To be a successful learner and instructor, key characteristics to utilize are effective communication and collaboration with peers. To absorb and understand all of the details and specifics of requirements for a test in martial arts, you must be actively listening to instructions and corrections told. Without doing so, you would never improve your skills and memorize the material you need to know to become the best martial artist you can be. During my training for my second degree black belt, I was training nearly 3 hours a day after going to school, then straight to work every day. I was tired and found it difficult to stay focused instead of dozing off. But, I quickly realized that I was missing tips that would help my techniques reach their full potential, so I turned on a "switch" in my brain that made me force myself to focus and actively listen so I would not miss a helpful tip that could change my kicks from a B to an A.

A major part of effectively teaching many students is by showing empathy and kindness. You never know what someone has going on in their life, which is why I always make sure to check in with a student if they seem off. This usually helps students who are struggling with something going on, and after talking with them I always find that they work harder in class after just getting it off their chest and explaining why they aren't feeling like themselves. Additionally, it is crucial to be kind while instructing. Even while critiquing a technique it is important to critique it in a kind manner, so the students don't begin to dread going to class because they are constantly being rudely criticized by an instructor that is supposed to be there to help them learn.

To be an effective and collaborative worker you have to make sure that you are doing your part and not letting all of the slack fall onto your coworkers or peers. This applies in school doing projects and will continue to apply in future careers. Specifically, at my work there are several workers who do not do their part, and instead, let everyone else do the cleaning and discipline the kids while they continue to sit there and scroll on their phones. This is not effective collaboration in any way, because not only are the other workers, including myself, having to pick up their slack, but, it is making their jobs harder because then there is less time to get everything done and complete tasks thoroughly. So, I make it a priority to always work my hardest, in hopes that I am making everyone else's life just a little bit easier.

Finally, a huge benefit of having effective communication is by being able to advocate for yourself and others. Since I was a little girl, I have always made it a part of my values to advocate for people who are not being heard or not being treated equally. Without the communication skills I have learned from being on the leadership team and becoming an instructor, I would not have a persuasive and loud voice, that makes it possible for me to be heard and get important points across to listeners.

Therefore, from the skills I have learned from my journey as a martial artist, I will continue to use effective communication and collaboration to actively listen, demonstrate empathy and kindness, and advocate for myself and others.