How to Choose a School
Choosing a martial arts school in which to train is an important decision; the right choice will avail you for a long time. But we understand that most people have little or no knowledge of the martial arts. So we suggest that you approach the choosing of a school in which to enroll the same way as if you were shopping for a car.
First you would do some research, gathering as much information as you can about the different schools in your area. You would want to call the schools within a reasonable radius (approximately a twenty minute drive) of your home to ask some preliminary questions, such as hours and classes. But just like asking over the phone, “How much does a car cost?” it’s impossible to truly gauge what you are inquiring about without physically visiting the school and seeing for yourself.
Develop a list of questions you would like answered when you go shopping for a school, and expand the list as you learn more. Watch the class you or your child would be in. Talk to other students and parents to see what they have to say. After narrowing the field down, make arrangements to take a trial lesson (like a test drive) at the schools you are most interested in.
Martial arts’ training is a long term activity, so you want to carefully consider the schools you’ll choose from. Ultimately, you have to trust your instincts and go with what your intuition tells you is best - a well kept facility with a family atmosphere and lots of smiles where you’ll feel comfortable and confident about the decision you made.
Here are some issues you’ll want to learn more about and some comments about each:
Have a good idea of what you want.
What do you want to gain from learning the martial arts? Keep this in mind while trying to find a school that is most likely to help you realize those goals. Do you want your child to learn self-defense so they can protect themselves? How does the school go about accomplishing that? Do you want your child to build self-esteem and confidence? This will lead to assertiveness, which helps in defusing confrontations and guards against intimidation. Does the school have a special program in conjunction with their regular classes to help instill these qualities?
What kind of an establishment is it?
How long has it been in business? Is it clean, well lit, have a good atmosphere? Is it a community center; or is it a dedicated martial arts school? Are there mats on the floor for safety? Is there special equipment there to aid in training? Is there a designated area for training that is free from distractions caused by spectators or passers-by? What kind of insurance does the school carry?
How big are the classes?
There should be at least one instructor or assistant instructor for approximately every twelve students, give or take about four, depending on the age and maturity of the students. Any school you attend should have separate classes geared for the specific age and skill levels of the students participating in them.
Can you watch?
There should definitely be an area for parents or family to sit and watch the classes. Beware of any school that doesn’t allow you to watch the class. The truth may be that the instructor doesn’t want to be accountable to the parent. An instructor who encourages you to take the time to watch your child in class is actually doing you a great service. In today’s busy world, the tendency is to drop a child off and run. Kids whose parents watch regularly and are supportive will do much better and be more well-adjusted than the dropped-off kids. Children want their parents to take an interest in them and be proud.
What style is it?
There are many systems of the martial arts, and each system has many styles and sub-styles. (See “Description of Styles” below.) There may be two schools that teach the same system but one connects and motivates you much better than the other. Ultimately, the only style that really matters is the teaching style of the instructor and how you or your child will respond to them. That is what really makes the difference.
What rank is the instructor?
In most styles of martial arts, there are ten degrees of black belt. A new black belt is designated a first degree and then works up from there to tenth. In order to promote someone to a black belt, an instructor must be at least two degrees higher than the level he is promoting someone to. For instance, an instructor would have to be a third degree in order to promote a student to first degree black belt.
Don’t get caught up with claims of high black belt degrees, titles of “Master” or accolades for tournament victories. The rank of the instructor will actually mean very little to your classroom experience and the quality of your classes. What an instructor has accomplished is not as important as what he or she can do for you. What is important is finding an instructor who cares about the students and makes that the focus instead of seeking attention for himself. Talk to the owner/chief instructor and find out how long they have been training. Do they still actively train? Do they still train with their instructor? How long have they been teaching? What is their teaching philosophy? Be sure to watch the instructor who would be working with your child. What is the depth of his experience working with your age group?
How much does it cost?
Remember the “shopping for a car” analogy? Do you want to buy the cheapest car you can find? It may wind up costing you more than you bargained for! Is the most expensive car out there the best for you? Probably not. You are more likely to be looking for something that is reliable, reasonably priced and backed up with service from a seller you can trust.
Martial arts classes could run anywhere from fifty to one-hundred fifty dollars a month. Most schools have price breaks for additional family members and discounts if you commit for longer periods of time.
Do you have to sign a contract?
Some schools do not require any contract or agreement. Other schools use only a written agreement as a way to clearly spell out the arrangements for the relationship between the student and the school. Many schools require you to sign a contract, which is not necessarily a bad thing if you beware of the pitfalls.
Be sure to understand the contract fully. How long is the contract for and does it allow for unexpected absences such as illness or accidents? Can the contract be broken? Martial arts is a long term activity and a signed commitment can help you see your way through the periods that you feel like quitting. Some schools, if you have a legitimate reason for wanting to drop out, will not enforce collections that may damage your credit or harass you. On the other hand, there are certainly schools that will attempt to collect on the contract no matter what. If they have sold your contract to a third party, that could be a real problem for you.
Often a school will employ a tuition billing company to collect your payments. This is not unreasonable considering martial artists don’t always make the best bookkeepers. But it does put a middleman between you and your instructor if issues concerning your payments arise. Find out what the school plans to do with the paperwork before signing on the dotted line.
Check with organizations such as the local Merchants Association or Chamber of Commerce, Better Business Bureau, and Consumer’s Affairs or Consumer Protection Agency to see if the school has a history of litigation or complaints.
If you are uncomfortable signing a contract, see if the school is willing to accept an alternate arrangement. Most schools will work with a student in order to provide training. However, there are other schools that may turn the student away if he is not willing to commit to training more than a month at a time.