If my instructor is not a high dan grade, can they be any good?
Instructor grades can be incredibly misleading. I know respected martial artists in other styles who purport to be 3rd dans after just 5 years of training, and teenagers who have been awarded 6th dans! One world famous motivational speaker even claimed to have “earned” a taekwondo black belt in just three months! Grade is not a remotely reliable indicator of martial ability, and even holding a legitimately high grade can have little to do with teaching ability. The primary requisites to be a good teacher are knowledge, empathy, adaptability, a good teaching manner, and a genune desire to help educate others.
