Learning from Mr. Miyagi: 3 Lessons in Resilience
If like me you’re a teacher, or maybe you’re a teacher in a metaphorical sense, and are looking for a motivational message for those you lead then this could be a good one to steal. Or who knows, it might just inspire you yourself.
I’m weird because I was born in 1995, but I would watch the Karate Kid films on repeat growing up. They are classic to be fair.
Anyway, I saw a colleague use Mr. Miyagi’s teachings to make a point in assembly this week so I thought I would post about it with my own take. May it be of use.
The Stimulus
https://youtu.be/LerwIYmNFXY
It’s the part in the film where Daniel Larusso becomes exasperated with his Sensei because he was supposed to be learning karate, but instead he has been spending his time painting the old man’s house and waxing his cars!
In a dramatic and climactic moment, Mr. Miyagi instructs his young student to show him ‘paint the fence’ and ‘wax on, wax off’ before throwing punches into these unassuming parries that Daniel has been unknowingly practicing for days on end. The ball drops for Larusso and for us as we all realise that he can now do Karate!
Lesson 1: Trust the Process (and Your Teacher)
The parts make up the whole and Daniel learns that first hand here.
Sometimes it’s hard to explain to teenagers why they are learning something. For example sometimes my students ask me things like: ‘Why are we learning about Victorian England? I thought this was supposed to be an English lesson, not History.’ Or they can be unmotivated to commit basic facts to memory when I know very well that their success will hinge on them doing just that.
It pains me to write this in a way, because one of my core beliefs is that you must explain to students why they are doing something or they won’t feel like an autonomous agent in their learning journey.
Having said that – it’s different when you’re the learner and not the teacher. Sometimes you need to be open minded and trust the process.
You might find for example that someone is showing you how to do something a different way of doing something. At first you will feel uninterested or maybe you might even feel offended!
But you have to try the new method to at least see it’s utility. Worst case scenario you can be sure that your own way is best having given it a try.
Lesson 2: Repetition is Your Superpower
This one is sort of self explanatory, but there is some nuance to it.
Malcom Gladwell wrote ‘Outliers’ and popularised the notion that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to master a skill. However, his co-author Anders Ericsson has now pointed to key research that a good teacher can undercut those hours significantly. More here.
I think repetition cannot be understated for its power to produce habits and skills, but whatever you practice is what you will produce (in a comparable environment) and so of course good practice, or deliberate practice as it’s now called in the edusphere is integral to building complex skill patterns.
Just note that focussing on one skill point at a time is central to true deliberate practice.
Lesson 3: Cherish the Eccentric Mentors When You Find Them
Have you ever had a Mr. Miyagi in your life?
They’re exceedingly hard to come by.
But when you find an inspiring mentor that you can learn from, and when they take an interest in you, that’s a valuable thing. So treasure it.
When I was a student at school and surrounded by teachers and mentors I was blind to how amazing that really is. It’s only now that I actively seek out people to learn from and people to give me feedback and guidance.
So if you have that person, let them know that you’re thankful and appreciate them.
