Teaching is an Opportunity for Leadership

Teaching is an Opportunity for Leadership

            Teaching is similar to parenting in that teachers can provide a role model that will be emulated and perpetuated by their students later in their own lives.  Both parenting and teaching are the art of guiding, influencing and shaping the directions that child or student will follow as they proceed through the instructions provided by their parents and/or teachers.  Bad practices in teaching as well as parenting can lead to replications of these behaviors when the students reach a point in their own lives where they are placed in charge of others. 

            Unfortunately, like parenting, most martial arts instructors have not been taught how to instruct nor have they acquired some practical hands-on experiences before they walked on the floor/mat to begin their instructional journey.  They are actually experimenting with live students in an on-the-job learning format.  These instructors are forced to fall back and rely on what the experienced as students.  They are going to channel their own instructor(s) because that is all that they have as a basis for their own instructional format.  And like so many of us, who said as children, that we would never do what our parents did to us, these instructors find themselves repeating the same things that they learned from their instructors.

            When our students see, hear and experience these examples they in turn are being impacted with a behavioral imperative that will be repeated after they leave the confines our schools and open their own martial arts instructional programs.  In a good number of cases the results are closely aligned with the cult-followers syndrome.  The instructor both presents himself as and is observed by his students as being the leading authority figure on the art.  Most other instructors and martial arts styles are seen as being inferior and should be avoided at all costs in order to prevent yourself from becoming ‘contaminated’ with inferior techniques and information.  In many cases this attitude is not consciously and deliberately perpetrated by the instructor.  However, when an instructor does not actively encourage independent thinking and research, the tendency to move in the direction of cultism is virtually inescapable for both the instructor as well as many of his students.  This is particularly true when there is a kids program at the school.  Young dragons are easier to mold in one’s own image than adults who have enrolled in the program for their own individual reasons.

            The Paradigm Eskrima-Kenpo instructional program is grounded in the belief that a student who is taught to observe and think positively will become a better student of the arts and he/she can successfully transfer these concepts to all other aspects of their lives.  In addition these students become positive role models for others in almost every situation that they are participating in.  We strive to provide our students with positive behavioral experiences.  We want our students to learn how to deal with adversity and failure as a springboard for future successes.  Our students are shown how to evaluate themselves and accept responsibility for their own shortcomings, then work to reverse the previous outcome at the next opportunity that becomes available to them.  In short, we want our students to make lemonade after they’ve been handed a batch of lemons.

            Our basic instructional format is based on having a principal instructor and at least 2 assistant instructors.  The assistant instructors are usually 3 to 4 belt ranks higher than the newest student who has joined our training group.  We use a combination of class instruction, small group lessons and 1 on 1 training throughout our program.  The assistant instructors provide the 1 on 1 lesson with specific tasks/goals assigned by the principal instructor.  These lessons are evaluated by the principal instructor at the end of the training hour and corrections, if needed, are recommended at that time for the next training session.  In time the assistant instructors are assigned small groups ranging in size from 2 to 6 people to instruct.  In both cases mentioned above the assistant instructors are acting as tutors and resource people, reviewing the techniques/drills that have previously been taught by the principal instructor in the larger class format.  We believe that the more individualized instruction that our students receive the better they will become and the faster they can progress through the underbelt ranks to black belt.  The more confidence the students have in us as instructors, the more confidence they will have in themselves as students and martial artists.  This confidence is easily transferred to other aspects of their lives because success in one area is the best way to build success in other areas of a person’s life.

