By Carsten Mønning, Member until 2012

I turned up at Tjørnelyskolen in Greve on a sunny Saturday morning. At the entrance I met my two faithful companions in karate Pia and Freddie both 6th kyu. We were all going to instructor course 1, and I was looking forward to the course with some excitement. How would the teaching take place? – and how could such a course have a realistic angle, so that you could feel on your own body what it was like to be an instructor in the real world.

I was expectant, and my expectations were fulfilled.

We, approx. 50 course participants from 7th to 2nd kyu, first got a general introduction by Kimu Sensei and Jens Koshi. Then we had to go down to the dojo and there we were divided into groups with approx. 10 people in each. In the groups there was a mix of the different degrees. The varying experience made the groups more dynamic. In the groups, we had to work with different cases, all based on potential training situations for beginner teams in karate with grades 9-10. kyu. In each group, two instructors were chosen. A lead instructor and an assistant instructor. The two instructors then had to lead a teaching situation that was set in a predetermined framework. The framework was which basic techniques had to be taught and which roles the elves had to play and act according to. There were, among other things, students with the following characteristics:

• The critical student who questions everything
• The student who compares you to another instructor
• The very attentive student

The students now had to play their part as well as possible, and the instructors had to make the teaching situation work. It wasn't always easy. I was thrown into the role of director in the first case and I learned that there were many things I had to deal with at once.

• How was I supposed to present the basic techniques that I had to teach and could I remember how to perform them correctly?
• Where should I place myself in the hall?
• Where should I place the students?
• How strongly should I speak?
• How should I react when a student disrupted the lesson in one way or another?

The last dilemma was probably the one that most people, myself included, had the most trouble with this day. How to deal with the different types of students who show up for karate lessons, and how to do it in a constructive way going forward. Instructor course 1 does not make you an instructor overnight, but it can give you the courage to continue working and develop your instructor role. Here you are made aware of the role it is to be an instructor and what it requires in terms of authority, leadership, empathy etc

After each case, each group evaluated the case they had just played through. Here, honest but constructive and forward-looking criticism was given which could then be worked on. For my own part, I found that the director's role is an exciting and demanding role to fill. I had to deal with how I would handle unforeseen situations that could arise in the dojo. Subsequently, I became aware that my own ingrained reaction patterns might need to be adjusted a little.

As a teacher in my civilian profession, I also enjoyed the course very much. I became aware of things that I will be able to use in my practical work as a teacher. Among other things, it was the value of good preparation, vigilance (having optimal energy) and constructive limit setting.

Instructor course 1 was a particularly good and challenging experience, and I look forward to participating in instructor course 2.