Instructors

[terryl965]

When teaching what are some of the finner point you try to make for the beginners and why these point?

I know I tell them part of ther body will be sore for months when you first start, mostly because you probaly do not use these muscle groups that often. I also tell them that it is important to be active out side of class if they can in between classes.

 

[turtle]

For adults, I try to emphasize that they should measure their progress against where they started from rather than against others of the same rank or started around the same time. And to practice what they learn in class rather than trying to jump ahead by imitating what they see the higher ranks doing. So I guess the theme would be patience?

 

[Drac]

When teaching what are some of the finner point you try to make for the beginners and why these point?

I know I tell them part of ther body will be sore for months when you first start, mostly because you probaly do not use these muscle groups that often. I also tell them that it is important to be active out side of class if they can in between classes.

For adults, I try to emphasize that they should measure their progress against where they started from rather than against others of the same rank or started around the same time. And to practice what they learn in class rather than trying to jump ahead by imitating what they see the higher ranks doing. So I guess the theme would be patience?

All good points...I tell them to FORGET all the crap that they have seen on TV and in the movies...

 

[K31]

I think if I were an instructor: 1. "Don't sweat your first couple of tests, if you come to class and pay attention you will be just fine." People obsess about testing. 2. "Look at feet placement when you see a technique demonstrated." 3. "Remember why you came here." That may change but if you have a bad day and just couldn't get something right it doesn't matter, you're still getting a good workout, learning self confidence or whatever. 4. "In anything in life, the value that we place on something is directly proportional to the amount of effort it took to obtain it. Conversely if you are handed something you can be sure it is of little value." 5. "Go home each night and write down what you learned."

 

[exile]

I tell them, work on your balance skills. If you want to be good at the MAs, train balance. Strength and stamina are important, and focused attention and alertness are very important, but balance is absolutely critical.

I also tell them, observe what's happening in the technique. Learn to see, not just look at. Drawing instructors say that the whole art of drawing is knowing what it is you are actually seeing. It's the same thing with the MAs. People frequently observe a tech and see a continuous blur, even if it's not being performed particularly rapidly. They need to learn to parse the tech into its separate components and identify just what is happening in physical space during each of the phases of the tech. Kicking is particularly difficult for people—they are often clueless about what is to be done even after you've repeatedly demo'd the tech in superslow-motion.

If you can get them to break through those two obstacles, you've pretty much got it made so far as that student's progress is concerned...

 

[morph4me]

Don't compare yourself to other people, we all have our own stregnths and weaknesses, Give yourself a break, it's simple but it ain't easy, and getting frustrated just makes it harder.

Be aware. Trust your gut.

If you can walk away, you win, self defense means you get to go home, it doesn't mean you hurt somebody else, you may have to do one to accomplish the other, but if you don't have to, all the better.

 

[IcemanSK]

Like Turtle, I tell them to compare their accomplishments to their earlier beginings. (Two weeks ago & today, for example.) I have a 40-something year old student who has lost 12 lbs in 2 months, is much flexible & stronger. She's having a blast!

I think this is very important with adults. Especially those who haven't exercised as adults.

 

[terryl965]

Like Turtle, I tell them to compare their accomplishments to their earlier beginings. (Two weeks ago & today, for example.) I have a 40-something year old student who has lost 12 lbs in 2 months, is much flexible & stronger. She's having a blast!

I think this is very important with adults. Especially those who haven't exercised as adults.

I agree Iceman results are a positive feedback for all adults whether it is in wieght lost or in increase energy.

 

[jim777]

What we repeat most often is that they need to practice at home. They come to the dojang to learn new material, and perfect old material, but they do need to practice at home. The dojand isn't where they should be doing their practice. Also, if they only do TKD at the dojang, it will take them forever to improve and get up to higher belt ranks. It's very easy to tell the ones who practice at home

Maybe that's not one of the finer points, but more of a blunt object point :lol: But it's critically important and some students overlook it if you don't beat it into their heads through repetition (especially the 6 to 12 year olds).

jim

 

[IcemanSK]

What we repeat most often is that they need to practice at home. They come to the dojang to learn new material, and perfect old material, but they do need to practice at home. The dojand isn't where they should be doing their practice. Also, if they only do TKD at the dojang, it will take them forever to improve and get up to higher belt ranks. It's very easy to tell the ones who practice at home

Maybe that's not one of the finer points, but more of a blunt object point :lol: But it's critically important and some students overlook it if you don't beat it into their heads through repetition (especially the 6 to 12 year olds).

jim

I like the idealism in your post, Jim. But it's sadly not what happens for 80-95% of students. Most train only during class time. I was one of those freaky kids who thought high school was just to rest in between training. I trained at a dojang that had class M, W, F, & Sat. & "training days" Tuesdays & Thursdays. These days were to work on forms, basics etc. but were not structured classes.

Kids & adults are way over scheduled these days. Training is one of a list of things that they do. Health care folks talk about "lifestyle changes" all the time, but it changes little. I don't mean to sound like a downer, I just know that folks that put time into training outside of class are few & far between. MT doesn't represent the "average MA-ist". We're (for the most part) a collection of MA geeks.:bangahead:

 

[kosho]

I tell them that (you are on your own path) do not look around and say well he/she can do that but I can not. all people are different I will teach you to have the Info fit you not to make you and all the others look like each other. I tell them not to be a Photocopy of the paper. For you to become in time the First paper. I teach them a few stances and leave them there and watch to see what they do. LOL
I also teach them a few blocks and punches and kicks. 1 self defense TEQ. from anything they want to learn from.
I tell them for home work do 1 push up before bed. and then the next night do 2 and so on...

then if they are still around in 3 months time. I then start to teach them.

Kosho

 

[bluekey88]

I primarily teach kids. At our school, we use a system where when a child does a technique in class well enough that he/she would pass that technique on a test, they earn a piece of colored tape on their belt. This acts as a reinforcer to the child for a job well doen and is a good visual reminder to see who needs to work on what stuff.

However, there is a down side. the kids often take it to mean that once they have that tape they no longer need to reall work on that technique because they've "got it." Of course, this often comes back to haunt them come test time.

I alwaysd make it a popint of reminding them that jsut because they have the tape doesn't mean they've "got it." I'm always telling them to keep up with their practice...in fact,. earning tap emeans you've got to work HARDER on that technique so it doesn't get sloppy.

Sometimes they get it.

Peace,
Erik

 

[matt.m]

Wow, well I take a whole different approach with my class. I guess you would call it stern passive authoritative. I watched my father since 1978, right when he got his 1st dan. Anyway, I was always in sports (Wrestling, Freestyle wrestling) of course hapkido and yudo. I went into the Marine Corps and the leadership traits I learned before going to bootcamp served me well.

I will give a non military example. I mean while competitng for the all marine judo team I also taught a youth judo class and womens self defense on base.

Well since beginning my class at Moo Sul Kwan I have developed my students as a team. When my beginning group of six came in I told them "You are going to learn Moo Sul kwan Yudo." "We are Team Moo Sul Kwan Yudo."

"Everyone's belt is white so everyone is the same, mine is only black because I never bothered to wash my belt and I have been doing this for a while."

I have gone so far as to have my entire class write a one page paper as to the following: What do the 5 tennants of Tae Kwon Do mean to you? What is Budo and it's meaning to you. Lastly, "Why is it more important to be a team than not?"

I did this to build camraderie among the group. Without it, I would have 15-20 individuals, not a team of classmates.

I wanted them to have understanding of the why as I began teaching the white to yellow techniques.