An Archive of old comments, for Davis Aikikai:
2006-12-21 20:49:34 Don't go to this class. The teacher, David Birt, is singularly the worst excuse for a teacher I've ever had the displeasure of taking a class from. He's very good at Aikido, but if you're not you can expect nothing but abuse and degradation from this man. He has no patience and will yell and treat you like dirt if you don't pick up on a move right away or have some trouble later on. It almost seems like he uses the class for an output for all the anger that builds up from daily life. The price may be right but it's not worth the stress of being with someone who has more interest in yelling and criticizing than actually teaching. —MeYou
- Would you mind clarifying when you took the class? When I left six months ago for health reasons, I felt much the same as you. I recently returned, and was pleasantly surprised to discover that the mood of the class was much lighter, and Sensei Birt more patient. I'm enjoying it much more now than I used to. If anyone has hesitations about taking aikido due to this comment (or any other reason), please feel free to come and observe a class or two (the class runs at the normally scheduled time during school breaks) and talk to the current students. —JessicaLuedtke
- I took it a few years ago. If he's lightened up that's great. But I felt very good about the class when I first started, he was nice and patient just like you're saying, and I even told other people it seems like it's going to be a good class because the teacher was like that. Then it went on and we started getting to some more complicated things and his true face came out. Not all the time, mind you. Some classes were just fine. And other times I had to keep myself from breaking a bokken over his head. It was almost like being with an abusive spouse. Sometimes they treat you like the most important thing in the world and sometimes they give you a black eye, and you never know which it's going to be. So, like I said, if he's being nice now cool. I've thought about going back to the class a few times, but I couldn't bring myself to be in the same room with a person like that. Don't be surprised when his dark side comes out again.
2007-01-03 20:19:01 It is my experience that not every teacher suits every student. While some people may not feel that Birt Sensei is the right instructor for them, some, like myself do. I have found the years of study under Birt Sensei to be very rewarding, in part due to his unique style of teaching. That being said, I think prospective students should try the class for themselves to determine if Birt Sensei is the right instructor for them. I suggest also taking weapons class, particularly the Sunday class, as you will get more time to meet Birt Sensei and ask him questions. —NickHowells
2007-01-03 20:19:43 On a more general note: When people correct me I get angry. This is because I immaturely believe I am perfect and any hint that this isn't the case makes me throw a fit. When people criticize me I get upset. This is because I foolishly feel hurt and childishly wish to hurt the other person back. When I am in a violent situation I lose my composure. This is because I react with a combination of thinking and tensing up, rather than practicing effective techniques. These are all things I strive to correct in my study of Aikido. By learning to maintain our composure we can avoid, escape, and neutralize violent situations. I think this also extends to the problem of self. You will die someday. What will happen to you then? —NickHowells
2007-02-06 10:46:46 It's interesting how we each perceive and understand our perceptions differently. Initially taken aback at the seriousness, even severity, with which more senior students are treated, I cringed every time someone was thrown to the floor or chastised! With continued observation, though, I found that each student is responsible for setting limits (with a slap on the mat, or a humble admission of confusion) and that Sensei heeds that. Some have a hard time with his teaching style, probably because most of us come from a society where we expect to be treated as *special,* where teachers have to consider students' self-esteem first and the merit of their work second.
We're socialized to desire praise because we identify with the perceptions others have of us. I'm no exception, I'm pleased when others are pleased with me, and I take criticism very much to heart. Aikido allows me to work on not being so attached to either praise or blame (or the tone in which those are conveyed). Heaven knows I've done nothing worthy of praise in my aikido training. I can hardly be counted on to get my left and right sorted out from my up and down! My form is haphazard, and if I'm reminded to correct one aspect, another aspect is equally neglected. It's a wonder Sensei doesn't just give up when he sees me coming!
