Do Taekwondo Instructors Have an Ethics Code?

Doctors have the Hippocratic Oath. Lawyers have ethics committees. Even architects have oaths they take to do their job. What about taekwondo instructors?

The short answer is yes. The long answer is much more complicated.

In taekwondo, ethics and morals are very important and very complicated. There are many factors that can impact what the ethics of a martial artist, and therefore the ethics of an instructor, is. The first of these are the training. In my experience, good martial arts schools usually have some way of teaching students ethics. I’ve found that each school follows their own particular method of teaching students ethics.

Why do martial arts schools teach students ethics? Because, while martial arts is incredibly fun, it is dangerous. Naturally, students should be taught to be responsible with their knowledge. After all, you want to trust that the architect who designed your building is competent and has no intention of building something they know could fail and hurt you. Similarly, you want to learn from a taekwondo instructor who is not going to be a bad influence or harm their student.

That is, in my opinion, one of the things that separates the martial arts from brutal fighting. A fighter knows how to fight. A martial artist knows when not to.

So what are the ethics of Taekwondo instructors? Well, the true list is long and complicated (and dependent on the school) but here are the basics that can help you start your journey.

Respect

This one is important. When you walk into a good martial arts school, you get an immediate sense of respect. Respect for the instructors, respect among the students, and the community’s respect for themselves and each other. The best martial arts schools, in my experience, create communities where respect is not demanded, it is simply expected.

For the instructors, this can be very important. Instructors, like teachers, should be respected. In my experience, martial arts instructors are often on the younger side. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re not experienced, however. One of the best instructors I ever met had only recently turned 21. Yet he had nearly 16 years of training, 10 years of teaching experience, multiple competition awards, and even scholarly contributions. He certainly earned the respect students gave him. Age is just a number anyway, right?

To get respect, however, respect must be given. I’ve found that the best instructors are respectful of their students, each other, and their families. This does many things, not the least of which includes teaching and encouraging professionalism. Certainly a useful skill for students to learn, no?

Humility

Though they might be tough, experienced, and deserving of respect, a good instructor expresses humility. Not only does this cause you to admire them more, this also helps them remember that, while they are leaders in their communities, they are not above others simply because they wear a black belt. As the saying goes, a black belt is just a white belt who never quit.

Humility is also important because instructors make mistakes. They make a lot of mistakes. It’s much harder to fix those mistakes when one’s pride gets in the way of their self-reflection. Teaching is hard, and we all have good and bad days. To new instructors: don’t worry, it gets better!

Peace

Yes, seriously. No, I'm not kidding. Martial arts education, true martial arts education, is about finding peace in yourself. It is taught from the very beginning that you should never use violence except in the worst situation. If you can leave, you should. Why? Because, as a martial artist, you learn that most fights aren't won on the mat. They're won through kindness and compassion. A good martial artist chooses to make friends over enemies. Not only does this help you make more friends in the long run, it also means less injury! Sounds nice, right?

Humor

Everyone loves a comedian! Taekwondo instructors, the best ones, know when to laugh and make others laugh. They won’t make fun of you, that would be disrespectful, but they might make a good joke on technique or a comment someone made. This keeps it fun, light hearted, and encourages a healthy and happy environment. I think one of my favorite jokes an instructor ever made was when a little tiger (not much older than 4) said “I made a snowman out of round snow balls!” And an instructor looked at the student and said seriously “really? I thought snowman were made out of cubes!” The student didn’t get it, but their parents sure did!

Taekwondo can be many things. Fun, exciting, stressful, and challenging. I have found however, that these are all worth it, if you have good instructors to guide you! A good instructor, most admirably, practices what they teach; respect, humility, humor, and peace.

What are your dojang instructors like? Message below!