Ask The Instructor?

[PGHteacher]

My name is John Fischer, I hold no certifications, no “papers” and NO “qualifications of any kind. I have taught many people how to play over many years. The people that I have taught and am teaching now will attest to how much I have improved their game. I started teaching the game to further understand the game and that continues to this day, I tell people straight up “I am a student of THE game and MY GAME and I am way too stupid to ever “get it all”. Essentially I am a big nobody and will AND HAVE freely admitted that, and I am NOT trying to keep it a secret. I hope that I am very clear on that.

I started by reading 2 pool books Byrns Standard book of Pool & Billiards and The 99 Critical Shots in Pool. In about 1988 or 1989. I quickly realized that the people on my team did not really understand some of the simple science & physics of the game so I began showing them.

3 years after that there were people that asked me to “teach” them outside of the team because they had seen me. The years went by and I refined what I was doing into a 10 “step” course. Roughly 8-10 years after that I had shaved it down to a 6 part program that involved video, charts, papers, diagrams, blanket sayings etc.. etc.. during that time I continued study I read Kholers book and Fels book and continued to write and teach others while learning the game myself. Then I decided to start charging people for what I was doing. That brings us to now. No hiding, no shirking, no nothing but there you go and if anyone would prefer that I not post here they are welcome to say so and I will not answer in their thread out of sheer respect for them. No problem whatsoever, and I am being really nonchalant when I say that I mean really no problem.

 

[bbb]

ill be sure to say im not an instructor
posting gives me a chance to verbalize and cement concepts ive learned
it also gives me a chance to see things a different way by reading what you all say
i only try to post when im pretty sure what i say is accurate either from lessons ive taken or from my reading/studying
ive taught diamond systems and some kicking systems to players in my room that wanted to know
i think i could get someone started on correct fundamentals but would encourage them to seek a professional instructor
you all have read my questions and posts
so if anyone thinks i shouldnt post replies
you can pm me if you want to
or come right out and say so
if enough of you say so ill go with the majority opinion
otherwise ill be respectful to the title of the forum but will put in my 2 cents when i feel its appropriate
dont know if thats good enough for you fran
but thats my story and im sticking to it

 

[KRJ]

My name is John Fischer, I hold no certifications, no “papers” and NO “qualifications of any kind. I have taught many people how to play over many years. The people that I have taught and am teaching now will attest to how much I have improved their game. I started teaching the game to further understand the game and that continues to this day, I tell people straight up “I am a student of THE game and MY GAME and I am way too stupid to ever “get it all”. Essentially I am a big nobody and will AND HAVE freely admitted that, and I am NOT trying to keep it a secret. I hope that I am very clear on that.

I started by reading 2 pool books Byrns Standard book of Pool & Billiards and The 99 Critical Shots in Pool. In about 1988 or 1989. I quickly realized that the people on my team did not really understand some of the simple science & physics of the game so I began showing them.

3 years after that there were people that asked me to “teach” them outside of the team because they had seen me. The years went by and I refined what I was doing into a 10 “step” course. Roughly 8-10 years after that I had shaved it down to a 6 part program that involved video, charts, papers, diagrams, blanket sayings etc.. etc.. during that time I continued study I read Kholers book and Fels book and continued to write and teach others while learning the game myself. Then I decided to start charging people for what I was doing. That brings us to now. No hiding, no shirking, no nothing but there you go and if anyone would prefer that I not post here they are welcome to say so and I will not answer in their thread out of sheer respect for them. No problem whatsoever, and I am being really nonchalant when I say that I mean really no problem.

Ummmm, don't look now, but your are an instructor I think this is what Fran had in mind.....

And I like her other idea,,, if anyone posts, put your name to it

 

[bbb]

my name is larry
ive already told you alittle about me
i havent asked him to post as a reference
but scott got to know me when i took lessons from him
im sure he would verify im a "good guy" with only good intenetions

 

[randyg]

WOW!

Look what just happened. Now we can talk name to name.....thanks

Bruce. Don't you dare stop posting here. You are always welcome.

randyg

 

[Mark Avlon]

For me, this has been enlightening and I think I know what I'm going to do from now on.

Would you care to share?

 

[joelpope]

Let's not ignore one of the most obvious reasons why we should not exclude non-certified players from offering advice.......Many "instructors" are compensated for their advice and are not always eager to give info. away for free.

I've been to an other website where the instructor elected not to answer an aiming question and instead suggested the student sign up for one of his classes......stating the answer was "propritary" or "secret" in nature.

Sadly, other talented playes who may have been able to assist this player could not offer advice due to a lack of "certification".

