How many children is it ideal to have in a class say middle grade school age?
And if you have more than the ideal- are there better excersizes and training methods out there- to use- when you are the one Sensei?
I was curious with my group of VERY beginners on how I might employ "this group do this" and "this group do this" and what some good tried and true- "this's" could be- I have some ideas but wondered what you all think-
if there are better ones and ones that just don't work-
I have to say that this depends a lot on your teaching style. I have enjoyed teaching very large classes where everyone starts at the same point, and teaching small classes where I give people one-on-one attention. Each is a unique challenge.
With a group that age, I'm thinking that twenty is probably ideal, as long as their abilities aren't too different. It gets difficult when everyone is in a different place, but then you can deligate and thus give the more experienced folks learning through responsibility and teaching. That way you aren't just playing an instrument; you are conducting a symphony. It's a very different approach.
Teaching younger people takes a different mindset. I would highly recommend we get more people with education credentials teaching the younger folks.
Hey Kerry, great question? I taught an art class to Middle Schoolers. It can be daunting. Have to have less talk and more physical activit and use games. (Talk to Bill about the game "Steal the Bacon").
Also a suggestion: make sure anyone helping you is acclimated to that ability level. Parents with younger children know how to talk to children. Older adults and those who haven't been around kids for a while forget at what level these kids are learning at and teach as if teaching adults.
I have seen older students get really frustrated teaching younger children and not being able to get a concept across because they were way over the student's heads.
Prime example: trying to teach a 5 year old left stance.....the child didn't know his left from his right yet.....or may be dyslexic (sp?).
or stepping using a crescent movement??? What's a crescent to them?
Simplify your terminology, have them repeat back what you said, if in doubt and then demo it, several times if needed. Also the more senses you involve the better they learn.
Make them use their hearing to learn by making them close their eyes and listen when you take sliding steps. Show them the difference with correct and incorrect sliding steps, Emphasize the wrong stepping with heel/toe vs. ball of the foot sound. Make them listen for this.
Children in a lot of ways can be more fun to teach because the appreciate your creativity and fun approach in teaching.
Have a great time.
FWIW,
Vicki
Wow, 20 kids, that's a lot. I personally would rather have 12 or less!
Basically, I would suggest that you focus on BEHAVORIAL OBJECTIVES in teaching children, rather than complex theoretical and subjective approaches. By this, I mean, that at the end of any lesson,etc. you give, teach or try, the child(all of them) should be able to do a certain thing, successfully, and ,if not, then you need to reassess your objectives and analyse things. I have done this with many children,youth, adults,etc. over the years. You also have to use for children games, fun exercises, and less regimentation at times, but always maintaining respect and discipline as defined properly(that is, not alwlays in a militaristic style). I do not have time right now to address this topic fully and as detailed as I might,so I hope you will accept my apologies for not being able to do so. Here is a brief example: At the end of this lesson, a child, adult,etc. should be able to: 1. Form a proper karate fist 2. Depending on the style, chamber the fist properly(some at waist, others at chest,level,etc.) and 3. Execute a punch from the chambered position. This is a very rudimentary approach for most of you, but this is an objective one. If People have trouble doing this, then you have your work cut out for you and you need to improve your methods of teaching. Note, that theory and practice have to be compatible to really work. If you are unbalanced in either way, then you can expect some difficulties. Thanks for your time. Halford at http://arnis.homestead.com
I think it also worth mentioning that martial arts can take a lesson from the Suzuki method in music. Kids need less talk/theory and more doing. If it takes a game to make them DO the technique, then get the games out. And one needs to be satisfied with an "approximation" of good technique. You can refine the motion over time as their ability and patience allow.
I believe we don't spend enough time in martial arts learning about the art of learning. For example, it's been shown that kids pick up languages much, much faster if you teach it through games and music as opposed to the typical disciplined classroom approach. And martial arts is very much like a language with both vocabulary (techniques) and grammar (combinations). What matters at the end of the day is what sticks in the brain and is available under stress. Knowing how to activate key learning centers to achieve this is key.
Even discipline and listening skills can be taught to very young kids via games. That's what Simon says is all about.
Middle school kids will have their own fun ways of learning. I haven't specialized in teaching them, but I remember what a challange I and my classmates were as middle schoolers. And I remember that some teachers were much better at getting our respect and in our heads than others.
oh goodness I meant grade school not middle school <mybad> though so far it sounds like I'm on the right track-
20 seems a little scary to me at this point- but I'm at 14 so- they are between the ages of 6 and 10-ish but they all started together-
Mr. G Sensei may I ask about the game get the bacon/steal the bacon? please?
