When we are kids we learn behaviors from those around us. In 1984’s The Karate Kid, the protagonist, Daniel LaRusso has been attacked by Johnny and his friends from Cobra Kai. Mr. Miyagi saves Daniel-san by fighting off all the boys. Mr. Miyagi says that the boys have a bad attitude and that karate is for defense only. Daniel replies that the boys in Cobra Kai aren’t taught that…Which leads to Mr. Miyagi announcing that there is no such thing as a bad student, only bad teacher. It is after this incident and talk, that Mr. Miyagi and Daniel visit Kreese at Cobra Kai and agree that there will be no more fighting. That they will save it for the All Valley Karate Tournament – and Mr. Miyagi will train Daniel.
If you were taught that the sky isn’t blue, it is really purple, you would grow up believing that the sky is purple. When you only learn one thing, and you don’t have differing perspectives or information as a kid, there is little to challenge the beliefs that you had.
When I was a kid, shouting was normal in our household. We all yelled at each other, and I grew up believing that all relationships entailed shouting when emotions got high. I had to seriously unlearn what I had learned (thanks, Master Yoda). When I realized that it wasn’t really productive or helpful, I was forced to change how I deal with overwhelming emotions.
In the case of Cobra Kai, Kreese is a horrible sensei. He is vicious and ruthless and expects no less from his students on the mat. He’s famous for saying, “No mercy!” when it comes to how you should treat your opponent.
What is a good teacher? A good teacher knows that each student learns differently, and they make the time to help each one individually. They give clear explanations and encourage their students to be curious and interested in the subject to do some investigating for themselves. They don’t teach their student what to think, they teach them how to think critically. A good teacher will set high, but attainable standards for their students and give constructive criticism when necessary.
