“Karate training is a moral training, as well as a physical one for self-defense. It isn’t only concerned with developing fighting machines. Traditional karate, taught in the correct way, will cultivate people able to defend themselves, but just as importantly, it will cultivate within them a sense of responsibility, a sense of justice, and courage which will help them to behave in the correct way.” ~ Morio Higaonna 10th dan Goju Ryu

The problem is not that people are uneducated. The problem is that they have been educated just enough to believe what they’ve been taught, and not educated enough to question what they’ve been taught.

This a problem in the martial arts. Those who have been taught “just enough” believe they have been taught all there is. They don’t question what they have been taught and why they are being taught. Some instructors would rather make students do yet another push-up, or kick a tire (relevant at times), instead of ensuring their students have a deeper understanding of what they are being taught.

Learning is often taken to mean memorization by some instructors. They see this memorization as a process they, and their students, must get through in order to get their next belt and diploma. They see advancing from one grade to the next as education, and passing the next grade to mean they are competent. 

In most schools and dojo, students are taught what the system says they need to know, rather than what is relevant and of concern to them. Instead of asking questions, students are taught to just answer what is asked. This hinders the development of creativity, character and a deeper understanding.

Memorization is not always learning. The outcome of learning is being able to use the information and skills effectively and creatively.

In some schools students are encouraged to ask questions or to find the answers themselves. This helps develop independent thinking. 

A good teacher relays some information and then ‘stands back’ to see if it has been understood, and then listens and watches the students interpretation of the information, before deciding if this was the correct method of delivery.

Education should be designed in such a way that it allows the students to learn the skill and acquire knowledge, not learning just by rote. And of course you cannot transmit skills this way, these need to be watched, understood and practiced.

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” ― William Arthur Ward

Education should never be “just enough.”