If an instructor really feels that a youngster not yet into puberty is worthy of a black belt ranking in an art, what does that say about the sophistication and profundity of the art? What would you think of a college that awarded degrees to kids learning their multiplication tables?

The only people who were ever impressed by a black belt were the absurdly uninformed general public.

 (Dave Lowry)

Modest

The best teacher of all possesses the skills but has no desire to promote themselves.
Status and prestige mean nothing to a teacher who is quiet, self-effacing and anonymous.
Such a teacher puts the wellbeing of their students first, and has no interest in fame.

Apprenticeship

Training with a known master offers no guarantee that the student will acquire the master's skill.
Many masters are reluctant to share knowledge.

Few students have the patience to endure a lengthy apprenticeship.
Typically, they want a quick result and become disheartened when advanced skills are not forthcoming.


Innovator

An innovative teacher offers the greatest challenge for the student.
Innovators are imaginative, fresh and spontaneous.
They uncover new possibilities all the time and make connections and associations that other people simply do not see.

There is no fixity in an innovator's class.
The student is repeatedly called-upon to re-assess, re-consider, re-evaluate.
Everything is fluid and changing.
There is no possibility of boredom or stagnancy.


Teacher

It is important for a tai chi student to work with the best teacher they can find.
Unfortunately, it is very difficult for a beginner to gauge the quality of a potential teacher.

Initially, you must simply follow your instincts.

Consider:

Is the class friendly?
Are people having fun?
Does the teacher explain things well?
Is there humour?
Do you feel safe?
Can you feel a change in your body?
Is the lesson interesting?
Are you challenged with new ideas?
Are you making progress?
Is the teacher calm or tense?
Do they move with ease?

What feels right to you, may seem awful to someone else.
In many ways, finding the right class is about you, not about the tai chi at all.

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Page created 10 September 2007