What makes a good Xing Yi (or any art) teacher?

The most important 3 things to me are:

1. Fights like he teaches:
This is a teacher who shows and uses what he teaches in fighting applications. I dont just mean the "Grab me on the wrist, now watch this" applications, but real life speed work. The opposite to me is the teacher that can do beautiful forms and tries to tell you that a butterfly flip kick is a valuable techniques when at knifepoint...I think you all know the type...

In relation to 1...

2. Knows WHY things work, not just that they do:
This is a teacher that can explain the why. When I hit a man in this part of the neck, he falls stunned. Why? And this can be explained more than "Well, it works." Along the same token, a teacher that does not hold to the mantra of "This will work for everyone". For example, my teacher shows and suggests techniques and ideas that work for my body type and mentality. Yet can turn around and show someone else a different idea for a different body type and mentality and both apply.

And finally, and almost the most important to me...

3. A sense of humor:
Throphies in the window? Bye. Fancy workout uniforms with colors and belts, etc.? Bye. Bowing and kneeling and the like? Bye.
Our class is run where people show up, everyone greets and talks about their day, their lifes, current events, funny stories, etc while we warm up. The requirement is that clothing be worn. Class begins and we go about our business but never is there a feeling of less than friendly work. I think it is important for a teacher to laugh.

Well, just my random thought on a Monday night...

Hey dp,
I too like: (1)a teacher (who can) fight like he teaches; who (2) knows (how & why things work; and, (3) has a sense of humor; BUT, NOT FOR THE REASONS YOU FOLLOW UP WITH.
If you -- as a student, in class -- launch a surprise attack against a good instructor, then most likely one of four things will happen: (1) the instructor -- not wishing to do you (his student) harm -- will counter with a non-lethal & non-crippling counter (this is YOUR best-case senario because you'll remain healthy & remain a student if the instructor allows you to stay in class after doing such); or (2), the instructor will allow you to toss him around a bit & do nothing (this is YOUR second-best-case senario as you'll remain healthy, but you'll probably leave the class thinking little of the instructor and possibly too much about yourself, or the instructor may not let you return -- your loss either way); or (3), you'll end up a temporary or permanent cripple from the instructor's counter; or (4), the instructor's counter leaves you dead or dying.
So, if senario #2 happens, you'll not know if the instructor was good & just holding back, or if he was just incompetent. If senario #3 or 4 should happen, then your martial-art practitioner aspirations may be cut short. Even senario #1 puts your relationship as a student in serious jeopardy; so, unless you've got some kind of a strange agreement with your instructor (like Inspector Clousso & Kato from the "Pink Panther" movie series)& are willing to chance serious injury & death, REALLY ATTACKING YOUR INSTRUCTOR IS A BAD (PERHAPS EVEN A VERY BAD) IDEA.
I know of a man who survived an armed robbery because he could kick high (I probably mentioned this in more detail with an earlier posting); I consider any technique (that one's capable of doing) that saves (his or her) life or limb to be a fine technique (for that person).
While I like it when an instructor knows WHY things work, it's more important for me to know what works (or what might work -- as some things don't always work on all people all the time) & how to execute such. Does one really have to know every aspect of the human body to protect themself? Of course not. Sometimes "WHY?" just gets in the way of WHAT I need (but here & now, in this posting, I'm giving you a lot of "WHY".
Although I enjoy the conditions you listed for your class' atmosphere, there's nothing inherently wrong with displaying trophies, wearing fancy uniforms, showing a pre-determined sign of respect (such as a bow or salutation), or being put under some stressful (seemingly unfriendly) conditions during class (and/or warm-up time -- if such a time is granted).
I consider myself fortunate to have met many special forces personnel and war veterans in general from a variety of services & countries. Of them, many have been in close-combat situations (killing or disabling some of their foes with such things as shovels, knives, or bare hands). I know of two that have had to use their bare hands to survive desperate, combat situations. They each have won trophies and/or medals for combative sporting events. One was an instructor who: (1) displayed trophies; (2) wore (out) fancy uniforms; (3) required students & himself to show a pre-determined sign of respect; and (4), put his students under some very stressful (& seemingly unfriendly) conditions during warm-up & class; yet still maintained a sense of humor. In addition to all of this, he did nothing to a beginning student that attacked him in the classroom without warning (he got lifted off of the ground & pushed around some). He could have REALLY HURT the guy (even killed him), but he chose to let things go. As a result, he lost only that one student (who left on his own accord). This was THE INSTRUCTOR'S best-case senario (no lawsuits or criminal retaliations; & he wasn't obligated to teach the THUG anything that would make him a more proficient thug). The students that stuck with him became fighters. For example, one little, girl student of his (w/several years training) was pulled into a car by a stranger. She escaped & the police had no trouble finding the pervert because he looked as if he had pulled a wildcat into his car by mistake ('cause he did).
Would have thumbed your nose at this instructor? Think about it.

Wow, according to this, I have a very good instructor ^_^

Mike, all great points, but I don't see where dp's post contradicts anything of what you said.

Thats how I feel... No belts, no trophies, no corny rituals. However, I am not saying respect is inappropriate. My Sifu never asked to be bowed too and actually did not like it. However, out of respect on my part I would slightly bow and thank him every time.

Unfortunately, most teachers that are like the first posting... dont do well, that is sad... Most people are looking for the fun colored belts and uniforms and love the false sense of "here grab my wrist"... wow did you see that.

I use to teach wing chun as an assist for my sifu and I would show a wrist technique etc. like that... here grab my wrist and everyone would say "thats cool" etc.

Then I would make them try to apply it during free hand practice and needless to say, they could see why I did it.

After class we would all sit around and chat and have tea. That is the way a school should be... not "your 45 minutes are up" next please.

Our Sherfew demands that we kiss his ass at the end of every lesson. He pulls his sweatpants down and we literally have to give him a big smooch on each ass cheek. His best students must kiss his browneye. I don't plan on staying long enough in his school to find out about all that.

After kissing a little ass, we sit around a campfire and eat pumpkin seeds, roast marshmellows, and talk about serious stuff, like how smart our president is, the cost of gasoline, how Britney Spears boobies got bigger and then smaller, the latest episode of Fear Factor and Queer Eye, and free energy through zero point technology. I love martial arts.

In most of the taiji classes that I have observed over the years, the recent comment about chatting and having tea would apply more to what happens DURING a class rather than after it!
On the other hand, a good teacher can do what he or she teaches and can motivate at least some of the students to eventually do the same skills as well -- if not better.

A good teacher also eventually makes him or herself redundant by teaching the students how to continue to evolve without their guidance. It is similar to parenting in that a competent mother or father works at ensuring that his or her child develops the necessary skills to face the world on their own. Perhaps this was originally the idea in the Chinese concept of a martial student treating his teacher as an adopted father?

Also, a good teacher accepts only those students who have the drive to make the teacher redundant. That's why it's tough to make money as an MA teacher.

I hope I never find Zola's school... I love Britneys boobs, but I hate pumpkin seeds!

Hey Michael... actually we did have a tea break during Tai Chi class and listen to Sifu.

My posting was referring to the Wing Chun class I was teaching... no time for a break there, theres wing chunning to be had.