Rate em

So I missed the big Yaguchi Sensei seminar in Vancouver on Saturday. Blame my ankle.

Not really bummed about it. I've attended a couple of classes with him before. He is certainly a fine instructor, but he hasn't clicked with me. Our club's instructor seems to have clicked. She speaks of him as if he were one of the finest teachers ever.

It's funny how some students match certain teachers.

I have trained with the following instructors who hold rank of 7th Dan or higher. Yaguchi, Yamaguchi, Sakurai, Enoeda, Nishiyama, Nakayama, Kim, and Swain. Several have already passed away.

One led his class, but taught nothing and mostly just seemed angry. One asked for questions, and proceeded to yell at the person who asked one. One got hung up on how many hand forms there are, and wasted 15 minutes of valuable seminar class time trying to come up with the correct number.

That's right. Out of 8 world-class masters, three taught crappy classes. If you ask, I'll tell you which ones.

Of the rest, three more taught good classes. Good, but not astounding or fabulous. I'd happily train with any of them again. To me, Yaguchi Sensei is in this category.

That leaves two who were fabulous. Nakayama Sensei failed me on my first Black Belt exam, but if he'd taught a class the very next day I'd have been there in a shot. He was a wonderful and inspiring teacher. Sakurai Sensei is the only on my list of 8 who is both alive and also a wonderful teacher.

So who am I to rate the greats' teaching ability? I am a full-time professional educator. I know good teaching when I see it, and I know lousy when I see it, too. In every case I was the customer, or student, in the line paying the bills. Of course I have a right to evaluate.

When I teach, I expect my students to decide if they like my style. I always hope I click for them. Evaluation is part of learning.