I have great respect for one of my teachers. He is not at all arrogant and extremely understanding. He never patronizes anyone in the slightest way, he is a BB and he has earned it. He trains hard like the rest of us and never thinks he's the dogs bits. He will talk to anyone, help anyone. He is a huge inspiration to me and others, and one day I'll beat him in sparring I wish We all have a laugh as well, there is always a relaxed yet focused atmosphere when he teachers which I think is key to learning anything... some other teachers I have met are quite patronizing or impatient.

The head instructor at my school is one of the best teachers I have ever encountered. He is very patient and upbeat with everyone. He is stern yet understanding with the kids (adults just don't have the same discipline problems kids do). He always makes the time to answer questions and never laughs at you no matter how dumb your question may sound. Eventhough I have been under his wing for almost 17 wonderful years he has never talked down to me and is very patient with me (I take forever to learn a new form). He has taught me so much and I know I have so much more to learn. I thank my lucky stars everyday for him and I couldn't imagine learning from a different instructor. It was said best by Chong Mong Chu (PO-Eun)- "I would not serve a second master though I might be crucified a hundred times."

Casey

This one stands out.
Bill and his two sons signed up for my class and did as well as they could. Poor Bill was as stiff as a rock but improved steadily over the years.
Eventually, I moved to the Boston area due to a job change. One night when I was back home for a visit, we talked about getting together for dinner. The word went out and next thing I knew a group of ten showed up. Cool.
As we walked out of the place, Bill stopped me, shook my hand and thanked me for constantly pushing the basics. I had always said the basics will work for him wherever he goes. After I moved away he travelled around central PA visiting various clubs. He said those basics that were drilled into him served him well and he held his own wherever he went.
That was really nice to hear.

Jeff G.

At times the instructor at my school is an amazing teacher. Showing us and explaining the details and fundaments and applications. And a black belt first degree at his school is an awesome teacher. Nice guy, knows his stuff...

I have been blessed with many excellent teachers: John Korab, Captain Chey, Mr Brooks, George Dillman, Jeff Driscoll. I guess my best experience was with John Korab in the 60's. I was a young teenager and he taught me much of what it means to be a man. He was very confident and yet he never seemed to be self absorbed. Once I took him some pictures of himself in a magazine with Joe Lewis and he just kind of brushed it off like it was no big deal.

Teaching my wife. We werent married then. Years later I found out that she didnt have an interest in MA, just me. She was a good actor.

To be honest, the entire club that I went to were the best teachers and friends ever. During my first tournament after leaving my first club, I was having a horrible time and was pretty scared. The entire club that I used to go to hated me. My best friends weren't allowed to talk to me and during my kata and kumite, they were yelling all sorts of obscene things about me. I lost all focus during kata and ended up losing (third out of three still feels like a loss) and if it weren't for some great friends at my new club, I would have lost it for sure before and during kumite.
My old sensei was one of the judges and the ref was a former student of his. I was against my former best friend and my old sensei's 'prize pupil' (as long as you won medals, you were well liked...which is why I left and why he didn't like me I suppose... I wasn't winning medals for him anymore) at any rate, just when I thought I was going to lose for sure, my new club members starting yelling encouragement and my sensei's (Paul Oliver, Paul Jimmo and others) were there supporting me. I felt so happy and managed to win the match. Without those guys supporting me I would have never been able to stand up to them and show them I wasn't going to take their abuse. So props to them all, and if by chance sensei Oliver reads this Thanks for the lucky gloves!!!

Cobra Kai comes to mind with that one.

my karate teacher is a small little lady, middle aged and had been in a gi longer then i have drawn breath. she started in karate in the old days, when some teachers tought with a shinai. she has been competeting since the begining of karate competetion where im from. she tells us when she started out, she was crap, lol. it took her years to learn anything she says. you wouldn't say it by the number of medals and trophies she has won over the years though. last year her home town had a ceramony for her, and we had all her winnings dusplayed out on tables, yeah tables, 2 of them, covered. she's been the canadian national kata champ 10 years running, and under her guadance i've grown more then i could have ever thought posible for someone like myself. her technique is a result of correct and constant pratice, thats one thing she tought me.

she's always smiling. loves to just have fun, and train.classes with her are unique. they demand total focus, and yet we can all laugh and joke while we train. our dojo really is like a family. she's always moving, always striving to learn. i can' keep up with somone who is old enough to be my mom. she dosen't get enough recoginition i think. she wins medals for the province and the country every year, and the best she gets is a section somewhere in the local paper, when the TKD guys get full colour front pages reviews and profiles. unfair, like damn near every thing in this life, but she still smiles, and tells me she does it for herself, not for the province or the country. i love her like family, she works and slaves and only our dojo seems to notice. thats all we need though, i guess.

Michelle Chrich is my Sensei, my family. i hope i scrounge the nerve together someday to say it to her face.