Teachers carry the great responsibility of educating the nation’s children, preparing them for life and the future. But this career, while it may feel like a lifelong calling for some, isn’t for everyone.
Just like any career, it has downsides and many teachers are currently experiencing burnout. Teacher burnout leads to considerable stress, and leaves educators contemplating a career change where they can leverage their existing skills, while working in a less stressful environment.
That’s what we’ve noticed at Action Karate as we have many former teachers joining us to build a more fulfilling and stress-free career. In this article, we explore why former teachers excel as martial arts instructors, how to become one, and the incredible benefits this brings. Let’s take a closer look.
Why Teachers Excel as Martial Arts Instructors
Becoming a martial arts instructor is a highly rewarding experience. If you are a teacher contemplating a change of career, the good news is that you can easily transfer your skills to coaching. As a martial arts instructor, you will still focus on building effective relationships with students, simply in a different setting and environment.
Your ability to connect with students will not go wasted as teachers generally have numerous transferable teaching skills that you can pass on to your students as you become a martial art instructor.
A few of these skills include:
Active listening
As a teacher, you already know the importance of active listening. This means giving your students your full attention while carefully considering their needs and requirements. You are then able to tailor your approach and subsequently your training session to each student.
Learning strategies
Former teachers turned martial arts instructors are also already aware of different learning strategies and styles. They know that every student learns differently. Some require visual aids, while others learn with the help of a physical approach. By being able to teach in different ways, you can better cater to your students’ needs.
Speaking and communication
A major part of martial arts is proper communication. You will be giving instructions and demonstrating certain techniques, which your students need to follow accurately. By verbalizing your request in a proper way and communicating with students at the right level, you create stronger bonds and improve your teaching practice.
Time management
Teachers are also very well suited to become martial arts instructors because of their time management skills. Time management is about accomplishing everything that’s been planned in advance within a limited time frame. This requires great organization, planning, and foresight, which former teachers have plenty of experience with.
Mentoring
Another area where former teachers truly excel at is mentoring. By acting as a coach, a mentor, an instructor, and a motivator, you can pass on your skills and knowledge to your students, helping them get ahead and achieve their goals. You can help them set small goals that they work towards and encourage and support them to reach each one. The sense of accomplishment that comes with this is highly rewarding for both the teacher and the student.
Interpersonal skills
Interpersonal skills include verbal and non-verbal as well as written and listening communication. The combination of these skills is essential for a martial arts instructor and former teachers usually excel at all of these skills because they’ve been trained to listen and communicate, encourage, where necessary, give feedback in a positive way, and so much more.
Patience
And last but not least, there is the transferable skill of patience. Each student grows and develops at their individual pace, some are quick learners, while others need a lot of repetition and time to progress. By being patient, martial arts instructors create a safe, stress-free and welcoming environment, where every child discovers the tools to reach their full potential.
Becoming a Martial Arts Instructor: No Black Belt Required
Many former teachers wonder if they need a black belt to teach martial arts.
While this is a valid question, the answer is no. Even though a black belt is certainly a plus and will help you teach at a higher level, there’s no belt or certification requirement to teach martial arts.
When you first begin your coaching journey at Action Karate, you will be provided with hands-on training from our Head Instructors. We will support you in your new endeavor by showing you the basis of martial arts coaching and giving you opportunities to assist our current coaches with their classes before you feel ready to begin coaching on your own. The only thing we expect from you is to have a passion for martial arts and teaching so that you can fully immerse yourself in the incredible world of martial arts.
Benefits of Being a Martial Arts Instructor
If you are considering new opportunities for you to learn and grow, then becoming a martial arts instructor with us at Action Karate is a great and truly rewarding experience.
You’ll quickly be able to pick up all the physical skills and core values as you live your passion for martial arts every day in a fulfilling and rewarding environment that gives you the opportunity to grow.
If you’re a teacher seeking a career change, now’s the perfect time to reach out to us. Discover how you can bring your dedication and transferable skills to a new, fun, and exciting community. of like-minded individuals.
Reach out to talk to us today!