I use a lot of entertainment stuff- movies-
like in describing the foot stance I've used the kick stand of a bike for the forward foot- and moving like a hover craft in Star Wars for the back foot stepping-
lots of games- I learned about talking the hard way lol- I don't have official credentials but my kids are 5 8 and 18 (blended so the 18 you all would know- Stevie- remember? he's huge now) anyway-I taught all summer at the summer camp- many of those kids had the autism- or hdd and adhd so while "training" to train- I got a bit of experience in that department-
You all given such wonderful insights here-
I have to agree that teaching the kids is completely diffrent then the adults- it's really fun because you can turn anything into a game! It's awesome! I love my kids!
Wow- I'm still staggered on the 20 lol but since they all started with the new school year they are all same place- and only a couple seem a bit rowdy -
and I set a very simple goal at small increments for each child to be able to have-
like say a child only comes for a couple months- how many students have passed through the doors right? Well any child that comes into my dojo is going to be able to circle block or cross block a punch away espescialy since they re in school-
and I have goals which I tell the parents as well for home practice so it sounds like I am on the right track!
Apology not need but accepted as well- nothing to apologize for you gave me great insight-(though I can't remember the name who apologized so I'm sorry for THAT
There are many, many games to play. Each has its use.
I'll see if I can't dig up a book on teaching kids aikido through games. If I do, I'll share the reference. It's a great idea builder.
"Steal the bacon" teaches strategy, speed, mobility, and the concept of feinting. Basically you choose teams, and get them on either side of the room. The "bacon" is basically a rolled-up towel, T-shirt, or something that you want to have kids grab and run with. Imagination can come into play just with this. A sure Uechi grip under the stress of competition is something worth practicing.
You put the "bacon" in the middle of the room. Then teams take turns sending someone to the middle. You get a whole point if you grab the bacon and run back "home", and a half point if you tag the other person after they have grabbed the bacon. Once you say "Go!" it is up to the two players to decide when/if to grab and run, or to wait until the other does so and then attempt to tag. Naturally the greatest reward goes to the successful risk taker.
This is a great thing to do at the end of class when parents are coming to pick the kids up, or maybe at mid class to break up the monotony of repetitious work. You can use participation in the game as a reward for a hard effort during class.
Another good game is with the long, plastic "noodles." You can conduct one-on-one sparring matches with the noodles, or even have a classroom free-for-all. Both teach important concepts of fighting, and each venue teaches something unique. You can even do 2-on1 and 3-on-1 scenarios with the bigger and more experienced kids in the middle. That tends to even the score a bit and make it more fun. And again, that teaches yet another fighting skill. Once again, do it at the end of class as reward for students and entertainment for the parents.
I also have kids play various games of tag as warmup before getting started.
When ever I teach the kids class for Doug I use Belt tag as the carrot at the end of the pole. I tell them the less time I spend telling them to listen or not goof off the more time there will be for belt tag. I've been known to withhold belt tag on a monday (due to lack of good behavior) and have a 10 minute tag marathon wednsday because the kids knew to act appropriately.
Belt tag basically is a free for all where everyone has to keep their belt ends from being pulled. It teaches them all sorts of valuable lessons like how to use their peripheral vision, make temporary aleigences, or to trust no one There can be one handed belt tag. One foot belt tag.. any kind of belt tag you can think of.
One other thing I've found is that kids have a SHORT attention span. I try and keep the class moving fast and I try to wear them out. Mom and Dad appreciate a well worn child.
I'd like to share my 25 years experience training youth through the Boys and Girls Club.
We keep the class size about a constant 25 members, as most don't show up every class, and the average is between 15 - 19. Ages between 7 to 21, but most begin from 7 to 9 years of age. The past 5 or so years we've only taken beginners on one time a year, and only more frequently if the class size drops.
All youth belt ranks from white to black trian together. Some are group activities some are individual kata studies, where I go from student to student as they train, correcting and awarding new studies. The group activities can be everyone doing the same skill, or diffent sub groups working different skills such as beginners front kicks, intermediate students front then side kicks, and advanced students doing something else, all at the same time.
There are two classes a week each one hour long. Beginners are clearly made to understand they're perfect (as beginners) from day one. And they stay perfect until they know and are accountable for something, then the standards change.
Many years I've run the whole thing myself, other times I've had experienced assistance. These days the instructor is a gentleman who went through my 15 years instructor apprentice program (thruthfully the minimum standards I accept for instructors) and will eventually run the entire thing moving for continunity as my time passes.
I begin technical instruction on chambering, crescent stepping, etc. their first class. But more so these past years I'm showing why they must do so. As in chambering, if you don't chamber correctly youre not cracking the ribs of someone behind you correctly.
The advanced use of kata technique isn't their study, or likely ever will be, but I spend far more time showing them what I could do with it, to cement why they must do it the way I'm showing. I'm starting to see this increases their technical abilites, by seeing why as well as being shown what to do.
