that – you need to show that you’re more involved than simply paying your tuition and expecting certain things – the relationship needs to be moved beyond a simple monetary exchange.

I’m not saying teacher’s shouldn’t expect to be paid (or even paid well if they’re excellent at what they do and can teach you to do the same) – they’ve put in time and effort often more than it takes to become a doctor.

For a lot of teachers they want to teach – they want more than to simply collect tuition and call it a day. Myself included – I love when students are clearly engaged and are obviously more interested in what they’re learning than just getting their next rank.

But most students are simply paying for an experience – they don’t really care about the art, they just to be able to say they’re taking a martial art.

A Give and Take

There’s a complimentary nature to students and teachers – without students teacher’s have no one to teach. Without teachers, it’s far harder for a student to learn – if not impossible.

Both positions in the relationship deserve and demand respect.

Both positions also require different perspectives – a good teacher will be able to adapt and break down what they teach to various types of students. A good student will communicate with their teacher – ask questions, let them know if they don’t understand or aren’t getting something. A good student also shows respect by meeting their obligations – generally money and time.

A good student will also spend time practicing and experimenting on their own – outside of class – the best teacher in the world can’t make a student good after all.