Sunday, December 1, 2013

What are the Benefits of being a Club vs. School - - Chief Instructor's Blog December 2013


Han Moo Kwan Tae Kwon Do is a Club versus a School. (Please note the definitions used here are my definitions of a club and a school.)

So, you may ask what is the difference?

Han Moo Kwan is considered a club for a couple of reasons. One of the major reasons is we are more informal in our structure. Some of the areas that I consider us more informal than a school are described in the paragraphs below.

Unlike many schools, we are on a first name basis with everyone including instructors. Mr. Kim was the only person not on a first name basis. We do not refer to instructors as Sensei or Master. This does not mean we are not respectful of one another, but we do not feel we require titles to be respectful or demonstrate understanding of who is the Chief Instructor or Certified Instructors. (We also teach to adults where we do not think we need to re-enforce respect through titles like you might need to in a children’s class.)

We also do not have a creed or motto we state for every class. We do sign an agreement of participation when we join the club, but we do not repeat it every class night.

We do not force the use of Korean terms. We do use a few terms like dobok and dojang, but we do not force students to use Korean terms, such as counting or names of basic techniques, etc.

From time to time, Certified Instructors working with students hold dialogues and discussions with each other to share their ideas and observations. From time to time, the Chief Instructor may ask other instructors if they have any observations to share. This is probably one of the major areas that would not happen in a more formal school.

In fact, in many formal schools there would be little to no dialogue. The instructor would state the exercise and drills and the students would perform them. The students would not be allowed to ask questions related to why they were doing something – the old style thought to instructing was it would come to one over time, and an explanation was not necessary. There would be little to no talking during the drill or exercise. We found this disadvantageous to students who learn through understanding versus simply doing.

The biggest difference between a club and a school is its intent. Clubs tend to be non-profit or not-for-profit, so their primary focus is on the art form. Schools tend to be businesses for profit so the business (and profit) tends to be the focus. Schools are interested in bringing in new students through the trophies they win or the prestige of their Masters and lineage in order to pay the rent, the insurance, and pay the instructors. And even though most schools probably start out focused on the art form, over time, the business aspects tend to take front and center. At the worst, schools may ask a student to test before they are truly ready because they charge thousands of dollars for black belt testing and the business may need the money.

Is it better or worse to be a club?

While there are benefits to being a club there are some drawbacks.

For me, the number one benefit is our agenda and only intent is to share the art form and we are not distracted by needing to run a business and make a profit at the same time. In addition, a benefit to our club atmosphere is students seem to feel more comfortable asking questions and bringing up their concerns or issues. The lack of using Korean terms allows for easier understanding of the direction and instruction.

Another benefit is students are getting the perspective of different instructors with different experiences and different primary learning and teaching styles. With the variation, you are more likely to get the information in a way that resonates with you.

A drawback is by getting different perspectives and teaching from multiple sources there can be confusion or too much information from time to time, and people tend to think there are too many opinions. In these types of situations, the Chief Instructor is ALWAYS the final authority of the information, period.

Another drawback is at times, in class, we tend to get relaxed and not focus on the task/drills at hand with full attention. We tend to forget through our less formal instruction that we must listen and follow direction exactly because we are learning an art form which can have deadly results if used improperly. In a school environment, those not listening or following direction explicitly when the primary instructor spoke would be asked to step aside.

Another drawback is we do not spend time with the culture of the art form in class, so that information related to the art form either has to be picked up individually or not at all. While that information is not critical, the history and culture of the art form from its Korean roots does promote a deeper understanding of the philosophy, strategies, and tactics that have evolved.

Overall, I believe our Club provides a good, healthy learning environment in a safe atmosphere with the primary goal to assist students to learn and grow physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Our Club is not perfect, and like we ask of the students, we do strive to continue to provide good instruction and improve on our instruction; we continue to get more consistent with the information through the websites, and remain open to feedback. We continue to honor Mr. Kim’s legacy through our not-for-profit Club. We continue to touch the lives of individuals whether it is for a few months or for years.

Regards,
Kelly

"Human beings are capable of virtually limitless degradation; they are also capable of virtually limitless improvement and achievement. Success depends on goals and on diligence in pursuing them." ~ Masutatsu Oyama (1923- 1994), a karate master who founded Kyokushinkai Karate