Very interesting topic. My reasoning would be

1. the person is average height, but well over 350lbs.

As long as I get his Doctor's bill of health then everything is ok I'd slowly work him to get himself fitter and let him control how hard to push him.

2. the person has multiple face peircings and tells you they won't remove them but is willing to risk it.

Its My Dojo - thats the rules, like them or 'Goodbye you are the weakest link' go find a MCdojo who's only interested in get money from you

3. the person mentions, for religious reasons, they will not engage in any 'ceremonial' or iconic things like wearing rank, bowing, or speaking a foreign language nor recite any codes.

Again, Its My Dojo - thats the rules, like them or 'Goodbye you are the weakest link' go find a MCdojo who's only interested in get money from you


4. the person is obviously a transgender female, (was male-is now a female, without operation).

Hey in a Gi, we all 'look' the same so as long as they personally don't make an issue of it they'll be treated the same as any other student

5. tells you they will pay x money to learn 1 particular kata or skill.

Hey, this is where I see $ signs in my eyes (Welcome to Mcdojoland) I would add that they must purchase a Licence (Insurance) and GI and yeah no probs $'s for a Kata they could learn it from a book/DVD for $20

6. the person happens to be your sibling's ex-spouse who is cuurently going thru a nasty legal battle with each other.

Sorry, Family is first, I'd recommend another Dojo for them to train in

7. a student who always pays on time and in full, but consitantly only shows up to one class per month.

As with other replies, I would have to speak to them regards what they want out of the style. if it transpires they have other issues, try and resolve them they might start coming more often

8. a person who has double the amount of MA experience as you and visibly more skill than yourself, but is humble about it.

The style I teach is not traditional Karate so there are no Kata which they would know, I find that those with Experience make the best students. I never look at my students as lesser mortals, I see them all as future Instructors

9. someone who is not particularly interested in the Art, but more in the exercise aspect.

tell them to find a Mcdojo or join a Gym or even find a 'Taibo' or 'Boxersize' with the Lycra brigade Karate is about the whole not just exercise

10. a student of another school, who you know will be taking the other art simultaneously.

Again, The style I teach is not traditional Karate so there are no Kata which they would know, I find that those with Experience make the best students. As long as their other Sensei is happy for them to 'Cross tain' so am I but as long as it doesn't interfer with their learning - I was studying Ashihara karate, Krav Maga, Atemi Jujitsu and Wado Ryu, I've wittled it down to Ashihara Karate (that I teach) and Wado Ryu which I study as white belt.

OK my curiosity is getting the better of me. In my list response, I mentioned that I WOULD take the student who wants to learn a particular technique or kata. I'm assuming that other factors are appropriate. I mentioned that I personally could be in that position because I want to learn Sanchin. I am surprised by how many people wouldn't want to teach it to me. Yes, I actually do have the video of the version I want to learn and I've checked around with the exponents of my style to make sure that it is the one I want. It is just different learning something as rich as Sanchin from someone who "grew up" with it and loves it than just getting it from some forum postings and a DVD. This is hypothetical, of course, but why wouldn't people want to teach me Sanchin (or something else applicable that I might want from your school/style)?

many probably wouldn't because styles are considered a package deal. and I can see the reasoning if they were teaching it that way. the fact is, most don't teach how Sanchin relates to principals and tactics that is fundamental and common to the Art. The movements are taught along with the impression it's a 'conditioning' exercise and not any deeper than that.

It's funny (odd) because places that just teach movements and exercise might not teach just the one kata since they want to give the impression to others that it's a package deal. lol

personally, I do see it as a fundamental which makes it particularly suited to teach it on it's own. but I don't teach since I'm a hobbyist still learning. but if someone wanted to know the movements and some thoughts on it in person, I'd share that, but not for money since I never mix business with fun.

btw, underdog, we should get together some time - you aren't too far away and the stuff you and Gavin explained in the PPoint forum does sound interesting.

I'm a newbie to the arts, but I wouldn't teach Sanchin except as exercise to a newbie. And it is completely for selfish reasons. I'd want a student who would committ to learning something that I valued...and I consider Sanchin to be 'the Jewel of Goju'.

Ed,
there's no reason to turn a student away unless you simply don't want to teach them. As a teacher, they're at your mercy to only learn what you show them. If they aren't worthy of being given "the good stuff", just keep it to yourself or coach your other students privately.

People study martial arts for all kinds of reasons, and just because I don't think their reasons match mine isn't reason to refuse to teach them. Unless they show or have bad character, they can learn as much as they can without the specific instruction necessary for them to be "lethal".

I never know how a student is going to turn out until I've spent some time training with them and by then, I've either decided to teach them everything or dry things up enough that they'll go away on their own. I had one student who was terrible, and in the course of teaching him, I gained three others who were exceptional that were his friends and came to study with us. He eventually left on his own because he just wanted to tell everybody he was taking martial arts, but he didn't ever develop any real skills. His three friends, however, have been doing martial arts for several years now, and growing daily in their practice.

I hear what you are saying. just to make it clear, I don't teach because I don't consider myself qualified. maybe some aspects I'm qualified, but not the Art as a whole.

I understand that different schools may have different teaching missions. For example: if a class were for training police officers or if the class were a part of the military, then the mission is very different than the martial arts school on the shopping plaza complete with its kids classes and tiny tigers (which have already been trashed in another thread). There are teachers around who only teach black belts and so on. A teacher is welcome to teach in any setting and with any mission that fits his/her personal goals.

For my part, the dogged underdog, I am grateful to the teachers who just feel great patience and neighborliness who take me on as a student. I'm grateful to all the teachers who are themselves worthy practitioners and who want to "give back" some of what the art has given them. Who you turn down has to do with your mission statement. If your school advertises that you school is for men and women of all ages, then folks with any manner of disability may show up. Some you will be able to teach and some, you won't know how or won't have the resources to help. Some will be atypical students like me. I am very glad to be having my opportunity to study. I love what I am doing even knowing I will never be amongst the truly great. But know what? I think I might be the toughest grandmother in Mansfield Ma.

Come to Cape Cod this upcoming weekend. Contact Cody at Kyusho.cody@verizon.net. Conference runs from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon. Lots of Kyusho. If you come, PM me so that I'll know how to recognize you. I'm easy to pick out. There are usually not many females.

Here another one, somone in a wheelchair with no function of their lower body

Actually, one of our competition schools has a black belt with little function in his legs. His preferred mode of ambulation is by wheel chair, although I've seen him use a crutches with his chair nearby for when he met his limit on the crutches. He was great and inspiring. Someone did the right thing to give him a chance.

I had a wheel chair student with developmental delay in my special needs class for a few years but that was a special deal. All of those students were awesome.