Traditional Wing Chun of Durham

Learning how to... walk?

Teaching is both an old and new path in my life.  From a martial arts perspective, I have taught many classes over the years in various arts that I belonged to, but it always consisted of classes of people that I already knew.  Depending on how long you've been training with these fellow students, there is a good base of respect and camaraderie.  It is relatively painless.  The students have a default faith that their head instructor would not put someone in charge of the class if that senior student did not know what they were doing, and did not have good character.  It's a lot like being a toddler that is almost ready to walk on their own, and their parent still holds them by the finger to keep them safe and on the right path.

This method is required of anything though, learning the how by doing.  The major test is when the parent finally lets go of the toddler's finger.  That doesn't mean the toddler is ready to run, or jump, but they can take their own steps while still having the parent keeping a close eye on their progress.  The child will skin knees and injure things by falling.  They will feel the fear and exhiliration of stumbling and not having a safety net attached to them.  The excitement of the new first steps.

I find it incredible how quickly children learn how to walk.  They are completely free of preconceptions about what walking should or shouldn't be.  They have no concept of success or failure to hold them back.  They just do.  Their cups are always empty.

This is where I am now.  My sifu, has in a sense, let go of my finger.  I'm not ready to jump or run, but I will get there eventually.  I still need to be pushed, and guided down the right path, but I am becoming more and more self-motivated to walk it on my own.  I am trying to wipe my slate clean, to continually empty my cup,  and realize once again, what it is like to learn like a child.  If people see me learning how to walk, and it inspires them, then I consider that a successful first step in becoming a good teacher.