| If you want to become a successful and influential | | | | are really good today, you must have been practicing |
| instructor, you will have to become a master of not | | | | at home. When you go home today practice the same |
| only the martial arts but also of interpersonal skills with | | | | kicks from a deeper stance and your karate will look |
| your students. The Art of Effective Feedback will | | | | fantastic next time you come back to class"; or, "Mary, |
| become a cornerstone of your relationships with your | | | | your punches have a lot of power, if you can deliver |
| students and of the ultimate success of your students | | | | them on target every time you're going to be |
| within your program. Practice this advice and reap the | | | | extremely strong"; or, "James, it looks like you're having |
| benefits, ignore it at your peril! | | | | a bad day and that's OK but do you remember that |
| Be sure to give feedback to students in the class on a | | | | time you came to class and you were doing an |
| regular basis. Try to make all feedback either positive | | | | awesome job and trying your best. I was impressed. I'd |
| or constructive, and avoid any negative feedback if | | | | love to see that strong spirit again." |
| possible. Negative feedback should only be used as a | | | | These kinds of comments are not going to work |
| last resort when there are behavioral issues, rather | | | | every time but they certainly have more of a chance |
| than issues of poor technique; and even then, there | | | | of encouraging a change in the student's output in |
| are steps you should take before resorting to negative | | | | terms of effort and technical competence than a short |
| feedback. | | | | one-sentence put down. |
| Positive feedback is obvious. Comments such as "that | | | | These approaches are very simple ways to break the |
| was a great kick," "nice stance," "that's the best I've | | | | ice between you and your students and show them |
| seen you do that kata (form)," "you really looked like | | | | not only that you are serious about helping them |
| you were trying hard in sparring today" go a long way | | | | progress in the martial arts, but more importantly that |
| towards creating a positive atmosphere and a | | | | you care about them as a person and as a valued |
| comfortable environment in which to learn. | | | | member of your club. |
| When you add the student's name to any of the | | | | Gone are the days of the Prima Donna instructor who |
| above types of encouragement then your relationship | | | | plays the role of an indifferent and unaffected |
| to that particular student will improve almost | | | | demi-God. Here-to-stay, are the days of realistic and |
| immediately. The importance of using your students' | | | | honest feedback from an expert in the arts to his or |
| names when giving feedback cannot be understated. If | | | | her esteemed and paying members. |
| you get nothing else from this article, please remember | | | | Your ability to relate to your students will make or |
| that personalization of your feedback is often more | | | | break you in creating a successful and sustainable |
| valuable than the feedback itself! | | | | school. If you would like some more valuable advice on |
| Constructive feedback should always have the | | | | becoming a great instructor, then read my FREE |
| objective of giving the student some new information | | | | Report, "Instructor Mastery: How to Become a Great |
| from which they can learn. Comments such as "your | | | | Instructor Right from the very First Lesson." You can |
| stance is terrible," "your punches are way off target," | | | | download it at |
| and "why do you even bother coming to class?" are | | | | Good luck and best wishes to you on your honorable |
| inappropriate and should be avoided, even if they are | | | | and noble quest. Feel free to write to me at with any |
| true. | | | | questions you have on your practice or your |
| It would be better to say things like "Johnny, your kicks | | | | feedback. |