There is a quotation often heard recounted by Guro Rick Faye (Owner & Chief Instructor of the Minnesota Kali Group)

‘..a good teacher is someone who creates an environment where knowledge reveals itself.’

I think that this is an excellent place to start an essential discussion on class etiquette.

An instructor has gone to a lot of effort to create such an environment for his or her students. Firstly he has incurred the expenses and contractual arrangements to hire a space for teaching & the students’ development. Secondly, he has forgone his own time to teach & often at an unsociable time in the evenings or weekend. He also incurs a great deal of responsibility for those he is teaching both physical in terms of their safety & well-being & also psychological on a number of different levels.

Therefore, it is imperative for those who attend classes to show respect for both their fellow students and instructor alike. Often in modern day martial arts this essential element is overlooked and at the detriment of everything.

I think it is useful for us to produce a guide to essential class etiquette.