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Martial Arts Parrot Learning
Author: Stephen Grayston
I refer to the methodology that if I teach you that two plus two equals four and you can remember that when it comes to writing that answer on an exam paper - then you achieve a pass mark. In brief, that is a summary of how our education system works - and in past years as some may be aware - the marks required to pass have lowered and those claiming to be 'educated' are simply those who have the ability to remember and recall detailed information. Now, the problem with this methodology is that as soon as we require the 'individual' to think as an 'individual' the process breaks down as they have no pre-learned text for 'free-thought' to fall back on.
I do not teach 'groups' but individuals as 'individuals', for if you are attacked in the street it is with your own skill and ability that you would stand the chance of survival. Not by the recall of what was learned on lesson five, week seven, in the year blah, blah, etc. Obviously, we need to have experienced lesson five, etc., but a good teacher should help the student to 'interpret' the meaning and varied usage of the knowledge imparted. Our problem occurs when the class teacher, who's only experience of educating is from when they were in the schooling system - decides that 'Parrot Learning' will be how they teach their class. This can be seen at various Kyu/Dan Grading
Examinations across the country where students simply emulate what the teacher has shown, and in some cases becomes a clone of the teacher. Fine for the preservation of an art - but in order to give the student 'street sense' and the ability to become tomorrow's master - they must develop their own skill and manner of usage.
I find that sadly 'Parrot Learning' occurs in many other things as well - Nihongo (Japanese Language) as an example. I've had numerous Nihongo teachers over the years and nearly all have employed the 'Parrot Learning' method. Which is fine if one intends to sit an exam at Cambridge University and achieve a certificate of proficiency in the Japanese language. The real problem occurs when you actually try and use your language skills to converse with a native speaker... Where you are skilled in asking for 'delicious cakes' and 'where is the toilet' - our native speaker wants to indulge in the normal conversation that you would undertake in your native language. However, those who have 'Parrot Learned' their second language cannot adapt 'on-the-fly' because they were not taught that way... I 'wing-and-prayer' much of my Nihongo, which to a native Japanese can sound a bit like pigeon-speak, but then they under-stand everything I say, and more importantly 'the intention' and meaning of my speech.
This is the same for my Karate students, if I teach a student a technique 'moulded' to their body shape, age, sex, and mental ability, then they can develop this and be able to employ it if attacked. If I teach a 'by-the-book' technique to a group of fifty students as a whole, I guarantee that maybe only two or three will truly grasp what is going on and potentially 'will' be able to use the technique in a combat situation.
I doubt if my methods are that radical, as I know of at least a dozen teachers in the UK employing the same methods as me, (and for the same reasons), but I do constantly come across students and teachers who are determined to correct a move by half-an-inch. This is because that is what they spent last Saturday at a course with 'Whoever-sensei' going through, making the said 'half-an-inch' change. He/she indicated to them on a five hour course that this 'half-an-inch' was the important change that had come from their hombu in Japan and he/she then spent the entire five hours getting everyone to 'Parrot Learn' the half inch change.
Now, in order to perform their Karate the same as the parent group and comply with their syllabus the change was necessary. However, if the student is attacked in the street and their head was filled with 'half-an-inch' to the left, etc., it's not very inspiring for a street attack eh? There is everything to be said for preserving the old and holding with tradition, but we must give the student the ability to 'think', the ability to develop into their own entity using their mind and not trying to simply be a clone of the teacher.
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