Spoon-feeding

We expect our teachers to teach us. This is true whether the teacher is our parent, a professor, or a even a manager at work.

Being spoon-fed information isn't necessarily a bad thing, but without temperance, it can lead to dire consequences. It's one thing when a student doesn't know when to actively pursue progress, but it's another entirely when they don't care to grow without a teacher giving them new information.

Don't get me wrong, if the only way to learn something is directly through your teacher, or you've paid money to be instructed, that's different. Also, If you're new at something and learning the basics, of course your teacher should be bringing you up accordingly.

The expectation to be taught, unless kept in check, often turns into reliance. From reliance, I see two really horrible things happen, stagnation and arrogance.

• Stagnation. I hate to admit I've seen way too many people just stop learning because they're not being given new information. They don't improve until someone literally tells them how to do something or gives them something to do. Over the years, this leads to some really stunted growth. It's like saying, "why make the effort, someone will tell me what to do sooner or later."
  

• Arrogance. This isn't always the result of stagnation, but it pisses me off to see when people let it go this far. It's a feeling that since you're not being taught new things, you don't need to learn new things. That you're good enough because no one is correcting you. It's self-defeatist, it's disrespectful to the instructor(s), and it makes me want to slap people upside the head.

An instructor can't always devote resources that are needed. Many things are either missed or allowed to slide because of bigger issues someone else needs fixing. Also, sometimes a teacher (especially in taiko) is unable to address issues because they're relatively new to the art form themselves. Besides, to judge your skills just based on a few teachers' perspective is incredibly dangerous.

Teachers who spoon-feed intensely for a long period of time can push students to this mindset, so they have to play some part in making sure things don't get so bad. I can't say it's completely their fault when a student relies on them far past a reasonable level, but unless some communication on expectations are given, it's more likely to go south.

When I see people in karate that wait for us to teach them things, I'm able to give them a verbal kick in the ass because of the dojo environment. However, in taiko here in North America, I find that even people I know and train with get these "conditions" and I don't have the forum (and sometimes the inclination) to say my thoughts. People who are just starting are the most receptive, but in this case, they have a while before this becomes an issue.

Once you rely on others to learn, their weaknesses determine your training. That's a harsh way to think about it, but it's not a knock on them. To make sure you continue to grow, push yourself. Learn for yourself. Become your own teacher!