A Novice Teaches

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Why would one allow a novice in any discipline to teach? Knowledge, idea's and possibilities come from the strangest places one can imagine. In my early days teaching karate I always, as I learned from my sensei, watched the newbie's on the dojo floor; I always taught them both the kata and the sparring processes first and I did things like this because inspiration and creative possibilities always seemed to crop up at the moments least expected, especially as a professional working with the layperson. 

The newbie's in karate sometimes create, seemingly from thin air, skills that pop up and out that can surprise us, especially in our early stages of the black belt journey, because we may assume a novice will not stand a chance with one who has achieved the coveted black belt. This goes for the newbie newly minted sho-dan's as well for they in transition have literally left behind the novice stuff for the more challenging student stuff that starts in the initial stages of black belt (why most sho-dan and ni-dan in my dojo always assisted training and teaching under the guidance of the more experienced). 

The newbie white belt, along with the newbie sho-dan, are in the level and stage where one can hurt oneself and others and requires more controlled observation and guidance. It is about stopping that scope creep that can come in both in the beginner early stages of white belt as with the early stages of dan-sha or as you already know the black belt early stages. 

It is best to never forget that even the totally and completely novice white belt will teach all of us, at all stages and levels, something new; even if it is only a reminder that even at the higher dan-sha levels there is no guarantee that some novice white belt will dish out a surprise that leaves you wondering, "what the hell..." 

p.s. as you already visualize this type of observation and guidance goes for the use of the senpai in the dojo as well; senpai sometimes are those we ask to step up and guide the newbies but ALWAYS, ALWAYS, under leaderships guidance and control. It’s dangerous out there…

For reference and sources and professionals go here: Bibliography (Click the link)