Talk to him. if he doesn't seem to understand or care, and you want to stick with your organization, follow MattJ's advice and find out who his boss is. perhaps the chief instructor you mentioned (the one who graded you) would have something to say about it.

I think one has to be careful going over an instructors head. Especially if she or someone plans on staying at the school. Some people dont' take it well when ya go over there head. I know it ain't right but that is just the way people are.

But if you really want to stay, do what you have to.

i see what you mean Jason. well i see it like this if WN does nothing, she will keep receiving verbal abuse, which will probably end in her leaving. If she talks to the instructor and it doesn't help, she'll probably end up leaving. If she talks to her instrutor's senior, maybe he can do something. if not she'll end up leaving. otherwise, where's the solution that allows her to stay at the school? that is why i said to try talking to the instructor first.

-TKD_X

I agree..It is a hard situation. I guess it boils down to if she wants to stay or not.

OK, let us take a look at this from a couple of different angles.

First, you.
Quit buying into his nonsense! I want you to stop thinking of yourself as pathetic, effective immediately.
Yes, you do have a responsibility to learn. That is your portion of the teacher-student arrangement. But if the information is not presented to you in the first place, you don't get to do your part.

Now, him.
He is a jerk.
He doesn't understand the simple basics of teaching.
Even if he has some unspoken problem with you, he has to hold up his end and teach.

Now, the school.
The owner, chief instructor, whoever want to know about this. Chances are really good that you are not the only person on the stinky end of his teaching stick.

Now, me.
As an instructor, it was my responsibility to correct student's technique all the time. Over the years, I developed a process to make it work out better.
Every time I made a negative comment on a student's technique, I considered it as if it was a small cut or opened something with that person. Naturally, I would make the needed correction on the spot and then continue my cruising around the room. Eventually, I made a point of stopping back at that student to close the issue by seeing how they are progressing. Some sort of positive comment usually followed, if only to encouraage them to keep trying and commend the effort.

Of course everyone has their own teaching style, but it would never occour to me to belittle anyone, much less be a party to a student beating themself up.

Go talk to the guy. Like, what's the worst that can happen, he starts treating you badly?

Give him one chance to straighten up. After that, talk to the boss.

Good luck and keep us posted on how this works out.

Jeff G.

If your instructor make a comment on your 'failing' technique, ask him a way to improve. It's his job.
Tell him, that you can't improve if he doesn't say how to.

If that won't work, talk to his boss (?chief instructor?). If he still doesn't change his approach in teaching. Find an other school. There are lots of Wado school in England.

Good luck.

Hello C:

Is this individual FAIR and consistant with his approach or are you the only person with a target on your back?

Sounds like the instructor is a seriously, pompass jerk to be polite about it. Might well be the best teacher in the known universe, but myself I don't need to be humiliated, insulted, berated... I can do that without paying for that priveledge!

If thats the approach you want to learn by all means enjoy it... thankfully there are far better/more mature approaches.

There are some who will thrive in hades... but I don't want to train there myself.



Jeff

A big thank you to everyone who took the time to answer my posts. All the replies have helped me get enough confidence to realise that I don't really deserve this kind of treatment.

So I just thought that I'd post a quick update. I still go to his class but only once a week A few weeks ago, a 1st Kyu that I had never met before (he's been off with an injury) came to class. He's also privileged enough to get the same sort of treatment from our instructor as I do. We've sort of started our own remedial class in a corner. It's also nice to know that it's not just me. So that's an improvement.

I have also looked around and found another school that is associated with my club. I go to that once a week. It's a real trek from where I live but worth every hour I spend travelling.

It's hard to explain how rejuvenated my interest/love for Karate has become over the last couple of weeks.

Thanks again for all the advice,

C