The instructor’s mission

A strong dojang produces students with skill and character. Your mission is to build both through consistent training, fair evaluation, and a respectful environment.

• Teach skill: mechanics, timing, and application that actually work.
• Build character: discipline, humility, self-control, and respect.
• Protect safety: intensity is earned; control is the gate.
• Maintain standards: belts mean something.

Non-negotiable responsibilities

1) Safety is your job

• Set rules for contact, intensity, and partner work.
• Stop unsafe behavior immediately — calmly and consistently.
• Teach progressions so students earn intensity gradually.
• Protect beginners from advanced intensity and advanced students from beginner chaos.

2) Standards are your job

• Define what “ready” means for each rank.
• Correct fundamentals before polishing details.
• Prevent “belt inflation” by using consistent evaluation gates.

3) Culture is your job

• Model respect and calm leadership.
• Reward effort, honesty, and control — not ego.
• Handle conflict quickly and fairly.

If culture is good, students train harder with less drama and fewer injuries.

How to lead without ego

Students learn best when instructors are confident but not arrogant. Ego creates fear, dishonesty, and fragile students.

• Be consistent: same rules, same tone, same expectations.
• Be calm: your nervous system sets the room’s nervous system.
• Be teachable: demonstrate that improvement never ends.
• Be fair: correct behavior and technique, not personality.

Leadership line: strong instructors don’t need to prove they’re strong.

The coaching process (what to do in real time)

Here’s a simple loop that works at every level:

1. Observe (watch the feet/hips first).
2. Name the root issue (one sentence).
3. Give one fix (one cue).
4. Have them repeat immediately (one rep).
5. Confirm improvement (quick feedback).

Avoid the “15 corrections” trap. One fix at a time builds confidence and results.

What to correct first (priority order)

This order prevents confusion and improves students faster:

1. Base: stance, line, balance.
2. Center: hips under torso, alignment.
3. Timing: relax → accelerate → brief finish tension.
4. Details: chamber, angles, exact tools.

Teaching shortcut: if the base improves, the hands improve.

Communication that students actually understand

Students learn faster when the language is consistent and simple. Choose cues that solve problems without creating new ones.

High-value cues

• “Quiet feet.” (control and balance)
• “Knees track toes.” (alignment and safety)
• “Hips under you.” (posture and power)
• “Relax then snap.” (timing)
• “Finish stable.” (no recovery steps)

What to avoid

• “Just do it harder.” (usually creates tension and bad mechanics)
• “Because I said so.” (kills understanding and trust)
• Over-technical lectures mid-class (teach one idea, then drill it)

Building assistant instructors

Strong schools develop leadership. Give seniors structured responsibilities instead of letting them “coach randomly.”

Safe responsibilities

• Lead warm-ups with a set script.
• Help beginners with stance checks (under supervision).
• Hold pads and run simple timed drills.
• Demonstrate pattern segments for lower ranks.

Rules for assistants

• Use the same cues the school uses.
• Correct one thing at a time.
• Never increase intensity without permission.
• Respect the chain of command and model humility.

Common instructor mistakes

Mistake: Teaching to impress

• Looks like: too many advanced moves, too fast, too much complexity.
• Fix: teach what students need next, not what looks impressive.

Mistake: Letting standards drift

• Looks like: belts become attendance awards.
• Fix: use consistent gates and rubrics in evaluation.

Mistake: Ignoring culture problems

• Looks like: ego sparring, bullying, disrespect, cliques.
• Fix: address behavior early and calmly; reinforce tenets daily.

Mistake: Confusing fear with respect

• Looks like: quiet students who don’t ask questions and hide mistakes.
• Fix: keep structure, but create safety for learning and correction.

Instructor self-checklist (weekly)

• Safety: did anyone get hurt unnecessarily? why?
• Standards: did I correct fundamentals first?
• Focus: did each class have one clear theme?
• Culture: did I reward control and respect?
• Growth: what did I improve as an instructor this week?

Next

Strong instruction uses consistent language and shared definitions. Go to Terminology & Commands.