I Love My Students

Me teaching my students at my school.

You know when I am at my best? When I am on the mats. When I am training I am at my best. In Korean, the room with the training mats called the dojang. On the dojang, you are training your true essence of "self". You face your insecurities and fears, develop your strengths and inner spirit, and you are in competition with no one other than your own "self". Martial arts training is a personal journey and means something different for everyone. But the quest is always the same.

I am really happy to be back on track with my training. I love having schedules and routines, and pushing myself. I love planning my workouts, logging them, taking notes on everything I do, working with mentors and asking them questions, and I also the studying I do. I read so many books, just about every single day, and I take notes and read them, observe them, put them into practice, and analyze them. This is what I believe a true master does, so I do it.

The other time I am on those mats are when I am teaching. I am on this earth to do just that. And I will use every avenue I can to do just that: teach. My subject matters have a great variety and range, but true teachers know that the subject matters are tools for a greater, bigger picture for life. Recently I have had a surplus of energy and my classes have been even better. I feel even greater.

But one thing that has always been strong is that I absolutely LOVE my students. I am so proud to see any of my students grow. Some are with me for years. Some are only with me for a few months. But I do not need a grand amount of time to make a difference in someone's life. They get just what they need from me in the time they have me. This is something I will do for the rest of my life, for as a martial arts master, I will be teaching and training for life.

My students playing a prank on me, which involved me getting very wet.

I love when I see my preschoolers learning to share and work together, and play and be supportive by clapping for each other. I love it when they memorize their blocks and smile when they can balance on one leg or learn to catch a ball. I love seeing my little kids learn a form they struggled with and see the confidence boost. I love when a kid is able to do a drill or an exercise that was once difficult and now a piece of cake. I love it when I see the kids building friendships that I know will last for life and support each other in their training and outside of the martial arts (as I see over the years more and more).

I love when my teenagers learn to problem solve with other friends and teachers, and even their own parents. I love when they learn to communicate effectively or become ambitious on a project they believe in. I am proud of my adult students who lose weight, or get in better shape, or have the courage to open their minds to new thought processes and perspectives, breaking the "old dog" and "new tricks" theory.

It's always about my students. In the past, even though I was being paid pennies compared to if I went to another school to teach, I loved my students. I chose my college to be closer to my original school to stay with my students. When my friends left our school, I continued to stay with my students. When I had to make difficult decisions and the hard choices, I thought what decision would I make that would teach my students about making choices. 

My students taking a selfie with me at a Movie Night a our school.

The only way I would have ever left my students when I was apprenticing under my old master is if I was made to leave, and that's what happened. I love my students more than anything else. I love being a part of their lives and them being a part of mine. I love seeing them grow up, I love seeing them grow. Unlike a traditional school setting, I don't only have a student for one grade and watch them in the hallways. I don't just have them for four years of high school. I have had some of my students from grammar school through college. It is an honor and privilege to be able to do that.

One thing that has remained as a constant is that for the last sixteen years, I have ALWAYS and continue to LOVE my students oh so much. I must have taught a couple of thousand of students over the years, and no joke I am in touch with many of them. I might be bold enough to say MOST. They stay in touch with me, they visit me, I always made it a point to know what's going on in their lives, and I am always happy to hear their martial arts helped them in some way in their lives, even to this day.

I know my students and their parents know how much I love my students, and my love for them only continue to grow. I am so blessed to do what I do, and am s lucky to do what I do. But what my students must know, they don't only learn from me. EVERY DAY THEY ARE TEACHING ME TOO. I learn from my students every day as well. And I thank them all. They are the greatest trophies than any medal and award I will ever have. To all my students, past and present, and my future ones even, I LOVE YOU ALL! (BOWS)

Me with one of our youngest.

The older kids vs the younger kids in dodge ball!

Yours in service,
MASTER A TRENTO