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By David P. Bucheimer, 5th Dan Chief Instructor Central Maryland Martial Arts Tang Soo Do Recently, a 15 year old student’s parents told me that their child really looked up to me and wanted to be just like me. While I was flattered and humbled, it really made me reflect on my role in the development of students, both internally as well as externally. So began a discussion online of how to teach values through the martial arts. The discussion centered on the role of the teacher as one who has the responsibility to impart certain values to the student. All the participants in the discussion were veteran martial artists and teachers. The common thread was clear: all teachers, especially teachers of young people, have a responsibility to lead by example, be role models and to teach values. The method of conveying these values was less clear. Partly because one must first identify the values he/she is trying to teach and then define them. Not necessarily an easy task. I finally determined that values, per se, don’t need to be taught as a specific part of the curriculum; it’s too personal. The defining characteristics of good values vary from person to person, family to family, culture to culture. Values are the byproduct of one’s experience, taught by families and faith, which develop over time in environments where there is compassion, discipline, encouragement and high expectation. As a martial arts teacher, I do not necessarily see myself as role model material even if my position dictates it. I do not place my personal values out there as icons to be blindly followed by my students, because values through the martial arts are tacitly implied to the student over time. Certainly, I agree that we must lead by example, inside and outside the studio. For me, however, the real lessons in Karate are inherent in the “Do” (Do does not translate directly into western language but it roughly means the way to higher level of awareness or enlightenment). Values don’t have to be constantly delineated or verbalized, even for children. It’s presumptuous of us to impose our “values” onto someone else, rather than let them develop said values on their own, where they will become deeply rooted and based on firmly held beliefs and experiences. Imagine being taught martial arts in an Asian country. The language barrier means that the teacher never extols the virtues of training. He never verbalizes the character building benefits of Karate, and never tells you what you are supposed to be learning. He runs a disciplined Dojang where students are taught respect. He has high expectations and standards for his students who spend hours, months and years in quiet practice. Forms are emphasized, moving meditation, leading to long moments of introspection and personal challenge. Fighting is spirited, physically demanding and requiring one to constantly face “the dragon” (inner fear or fear of pain). They confront a stack of boards or bricks and at some point realize that nothing less than complete commitment to the task at hand will be sufficient. With every trial they face an opportunity for a victory, for growth. If those students stick with it for five or six years, what will they have learned about themselves, and about values? They will know how to give and earn respect. They will know honesty, foremost to themselves. They will have developed a sense of responsibility to the training regimen, and to their teachers and fellow students. They will have demonstrated commitment and that commitment will breed a sense loyalty to the Art, the teacher and fellow warriors. They will have learned to persevere through discomfort, discouragement and physical pain in order to be able to focus under pressure. They will be well on their way to what may be the most important purpose of martial arts training, developing an indomitable spirit! All of these values are learned by osmosis, gradually becoming part of the inner person. All without ever being told they were learning them. The values education in Karate is inherent in the “Do,” in the Karate. We, as instructors, don’t need to teach values; we need to teach good Karate—Karate that is true to its origins and true to the art. Karate that is demanding, strong and unyielding but also reflective, serene and compassionate. Strong values are the natural byproduct of good Karate taught by dedicated Karateka with a passion for the art and their students.
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