            Since our assistant instructors are most often higher ranked under-belts themselves they are actually re-learning their basic skill sets as they instruct the newer students in the 1 on 1 and later small group sessions.  This is a win-win situation for everyone involved.  There is a strong bond that extends from the lowest ranked students to the principal instructor and everyone is viewed as being a significant and important person within the training group.  We do not wear belts or use titles in our training group, yet everyone understands where they are within the group.  We also stress ability over time within the Paradigm Escrima-Kenpo Group.  In other words, progress is determined by skills learned and mastered, rather than any concerns for how long someone has been a member of the group.  Promotions are based on skill development and are a measure of one’s commitment to study and work.  Anyone can pass another person in rank by simply being better or more skilled than someone else regardless of how much time each person has been a member of the training group.  That potential situation keeps everyone motivated.  The newer people want to move up as quickly as possible and the older students want to remain at a higher grade than the people they might have instructed at an earlier point in time.

            Throughout our training format, we are stressing skill development, cooperation, competition and shared responsibilities.  We are developing communication and instructional skill development.  The PEK format is designed and intended to provide our students with the information and training necessary to make them good instructors if they choose to go into the instructional field in any area of their own personal interest.

            At PEK we believe that leadership skills can be taught.  By giving our students an opportunity to work in an instructional mode very early in their training, we have identified those people who have a knack for instructing.  We do not leave instructional skills and leadership development to chance.  Our program is very well structured and planned out.  We use a standardized methodology and evaluation process to identify those people who could become excellent instructors both in and outside of the martial arts.  We believe that we can develop leaders and we may very well be the first organizational entity in a student’s life that gives them some definite and specific responsibilities within an organizational structure.   We use both informal and formal evaluation processes to help our assistant instructors.  Each assistant instructor is responsible for monitoring lower ranked assistants and making suggestions to the principal instructor.  Over time the assistant instructors will be asked to discuss their observations with the lower ranked assistants in formal training sessions and demonstrate the areas needing corrections.

            The PEK instructor training program is a by-product of our main mission which is teaching practical and realistic self-defense to all of our students.  We are not focused on retention and getting every single person who enters our program to black belt status.  We take students who come to us with a very specific short term goal as well as people who are interested in a full program agenda.  It is understood that not everyone is seeking a black belt when they enter our program and it is our job to give each student the best training and information that we can provide while they are training with us.  It is equally important to train every student to maximize his/her potential for both the short and long terms.  And for those students who go through the full training curriculum it is important that they leave our program with strong leadership and teaching skills that they can use throughout their lifetime. 

Jerome Barber, Ed.   D.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Grand Master, Principal Teacher,   

Independent Escrima-Kenpo-Arnis Associates                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Neighborhood Watch Program Standards and George Zimmerman

     In a thread that appeared on the LinkedIn site Martial Arts Black Belt forum, the question was raised as to whether or not martial arts training should be different for persons of color.  As the discussion developed, the Trayvon Martin case was brought in.  Admittedly this was a tangent and took us to a very different set of comments and points of view.  I was even accused of being a racist in an indirect passive-aggressive manner by a gentlemen who's position is that George Zimmerman acted in self defense when he shot and killed Trayvon Martin.   Obviously we disagree on that contention but not for the reason that most people would think.  While race was certainly a major factor in Zimmerman physically confronting Martin, thereby leading to the shooting, my contention is that if Zimmerman had followed the directive of the 911 operator and stopped following Trayvon Martin, he never would have been in the situation where he needed to use his firearm. 

     I further contend that if Zimmerman had followed the generally accepted behavioral standards of the Neighborhood Watch Patrol philosophy as found on any number of websites that discuss the program objectives, he would not have approached Martin, nor would he have been armed. 
 
      I believe that the following information makes it very clear that Zimmerman had an additional personal agenda on the night that he approached Trayvon Martin, that went well beyond his duties and objectives as a Neighborhood Watch Captain and patrol person.  I can only speculate as to what that additional agenda might have been so it is better to set it aside and reflect on the more objective information that is available to us.  Zimmerman did follow the basic operational standards for a Citizen on Patrol individual by calling the police to report a suspicious individual in his community, however, what followed was clearly outside of the accepted standards of patrol conduct.