This website attracts more talented players than any other I've visited. If you exclude their insights simply because they lack "certification" you greatly diminish the value of feedback and knowledge availble to those seeking advice.

If credentials are so important, think about this....George W. Bush went to Harvard and he even married a teacher....and yet, I have a 13 year old nephew with a stronger grasp of the English language than George......and I suspect more common sense as well.
Harvard should be very embarrassed!

The Internet at its best...

Bush went to Yale, not Harvard....... But, what's a little misinformation between friends? Nothing like that would ever happen on AZB for sure.


I scan through various forums and reply when I am inclined. I have seen misinformation on AZB and else where. I just got a laugh this evening reading a well regarded billiards instruction book that stated that slip on ferrules are preferred for break cues. You think?

I have taken lessons from some well regarded instructors, have gotten good tips and corrections from top ten ranked professionals while playing with them in my home and I have learned from them both, but, not as much as I have learned from non instructor, non pro friends and acquaintances in various pool rooms. That's called experience, instruction can speed the process for sure but don't sell experience short.

What I do sell short is head up their ass folks that say they have the only answer and don't listen to anyone else.

For what it's worth

 

[dr9ball]

WOW!

Look what just happened. Now we can talk name to name.....thanks

Bruce. Don't you dare stop posting here. You are always welcome.

randyg

Glad it all got worked out.

I'm still Rufus Carter always have been.

 

[Ratta]

Glad it all got worked out.

I'm still Rufus Carter always have been.

PHew.......thx god

says Ingo from germany

 

[FranCrimi]

The Internet at its best...

Bush went to Yale, not Harvard....... But, what's a little misinformation between friends? Nothing like that would ever happen on AZB for sure.


I scan through various forums and reply when I am inclined. I have seen misinformation on AZB and else where. I just got a laugh this evening reading a well regarded billiards instruction book that stated that slip on ferrules are preferred for break cues. You think?

I have taken lessons from some well regarded instructors, have gotten good tips and corrections from top ten ranked professionals while playing with them in my home and I have learned from them both, but, not as much as I have learned from non instructor, non pro friends and acquaintances in various pool rooms. That's called experience, instruction can speed the process for sure but don't sell experience short.

What I do sell short is head up their ass folks that say they have the only answer and don't listen to anyone else.

For what it's worth

Here's the thing ---- If anyone has a gripe with the forum being set up for questions for instructors, then petition the owners of the web site to remove it. Other than that, why not respect what it was set up to do rather than complain that instructors don't necessarily know everything? I agree. Instructors don't necessarily know everything but this is the Ask the Instructor forum. Sorry.

What is the problem with respecting boundaries? No one said you have to like it. Do you complain about everything you don't like?

 

[KRJ]

Here's the thing ---- If anyone has a gripe with the forum being set up for questions for instructors, then petition the owners of the web site to remove it. Other than that, why not respect what it was set up to do rather than complain that instructors don't necessarily know everything? I agree. Instructors don't necessarily know everything but this is the Ask the Instructor forum. Sorry.

What is the problem with respecting boundaries? No one said you have to like it. Do you complain about everything you don't like?

BAM ! I like that ^^^^^^^^^^

 

[bbb]

post deleted

 

[TheThaiger]

BAM ! I like that ^^^^^^^^^^

I don't. That's a poor response IMO.

 

[KRJ]

I don't. That's a poor response IMO.

Why, cause Fran speaks the truth. I mean, as she says, and it is clearly labled, as this thread is called "Ask the Instructor" and not "ask the railbirds " or "ask the guys who shoot pool" thread.......if anyone wants someone's opinion that is not an instructor, they can post it in the main forum everyday and twice on Sunday and they will get a TON of reply's, guaranteed. And most likely get a few instructors as well....

This seems to be the thread where somebody is trying to get a specific instruction question by someone in the business, and thus why they choose not to post in the main forum.....

Does anyone that post here go post in the "ask the cuemaker" forum? just curious, raise your hands...

Does anyone go and post in the tournament section when you do not have a tourney and don't want to participate in a tourney ?

Heck, you cannot post anything political in the main forum, and it MUST be in the NPR section, no excpetions.

Aiming discussions now has it's own thread... must be a reason for all of this, or maybe it was just a coincidence..... who knows for sure

But it sure seems like common sense based on the name of the thread ??

 

[Scott Lee]

I can attest that Larry is a good guy, a good student, an experienced player, and definitely has things to share here, as well as (like all of us) being a lifelong "student of the game". Same goes for Bruce, and Joel.

