There are no bad students (usually), only poor instructors.
Krav Maga is the system built for everyone – that’s what we tell out students. And, it’s true. And in this knowledge, it’s up to the instructor to prove it.
Lately, I’ve been amazed at the progress I’ve seen in the classroom – from the obviously athletic to the confounded and confused. It seems everyone is making great strides in their training. I think part of the magic potion that is facilitating this progress is my willingness to honestly work with each student – AND see his or her set-back as my set-back. The truth is, often times, instructors can become frustrated with a student who isn’t responding to seemingly simple commands. In this frustration, the instructor eventually stops giving an honest attempt to help the struggling student.
Often, we fail to recognize that our first job is to communicate clearly – meaning that the instructor may need to change the way he or she describes the drill or movement being taught. It’s not enough to simply explain the exercise the same way over and over again. Instead, make an effort to restate what you’re communicating – as many times as it takes (perhaps not in a single class).
The truth is, if you try different words, analogies, and metaphors, students (even those that have a hard time catching on) are going to eventually understand what you want and subsequently flourish. The bottom line is simple: If a student continues to show up for class, he or she is sufficiently interested and ready to learn. If you view each student’s progress as your personal grade as an instructor, you’re starting to understand that the only failure in the classroom (where engaged students are the subject), is a failure of the instructor.
You don’t have to fix the confounded student in a single class, just continue with your efforts, be patient, and avoid giving up on him or her. In the end, you’ll be happy you stuck it out. Dedicated students deserve dedicated instruction.