Below is a fairly standard protocol for neighbor watch organizations:

http://www.stpete.org/police/pdf/crime-prev/crime%20watch%20book-01-11.pdf

Reporting Suspicious Activity

Anything that seems slightly “out of place” or is occurring at an unusual time of day could be criminal activity.  Report all suspicious activity. Do not worry about bothering the police or about being embarrassed if your suspicions prove to be unfounded. Think instead about what could happen if you don’t act.

Do not attempt to apprehend a person committing a crime or to investigate suspicious activity.        Call the police immediately. (Emphasis added.)

The Citizens On Patrol (COP) program is designed to be an additional component of the Neighborhood Crime Watch Program. A successful Neighborhood Crime Watch group may decide to get out of their homes and into their cars to patrol their neighborhoods. COP members are the “eyes and ears” of the police department, reporting suspicious activity and deterring any future crime.
COP participants actively patrol their own neighborhoods observing and reporting suspicious activity through the use of cellular telephones. COP members will not have to place themselves in dangerous situations and are trained to identify potentially harmful situations and learn how to stay safe. (Emphasis added.)

Citizens On Patrol is considered an advanced observation program, not focusing on intervention or confrontation. Participants will not need to carry weapons, and are prohibited from doing so.  (Emphasis added.)

The police department will provide educational programs and materials designed to inform the COP participants in general topics of police functions, including legal issues, communications, property offenses, and patrol procedures.
------------------------------- End of Quotation ------------------------------

     Please note that Zimmerman exited his own vehicle in order to follow and then physically confront Martin.  Zimmerman was also armed with a handgun while 'on duty' as a Neighborhood Watch Patrol person.  I tend to view his behavior in the context of the behavioral standards noted above and with the added point that he was advised by the 911 operator that he was not needed to follow the "suspicious person" because the police had been dispatched to the scene.  It seems to me that Zimmerman took it upon himself to overstep the bounds of the standard behavioral protocols of  a Neighbor Patrol person leading directly to the death of a young man who was not engaged in any type of illegal or criminal activity  at the time he was confronted. 

     I understand and accept the fact that the jury did not find Zimmerman guilty of murder.  I also fully understand and accept the reality that he can never be tried again on that charge.  My questions with regard to the trial are as follows:

1.  Should the prosecution team have brought up the "generally accepted standards" argument in their  presentation to the jury?  How difficult would that have been to research?

2.  Should the prosecution team have brought up the fact that in a civil case against the Homeowners Association that authorized the Neighborhood Patrols, that the Martin Family won their case for financial compensation because of the 'wrongful death' of Trayvon Martin which was caused by a member of their authorized patrol.

     I understand that the civil case is different from the criminal case but I am sure that in the civil case the defendants, the homeowners association, had to produce evidence regarding the training of their patrol personnel and sought to separate themselves from George Zimmerman to avoid incurring an even larger financial liability.

3.  Should the prosecution team have brought up the right of Trayvon Martin to defend himself against an unlawful assault and harassment by a unknown person whose actions were unwarranted
because Martin was legally in a public place where he had every right to be and not engaged in any sort of illegal or criminal activity at the time he was accosted by Zimmerman.  Didn't Martin have the right to defend himself under the Florida "Stand your Ground" statutes?

4.  Under what statutes of Florida law did Zimmerman have the right to physically follow and/or pursue and then physically engage Trayvon Martin?

     I believe that if these questions had been asked and presented to the jury that there might have been a different verdict rendered. \ A lingering question that I have for the legislators and governor of Florida is why won't they amend the "Stand your Ground" statute to restrict for the most part any sort of pursuit behavior for non-criminal or non-felony actions in a public place?  In other words, if someone has to follow, chase or otherwise pursue another person, how can that be called and legally viewed as 'Standing Your Ground'?  The law could certainly allow for pursuit of a person if a felony crime had been committed and witnessed, but otherwise, leaving a "safe place" in order to engage another person should not be allowed under the law as standing your ground.

Jerome Barber, Ed. D.