I'm so invovled teching karate to them there's very little time for any games, maybe once a year, something my own instructor did to the adults to let their hair down. But we do try to keep it fun such as have inter-group kata competition, white belts, vs, say green belts and say brown/black belts. And then weight the scores appropriatly for their skills sets. Thus a white belt group really cooking can out perform a brown belt group.
In our kata competitions, the winners get to count the pushups the losers gain (so they get stronger) and when theyv'e done so, they drop down and to that number + 5 to make themselves stronger too.
All karate, all the time, yet with a touch of fun. The white belts love it when they outperform the rest, and when that happens, it helps drive the point about correct technique to the older belts too.
Kumite training only begins after 1-2 years of study and is additional class time not in the formal class.
If anything over the decades I've added additional material to the course study to slow down the belt progression. As student often only attend one class a week with other more important activities (school, family, etc) the average time to Sho-dan is 8 or 9 years.
Our kids aren't superior, (well ok, they're at least OK) they're just kids at any age or rank. But they learn that their efforts give them abilities that just don't grow on trees.
And the end result, they all leave me. if they stay the course, and get to be a promising, creative, able Dan, then college, work, living life take precedence, and I begin anew.
Just started a new group 2 weeks ago and I teach all of them. Tonight working on how to crescent stance and turn correctly and chambeing and punching correctly (or at least give me as correctly as the Isshinryu system allows it).
Sharing with youth is very rewarding. Some of them do learn their right from their left foot. And regardless of their capabilites, patiently sharing and correcting and encouraging (and o how the brown belts don't like what I call encouragement) them to exceed brings great reward to the instructor.
Kerry,
I met you a couple years ago at the Junior series. Send some of those kids down to compete when they are ready. http://www.nejuniorseries.com/
And write the second book, my daughters are looking forward to it.
Here's a site you might find useful. http://www.4kicks.com/
Victor:
That was an awesome post; I love the path you've chosen for your students. It sounds like an ideal way to have kids learn Karate rather than baby-sitting them for an hour.
Karate is serious stuff. It appears you've found a very good way to instill it into them without turning it into a game.
I applaud your approach; a benchmark example.
When I started teaching kids at the Scranton Boys Club 25 years ago, the only way I could remain doing Isshinryu as there was none in the area, every instrutor I knew thought I was crazy. "Why do you want to teach KIDS?"
A large part of my patiences actually came from my wife, a phys ed instructor, who taught me more than any karate instructor. Her college texts on training junior high girls swim teams were and are more informative than any karate text I've ever seen.
As I only knew how to do karate, that's all I did with them, karate. 20 year ago I moved to Derry and continued the tradition, as well as began a small adult program. Thecourse content is identical, abet some small age considerations as I don't ask adults 40-50 to push them selves the same way I would ask11 to 13 year olds.
I've found karate instruction alone is enough to keep them busy.
Use the following rule for beginners, they'er all perfect, tell them so, remind them they can't make a mistake because they don't know something. They can only do something wrong and that can be corrected.
As I developed the program instructor over the years, today I'm more the senior whatever. Mike runs the class, and I hover over everyone doing the small thankless things like reminding them their stances must be improved, to lift thir knees while kicking, to strike to the right area in kata, etc.
And spend more time showing WHY a technique must be done as shown, if they ever train to the point they can do that.
There's no rush, just a gradual process. And never enough time to get it all done.
Basically, I would suggest that you focus on BEHAVORIAL OBJECTIVES in teaching children, rather than complex theoretical and subjective approaches. By this, I mean, that at the end of any lesson,etc. you give, teach or try, the child(all of them) should be able to do a certain thing, successfully, and ,if not, then you need to reassess your objectives and analyse things. I have done this with many children,youth, adults,etc. over the years. You also have to use for children games, fun exercises, and less regimentation at times, but always maintaining respect and discipline as defined properly(that is, not alwlays in a militaristic style). I do not have time right now to address this topic fully and as detailed as I might,so I hope you will accept my apologies for not being able to do so. Here is a brief example: At the end of this lesson, a child, adult,etc. should be able to: 1. Form a proper karate fist 2. Depending on the style, chamber the fist properly(some at waist, others at chest,level,etc.) and 3. Execute a punch from the chambered position. This is a very rudimentary approach for most of you, but this is an objective one. If People have trouble doing this, then you have your work cut out for you and you need to improve your methods of teaching. Note, that theory and practice have to be compatible to really work. If you are unbalanced in either way, then you can expect some difficulties. Thanks for your time. Halford at http://arnis.homestead.com
There can be one handed belt tag. One foot belt tag.. any kind of belt tag you can think of.
attack of the midgits!