Students develop an interest in a subject for reasons that have meaning for them. They may be motivated by their interest in a topic, their prior success, a desire to please parents or their instructors, or simply by their own drive to succeed.
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There are two main types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsically motivated students learn because of a desire that comes from within. Extrinsic motivation is when an outside force is involved in encouraging them to learn.
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Students are often forced to learn whatever is in the dojo curriculum. The syllabus hanging on the wall, and that’s basically all they are taught, to pass the next grade.
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This can mean they are not always intrinsically motivated to master a specific training objective and may rely on extrinsic motivation, including rewards, or negative consequences based on performance (give me ten pushups).
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Students want to apply knowledge to a practical application. By applying information into practice, they confirm theories. Sometimes they come up with new questions they want to explore through their hands-on application. This process is not a search for an endpoint, it’s a journey to know more about something they find interesting.
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Many teachers have a set dojo curriculum they cover, and that’s all they focus on. Teaching the martial arts demands a broad knowledge of subject matter, a challenging curriculum, with good standards; enthusiasm, discipline, a caring attitude, a love of learning…. but most of all….. a desire to make a difference in the lives of others.
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There is a huge difference between becoming a teacher, and becoming a great teacher. Great teachers are masters of their subject matter. It’s not simply about getting new students through the door, it’s presenting material in an enthusiastic manner and also trying to instill a hunger in their students to learn more on their own. The right mentors know where to focus your attention and challenge you.
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Generations have looked up to genuine experts, who have spent years or decades perfecting their art. Unfortunately today, there are many instructors (their not teachers) who take shortcuts and are lacking in their depth of knowledge, and they try to educate others without actually having that depth of knowledge…. Teaching students simply based off the curriculum hanging on the wall. 
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“Learning is not simply about acquiring knowledge about what you have encountered, it is dedicated to going beyond the information given.”
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