Suggestions and Notes for Selecting a school or teacher in the martial arts world.

1. The chief role of the teacher is to serve the students. The teacher helps the students to improve, to evolve, to become better human beings through his teachings. The teacher must therefore display exemplary behaviour and conduct. His actions (his words and publications are not good enough) must truly reflect values of benevolence, charity, care, compassion, diligence, justice, consideration, humanity, goodwill, generosity and courage. To name a few.

2. The most commercially successful school is not necessarily the best. The most well-known teacher is also not necessarily the best. The one who writes and publishes the most books and articles is also not necessarily the best. Accredited schools are also not necessarily the best, just like those with seemingly impeccable lineages. The nearest and most convenient teacher may also have many other hidden drawbacks.

3. The involved study of the martial arts tends to have a profound impact on the learner. You should shop around and compare teachers, curriculum and the learning atmosphere before joining. Ask for opinions from as many sources as possible and be objective in your selection before joining. Have a rigorous set of criteria in your assessment.

4. Avoid schools which tend to idolise and glorify the headmaster. Stay away from any cult-like organisations. Good schools focus on the students and not on the headmaster.

5. Avoid schools that compel you to slave for them as a condition for further progress into the system. They usually do this by giving their blackbelts or equivalents the options of either paying through their nose to continue training or teaching for the schools without adequate compensation.

6. Avoid schools that stretch the whole learning syllabus into 10 or more years to complete. You should finish learning simple and direct systems within 4 to 6 years, at a reasonable and affordable cost.

7. Avoid schools that preach violence and savagery. Check their leading instructors (they usually reflect their headmaster) for arrogance, contempt and crass commercialism. Martial arts is more for health, fitness, discipline and self-development. Good schools always encourage and practise peace and goodwill.

8. A good school has a warm, sincere and friendly atmosphere with a sense of order. No self-respecting school will advertise tastelessly and embarrassingly.

9. Avoid teachers who learn ONLY from books and magazine articles and proceed to teach different styles derived from his readings. An authentic teacher is honest about his own learning background.

10. Remember, that in this day and age, certain martial arts traditions are impractical and irrelevant. Loyalty and respect must be practised within the context of your prevailing environment and cultural background. Certainly, all your behaviour must be consistent with the law of the land and with basic humanity. Your relationship with your teacher must be based on fairness considering the time, energy, money and other resources you have to expend. Your teacher must never abuse his position and make you feel uncomfortable about anything. You should be able to be truthful to your teacher without reservations. A good teacher loves his students. If you can't clarify your doubt about your teacher's behaviour, conduct and values, STOP and LEAVE.

11. A good teacher will NEVER try to restrict his students' basic freedoms and rights. Do not sign ANY contract or agree to any set of behavioural rules without first checking with your lawyer, the police, or consulting with your loved ones and friends. If you are uncomfortable or embarrassed talking about it to them, then it is probably very wrong. No internal arts learning is so priceless as to lose your basic freedom and rights for it.

12. It is alright to formalise your relationship with your teacher in a traditional ritualistic manner as long as the ceremony is not designed to enslave and restrict your fundamental freedom and rights, as enshrined in the UN Charter of Human Rights. The conditions of formalisation should also be lawful and conscionable. Traditional rituals were designed for traditional societies and times. Many teachers abuse such traditional rituals and rites for purely selfish gains at the expense of the students. Be very careful and ever vigilant against such charlatans and fakes.

13. If you need to pay tens of thousands of dollars to complete your learning, STOP! If your teacher refuses to give you your complete learning syllabus after you have paid him thousands of dollars, chances are he is a greedy, conniving thief. If he is making so much money out of it, he won't give anything to you in a hurry. This is especially true when you have paid him thousands and you have learnt less than one-tenth of the whole thing. AVOID the trap that paying a lot means that it must be that good. Very often, it is just the opposite.

14. If your teacher is less than 45 years old, don't bank your complete learning on him. If he is younger than you, then chances are he is less mature than you are. In that case only learn technical matters from him, if you can.

15. If your teacher has son(s) or daughter(s) who can succeed him, especially when he has an organisation or school or is internationally recognised and sought after, then he will probably NEVER pass on to you the whole and complete system. In that case, learn only what you can from him technically, but keep your expectations at a realistic level. Pay only what you can reasonably afford.

16. A genuine teacher will take responsibility for his actions. If his students leave him, he will seek to understand the reasons why they leave and take responsibility for it. He should then endeavour to change himself, or his organisation so as to attract and keep students. He should not blame his own failure on others, least of all on those who have already left him.