Student -n- Teacher Relationships

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Questions asked by Jeff Day o the Ryukyu Martial Arts FB Wall:

First, his comment: “I'm not used to pouring information out freely to people that I do not have a sensei/student relationship with.”

My Response: First, my suspicions rise up high on this quotation as it makes no sense to me until I put on a hidden agenda, my perception that may not be Mr. Day’s actual intent,  and that agenda is “Income based economics.” Unless the person providing or pouring out information feels a strong need for reciprocity of the monetary kind pouring out information is what teachers do to help educate, build knowledge and foster understanding. 

Take my stance for instance, I blog on about nine different blogs all about the martial arts and I am compiling a book, eBook version is the goal, on a modern bubishi of martial arts that will be presented for, “Free,” just like my blogs are for, “Free.” It is about being a Sensei, one who came before, where I mentor others toward a fuller understanding of that thing we call, “Karate.” 

I have enough out there freely given that span an excess of ten years of writing with an average of one article per day that relates my personal perceptions and perspectives on those many things we inadvertently and incorrectly term martial arts that actually are about karate, the Okinawan system of using the empty hand for defense. 

In this comment or quote it is stated, “do not have a sensei/student relationship with,” that I sense is a way to manipulate the reader into believing some grand idea that one must have this relationship to pour out information freely when in reality information is just what it is, Information. You can either pour it out there to teach and mentor or you can hold it close and dear until the person commits themselves to a relationship along with the associated fees one would require. 

Even in a back-yard dojo where no fees are collected requiring a commitment to a teacher-student relationship is more a perception of a crutch to maintain control and have power then to teach and pass on knowledge and hopefully more esoteric information, etc. 

Q: How you you all feel about "teaching" people that make no commitment to you as a student? 

Comment: I feel just fine about it as I see anyone who is willing to listen, question and learn from me a privilege. This privilege puts me in a position of responsibility because what ever I transmit and mentor to a student has a huge influence and impact on their beliefs, perceptions, perspectives and intent in all ways regarding karate. This is a huge thing and provides a personal feel of accomplishment when that student demonstrates the learning outwardly without the encumbrances of such trappings as contracts, obligations of a monetary nature and a subject driven teaching model that has limits over a student teaching model that has no obstacles other than a commitment by the teacher to give their all and by the student to be accepting of all the possibilities open to them in a relationship that is felt rather than required. 

Q: Is the Internet destroying the sensei/student commitment? 

Comment: No, it opens the door to a greater level of information that teaches to increase knowledge, frees the student from the encumbrances often required for power and control and provides a means of understanding through such efforts as on the FB Wall where these questions originate bringing up why one would concern themselves with a pouring out of free information when the questions and the membership on the wall, both free, indicate the questioner feels a certain right to gain knowledge from the questions from other sources more willing to power information out to others freely. 

Q: What happened to students earning information?

Comment: A student who listens, a student who pours out their most ardent effort, a student who questions, a student who researches and a student who puts out every effort to learn, practice, train and study is actually earning their way. This question also supports my theory that the hidden agenda is one where the author feels they are losing something, almost always of monetary nature, in the exchange. A student who fails to carry their side of the equation loses, not the teacher who tries to teach regardless.

Closing: I don’t intend to be down on the questioner as this is the why to which I write herein, a student to teacher to student exchange. My goal is to provide a different perspective in the off chance it might change a way of thinking be it this person or merely the readers. If I have caused discomfort and a feeling of “Dissing the author,” I apologize. 

How we view things, our perceptions toward our belief systems, matters. 

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