John Fisher...It sounds like you've done some good research, and developed your own program. I might suggest some time with a master instructor just to enhance what you've already done. You may even wish to join the PBIA certification program, at some point.

I agree with Randy, and think anyone should be able to post here.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

my name is larry
ive already told you alittle about me
i havent asked him to post as a reference
but scott got to know me when i took lessons from him
im sure he would verify im a "good guy" with only good intenetions

 

[PGHteacher]

I can attest that Larry is a good guy, a good student, an experienced player, and definitely has things to share here, as well as (like all of us) being a lifelong "student of the game". Same goes for Bruce, and Joel.

John Fisher...It sounds like you've done some good research, and developed your own program. I might suggest some time with a master instructor just to enhance what you've already done. You may even wish to join the PBIA certification program, at some point.

I agree with Randy, and think anyone should be able to post here.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

Thanks Scott I would love to take some instruction by a certified instructor and get some papers it's just a time/$ ratio kind of thing; I just have too much to do :smile:.

 

[sfleinen]

[...]
If credentials are so important, think about this....George W. Bush went to Harvard and he even married a teacher....and yet, I have a 13 year old nephew with a stronger grasp of the English language than George......and I suspect more common sense as well.
Harvard should be very embarrassed!

The Internet at its best...

Bush went to Yale, not Harvard....... But, what's a little misinformation between friends? Nothing like that would ever happen on AZB for sure.
[...]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=V8lT1o0sDwI

"Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?"
"Germans?"
"Forget it, he's on a roll."

-Sean

 

[joelpope]

I can attest that Larry is a good guy, a good student, an experienced player, and definitely has things to share here, as well as (like all of us) being a lifelong "student of the game". Same goes for Bruce, and Joel.

John Fisher...It sounds like you've done some good research, and developed your own program. I might suggest some time with a master instructor just to enhance what you've already done. You may even wish to join the PBIA certification program, at some point.

I agree with Randy, and think anyone should be able to post here.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

Thanks Scott... Class act as usual

 

[sfleinen]

The problem is "What's an instructor?" Just because someone doesn't do it for a living doesn't mean they don't have the same knowledge.

If one would suggest only a person with a certificate respond in this subforum, I'd suggest the readers would be limited in the information they get back. There are LOTS of very knowledgeable players/instructors out there who don't care enough to get certificates but still have the answers.

I don't teach for a living (never care enough to) but have had people drive hours (and even fly) to spend some time w/ me to learn certain things. I've never made a lot (somewhere in 4-figures) with lessons and I never care if I make another dollar --- a huge majority I help for free. I've recently been working with a guy in Baghdad with internet lessons.

My point is --- credentials don't impress me that much. It's almost like network engineers. MCSE's are a dime-a-dozen and the very best network people I've ever met never had the time or care to get their MCSE because they were so busy building-out huge projects. Conversely, I've met a LOT of MCSE's who couldn't plug in a mouse (that's a stretch, but you get my point).

I feel an instructor's credentials are the feedback / referrals from the people they help. As with my networking analogy, instruction is outcome-based --- either you help people (and they rave about you) or they don't. Either you can fix a network on-the-spot and diagnose problems or you can't---- paper/crendentials won't get you through the heat when someone is spending their money for a service and expecting results.

The bolded part above speaks volumes. I work in this industry that Dave speaks of, and I can't tell you how many MCSE's I've chewed up and spit out these past decades. I've long ago let my MCSE expire (back in 1997) and I'd never wanted to recertify. Reason? MCSE certification is almost worthless. And this is the case for just about any certification that involves merely passing a paper or electronic test, but no practical lab or oral board to go in front of and get drilled (like, say, a Cisco CCIE).

I personally think anyone that has a proven background, knowledge, and history -- and relates it well (i.e. folks have spoken and/or given feedback about the ease by which this person performs what we in my industry term as "knowledge transfer") -- qualifies as an instructor.

I personally won't call myself an instructor. But I revel in my ability to perform knowledge transfer, because I've been doing it for so long, that it's second nature, and I feel I can seamlessly bridge the divide between the most complex things to understand, and the common layperson.

-Sean

 

[bbb]

I can attest that Larry is a good guy, a good student, an experienced player, and definitely has things to share here, as well as (like all of us) being a lifelong "student of the game". Same goes for Bruce, and Joel.

John Fisher...It sounds like you've done some good research, and developed your own program. I might suggest some time with a master instructor just to enhance what you've already done. You may even wish to join the PBIA certification program, at some point.

I agree with Randy, and think anyone should be able to post here.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

scott thanks for the kind words.