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Post by powerof0ne on Sept 29, 2012 23:50:39 GMT -5
Where I currently teach, there is much misinformation between the school and I running my dojo.
Last year, I was allowed to have students spar, needing to supply my own insurance, so I charged students (allowed one free kihon day for nonpaying students too, and I charged them a very fair rate..not one, where I was making much, if any profit.
So now, I'm hit with a brick right to my groin...my student, who's the president of the club, who's been tap dancing around something, finally informed me that the way the club charter and the agreement with the school is, I can't have space and charge students...but I'm supposed to pay for insurance out of my own pocket for students to train? I don't think so.
If this truly is the case, which will be found out in the days to come, I will withdrawal from teaching at that university, and find a new place.
I won't teach, when kumite isn't allowed, and on top of that, the school has given very little, to no support but providing space. Meaning, that there is nowhere to store any of our gear, even leaving brooms so we can clean the floors in one of the areas we train that the janitors aren't cleaning....oh, and, the Shotokan club is allowed to advertise they teach at PLU (we're not), and last year had an article in their university paper, and allowed to have non university students in their classes (we're not). I'm going to give one last chance to getting some answers, and if this isn't resolved, I'm packing up my bags and moving on.
What's unfortunate is, majority of my students don't have the time, nor means to feasibly drive that far outside the university to train. I don't like doing this, but I won't risk teaching them against their university rules, and getting shut down. I've done everything I could to operate within their rules, but now, it seems like the university doesn't want me to teach anymore is the bottom line.
The way my current schedule is, I probably won't be going out of my way for a good six months, to a year, to teach anywhere else. Sort of venting here, because it p***es me off, now I have a headache and want to break something LOL. Osu!
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GJEC
Member
LOUGHBOROUGH ENSHIN
Posts: 3,218
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Post by GJEC on Sept 30, 2012 2:13:46 GMT -5
I hear you.
I investigated teaching at Loughborough University for a time but the DICKS in charge of assigning space had absolutely no idea about Martial Arts. There are half a dozen clubs there teaching a variety of styles, yet none seem to win anything.
No surprise.
Gary
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Post by senshido on Sept 30, 2012 7:01:24 GMT -5
sorry to hear this... Gary hit the nail on the head...DICKS
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Post by MMX on Sept 30, 2012 12:52:13 GMT -5
Oh man that is terrible. I think most of the schools are clueless about this stuff.
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Post by italiantank on Sept 30, 2012 16:33:37 GMT -5
That suck. Hopefully you work things out or find another location nearby. osu
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Post by powerof0ne on Sept 30, 2012 16:41:37 GMT -5
The problem with another location nearby is, 99% chance I'd have to actually charge "commercial rates," to which most of these "poor college students" couldn't afford...unless we found a rec center or church that was willing to do so, but we haven't yet in the couple of years I've been running this dojo.
Within 5 years I'm just going to have a big enough house, with a big enough garage, to convert into a private dojo....much less headaches. Osu!
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GJEC
Member
LOUGHBOROUGH ENSHIN
Posts: 3,218
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Post by GJEC on Oct 1, 2012 0:26:46 GMT -5
I wouldn't cry too much for poor students.
I save my sympathy for people who've lost their jobs and have a family to support.
Gary
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Post by Ros on Oct 1, 2012 8:02:31 GMT -5
I guess Po1 needs to think about what his students can afford if they make up the majority of his class.
Can you get round it somehow? Maybe by not charging them per class but saying they have to have insurance, which is X amount per month/quarter/whatever?
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Post by meguro on Oct 1, 2012 8:41:36 GMT -5
College students generally have limited funds for extracurricular activities. High schools and primary schools are where I would focus my attention. Parents are usually more inclined to spend money on their younger kids' activities, especially if those activities might help address obesity, hyper-activity,self-esteem, etc., etc.
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curlbroscience
Member
Testing the waters. Thanks for the forum MMX!
Posts: 1,517
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Post by curlbroscience on Oct 1, 2012 10:50:54 GMT -5
Sorry to hear about the university Chikara dojo PO1. I know that great things are in store for you. Why are you afraid to charge commercial rates? In my years in college, I think the stigma of "poor" college student is more like "poor baby" college student who is making a transition into the real world. I worked full time during my college years and was able to go to school and train in Karate. Where there is a will there is a way, in the exception of POOR college graduates repaying student loans with children. Different story. When I attended the university, the "Karate" class that was being taught was more of a gateway to the commercial dojo.
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Post by powerof0ne on Oct 1, 2012 15:47:14 GMT -5
For some weird reason, most of my students are "poor college students."
I don't charge them monthly, I have charged based on insurance/gear per semester(s), this unfortunately isn't a work around.
I'm hoping for some answers this week, why the Shotokan club gets to do everything I'm not allowed to. .. Osu!
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curlbroscience
Member
Testing the waters. Thanks for the forum MMX!
