Great Students – make Great Instructors
Great students need to have or develop characteristics of great instructors.
The karate-ka pictured below shows a great foundation .
Strong Foundation
Communication skills
Communication skills are both verbal and non-verbal. The more important of the two will vary from situation to situation. The initial communication in a instructional session certainly will demand a great verbal presentation for a great response from the students or at least one student. That one great student stands as an example. An example of what all students can glean from the great lesson. One student that heard what was said during the lesson is becoming great. The student was able to read correctly the body language that was used by the instructor. The student has prepared for the next steps. The steps are helpful in personal development and the acquisition of karate skills.
Listening skills
Listening skills alone will not make one a great student nor teacher. The motivation that drives anyone to truly listen to the interests and needs of another person is rare. That rarity contributes to greatness. Speaking with people that we know who are not listening to the words we speak could be a lesson that we also do not listen. Recognition that no one in the group is really listening except when there is something to be selfishly gained should send a signal that there is a serious problem in that society or association among said individuals.
Even in reading is the reader only looking at the words and gaining a partial understanding of what is there on the page. Looking deeper into the intent of the author brings additional knowledge to the reader. That knowledge either comes from the meaning of contents on the page or from the readers knowledge, already acquired. Karate Students that understand that there is greater knowledge than that which lies in the instruction they receive become better equipped. They become equipped with an ability to use their own intelligence to expand their own knowledge and the collective body of knowledge.
Using their own intelligence
Using their own intelligence students take a giant step to gaining ownership of their personal development and karate skills, they now own. Continuous application of 
inherent intelligence affirms powerfully we are more than clogs in a wheel. With acquired intelligence, we are or can became spectacular people. These spectacular people are inherently endowed. They are endowed with all the attributes of a kind generous Heavenly Father. These attributes are within each of us. Used correctly the attributes establish a pattern that will lead us along the pathway to greatness.
Patient
Patience is generally easier for the wise and the foolish almost never have patience. When it is apparent that the student/s do not appear to understand the instructions, patience can be exhibited by re-phasing and adding a way to apply the instructions to the task at hand. Karate instructors can choose one of the students to demonstrate the application that applies to the intended lessons. Sometimes the karate instructor have students work at the application with a number of students. Sometimes students have difficulty working with some students. They can work with others.
Difficulty
Difficulty working with some partners make the applying the instructions to the exercises. Good partners are more likely to apply the instructions related to the lesson. Difficulty working as partners often severely detract from the learning experience. Great instructors utilize great students to remedy the aforementioned problem. They pair great students with difficult partners to teach both students. The great student will learn to become a great instructor as they serve both the difficult student and the instructor. The service will help the entire class.
Service
The example of Patience and the act of service leads to the importance of Service. The act of service helps develop humility and leadership in both Great Students and Great Instructors. Instructors are not only serving but are but are being served. Great instructors and students recognize that as part of the value derived from service.The greater the service the easier and more rewarding the service becomes. Unselfishly putting great energy into service brings great satisfaction and pleasing rewards. The rewards come in many ways, shall we count the ways. Maybe later, after some intelligent thought.
Visual alertness
The more effort that is applied to attention given to students will increase the rate of superior performance. The superior performance is most often related to the visual alertness that the instructor applies the the practice that follows the instructions. The great karate students usually have the visual alertness to understand demonstrated part of the lessons. Those same students also seem to have an inherent ability to help other students understand. They also have a way to help the instructor explain everything better.
Verbal and non-verbal
They can help the instructor by non verbal communication. They can even if the instructor is not great at accepting help. When non-verbal communication is the only acceptable method possible the student needs to have patience. There often needs be a period of time for the instructor to grow. Given adequate patience on the part of the students, the instructors grow. This is often the case in Karate Schools. This is very apparent is the case of junior instructors. Visual alertness makes it obvious that many Karate Instructors are not great. Lack of greatness is not restricted to instructors of karate. Children teach your parents well. Children see it all, but do not know how to correct the situation. Unfortunately it may make things worse, especially in the event the parent are unwise.
Examples of Great Karate Instructors
1 Morris L Mack
2 Joe Lewis