Cultures influenced by Buddhism and Confucianism manifest a number of "forms" that are hard for westerners to swallow, including strongly delineated teacher/student hierarchies; bowing or other expressions of respect that appear to westerners as subservience; and perhaps most apropos here, obedience and acceptance of whatever your teacher doles out to you in the form of criticism or punishment. Those are generalizations and don't illustrate the wide range of social interactions that exist in Asian cultures, but I think this is an important element in what's going on in our somewhat traditionally oriented dojo. Recognizing that cultural reality that still exists within martial arts training, and with no illusions about how wonderful my aikido is, I can honestly bow to him and thank him for his effort.
Under it all, Sensei has a very definite streak of humour, but he's not the type to mask his displeasure at the way his students bumble something he's spent years working to master. I don't intend this as a judgment of the original commentator, but hope it might give a little clarity into what, by our contemporary, western-centric standards, might appear to be an imbalance of power vis-a-vis pedagogy.—WendySmyerYu
- Before someone gets the impression that serious physical abuse is taking place :) - Being thrown to the ground is a major part of aikido, and the students being thrown by Sensei have the experience to fall in a safe manner. —JessicaLuedtke
- oops, yeah I guess I should have made that more explicit :-) —WendySmyerYu
2007-03-08 18:03:50 I tried to leave behind any preconceptions of Aikido when I began at this dojo. I think that approach helped me to not overly question the instruction methods; I don't feel very well qualified to critique Aikido technique or instruction. I think being open-minded under Birt Sensei's instruction primed me to begin discovering not only about Aikido fundamentals, but also how Aikido extends beyond the basic curriculum of technical training in the dojo. I developed a great respect for Birt Sensei. My experience at this dojo was one of the "realest" experiences I had while at UC Davis. I did more to earn my rank at this dojo than I did to earn grades in most classes. I hope I can return to train here again someday. —NilesRyan
2008-09-29 21:23:24 I strongly disagree with some of the above descriptions of Japanese martial arts instruction. I have spent many years studying Aikido and other Japanese arts, both in CA and Japan. I considered joining Davis Aikikai and observed one of the lessons there. David Birt does *not* exemplify a good 'Japanese-style' instructor in any way. I watched him publicly dress down one of his junior students for a minor oversight, and he was extremely dismissive of her during practice (she was a relative beginner). While it is true that one should not expect a constant stream of compliments in a Japanese dojo, it is also true that a good sensei will not humiliate students. A simple indication of disappointment is sufficient.
The suggestion that he wouldn't 'mask his displeasure at seeing students bumble something' is ludicrous. Everyone was a beginner once, even the teacher. The student-teacher relationship goes two ways; just as the student has a duty to respect and obey the teacher, the teacher has a duty to respect and *teach* the student. It is like the parent-child relationship: the only way for the teacher to 'repay' his own instructor is to pass on the art to students himself. The only excuse for being angry with a student is when he or she is disrespectful or not studying seriously, not when mistakes are made. Even then, it is probably better to exercise restraint and prefer to focus on other students rather than disrupting the class. This is how one of my favorite instructors behaves: if you are serious, he treats you seriously, and if you have no focus and don't try to learn, he tends to ignore you. He does not puff himself up because of his superior skill, but instead hopes to share his love of the art through rigorous practice, valuing any student willing to try his or her best. Humiliating a student shows weakness of character in the teacher, not the student.
For the above reasons, I definitely do not recommend this class. Aspiring students will likely become discouraged and turn away from Aikido, thinking that they will never be 'good enough'. A true teacher inspires; he does not humiliate and criticize needlessly.
2008-12-08 14:23:10 My opinion is not unbiased, and EAalto is entitled to their opinion, but I'm unclear as to why they would offer disparaging remarks about a dojo that they have only visited once. It seems presumptuous that one would claim to understand a dojo and instructor based on viewing one session. Further, to make negative judgments, broadcast them in a public forum, and attempt to dissuade potential new students from considering the dojo/sensei is inappropriate and unjustified. —NilesRyan
- So he should just ignore the disgraceful behavior he witnessed? If a first impression is bad enough then you don't need to visit anymore classes to make up your mind. And to suggest that it's inappropriate to broadcast an opinion just because it's negative is completely ridiculous.