Posts: 1,517
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Post by curlbroscience on Oct 1, 2012 17:13:48 GMT -5
For some weird reason, most of my students are "poor college students." I don't charge them monthly, I have charged based on insurance/gear per semester(s), this unfortunately isn't a work around. I'm hoping for some answers this week, why the Shotokan club gets to do everything I'm not allowed to. .. Osu! I'm not saying they don't exist, but the amount of overage money you get with student loans is quite substantial. Predatory lending practices... etc. It could be 'tenure'. We were a part of my Shotokan Sensei's private dojo and he allowed for us to train at the university during the wednesday and saturday when he was there. He was training out of the university going on 30 years when we were a part of his group. We were not students of the University, but I think because of his years there no one checked ID or he knew the loopholes. It did make it quite difficult to park for classes on weeknights if we decided to go. He did charge for people to attend the classes there but it was very small (25/month). We were partially aware of the administration necessity as our Sensei asked the "President" of the club to fill the appropriates etc. There was a bumper sticker that I saw the other day that read, "I wasn't born in Texas, but I ran here as fast as I could." ;D
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Post by powerof0ne on Oct 2, 2012 7:07:54 GMT -5
Just suspended myself from teaching until: 1. I'm allowed to have knockdown kumite/full contact training and be able to charge students since insurance and other dojo costs, aren't free to me. *I charged before, with no problems, provided proof of insurance and even have my business license now, even though where I live I don't have to have it since I don't make $12k+ a year from teaching* 2. An answer why the Shotokan club is able to charge non-university students have them...I only was given that option if I paid 100-250+ USD an hour!!! I think at one place it was like 800-1000 an hour, I'm not kidding, neither. No way the shotokan club, whom I used to have more active students than, is paying that LOL!
There is another factor that plays in this, but I don't want to bring it up in public..I'm hoping by "suspending myself from teaching," that this will put pressure on this factor to start getting some answers ASAP.
If this doesn't work out, and I already suspect, it won't, I will probably take a break from teaching for quite some time..instead, I will focus on myself, train on my own, and go to another dojo on the weekend for kumite, only. I may even train Muay Thai again under a Thai champion that teaches, not far from where I live, who's invited me to his gym...he used to be an instructor for whom I was certified as an instructor for. So it would be fun, and maybe a much needed "break."
For those that don't teach, believe me, it's not as glamorous and "fun" as you might think. Osu!
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GJEC
Member
LOUGHBOROUGH ENSHIN
Posts: 3,218
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Post by GJEC on Oct 2, 2012 8:51:08 GMT -5
For those that don't teach, believe me, it's not as glamorous and "fun" as you might think. Osu! Have to agree ... It takes a tremendous amount of self-discipline and willpower to keep turning up night after night, especially when you have family demands on your time, yet the students who expect an endless supply of inspiring sessions often just take the night off whenever they can't be arsed to turn up. I sometimes wonder who exactly I'm doing this for, as most of the older ones could do with a rest and the juniors are likely to give up as soon as they discover girls. It's not for the money, that's for sure! Gary
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Post by powerof0ne on Oct 2, 2012 9:04:38 GMT -5
For those that don't teach, believe me, it's not as glamorous and "fun" as you might think. Osu! Have to agree ... It takes a tremendous amount of self-discipline and willpower to keep turning up night after night, especially when you have family demands on your time, yet the students who expect an endless supply of inspiring sessions often just take the night off whenever they can't be arsed to turn up. I sometimes wonder who exactly I'm doing this for, as most of the older ones could do with a rest and the juniors are likely to give up as soon as they discover girls. It's not for the money, that's for sure! Gary The only thing I can think it is, subconsciously, we think we have a sense of "duty," to pass on what we know, as others did for us. Like most instructors, I didn't just decide that I should teach, my past instructor(s) had me go through, more or less, an "apprenticeship" to teach, but it wasn't something I ever asked to do, neither. I think it had more to do with me being a dojo/gym rat, because I was never naturally gifted, or anything close to what I'd consider a "natural." So, I guess you could say I was over the course, of x amount of years, brainwashed to think it's my duty to teach? I really don't know... The area where I live, little to no knockdown karate is practiced, taught, etc. There are a few options for kickboxing, MT, BJJ, MMA, and boxing. I suppose it's my lifelong involvement with various styles, and types of karate...and me truly believing that knockdown karate is the best style of karate, and wanting others to experience that. That doesn't mean it's for everybody, just like Calculus isn't for me, nor is knockdown karate for, everybody . I do have a pretty solid plan, for how I could at least be successful enough to break even with a commercial dojo..but like you said, make much profit? hah, I doubt it...the way I have seen to make significant profit teaching martial arts unfortunately USUALLY isn't in a way that I could live with....there are a few exceptions, but those exceptions are usually with huge names, and even than, we all know some huge names that still aren't making much of a living from teaching martial arts. Osu!
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