Quote:
Originally Posted by TRIANGLEFROMGAURD  Lun,
Rules of conduct are pretty much an absolute must. I kind of started my gym real lax on the rules and I'll tell you that was a big mistake. I'm friends with some of my students thats just how it goes but, before I started enforcing protocol every new person that joined would just instantly adopt that same feeling of familiarity that my seasoned guys had and, thats not really professional. Your students during class whether friend or not should call you sifu and nothing else. Like I had my first fighters and we would go out and drink or go see a movie and they would just call me Andy, then everybody started calling me Andy. It got to the point where parents would come in to check out the school and would be like ok so who's the instructor. So long story short everybody calls me coach or sir no matter if we're going out drinking after class.
Remember that rules are for the best of everyone involved in the school. I never thought that I really would need a hygiene rule and then I got ring worm. So yeah rule it up man. If you want I'll send you a copy of the rules that I use, some seem pretty much like common sense but, honestly you need it in writing. |
I have been working on a few rules and showing the respect to call me Sifu or sir I had forgotten about. Makes a lot of sense. The hygene I hadn't forgotten about. I've had MRSA and nearly died from it so I'm not gonna allow anyone I teach to get or spread the base infection ( can't remember the name ) or MSRA if I can help it. Its been a long time since I've seen one of those rule guidlines, so my memory is a bit fuzzy on what was in the last one I signed. Triangle, if you still have my email address could you send me your doc ( along with that vid LOL )when you get a chance, so I can get some ideas?
From someone who has a small business on the side, although not in martial arts, YOU NEED A BUSINESS PLAN. In that plan you should have all of your rules etc. The more upfront work you do and plan for, the easier time you will have when the business starts. Also, I think one of the best thing you can do for your students (that no school i have ever been to does) is to give them a packet or even a CD with the history of your art, info about you and your school, and your curriculum and rules. I think this simple thing would help retain students. Sometimes students are in an art and just feel blind as they dont know whats going on for the first few months and they just quit. Another thing that would be good...a web forum where students and potential students could communicate with you and each other
John, I understand what you are saying about the work up front. I'm trying to get everything in place so when I get students it'll seem as professional as possible...well as professional as teaching out of my yard can be. I did teach for quite a while and helped run some of the business side of a school in the past, so fortunatley I have some experience about what to do and what I don't want to do. A bio of myself and my teachers is an excellent idea. I know many people are interested in lineage. I could built a web site, but I don't really have the know how or the money to create forums. That a good idea too, but think I'll save it for when I have a higher count of students.