Teaching Kids

[MJS]

When you teach kids in your school, what do you teach them? Do you teach them the same material that the older kids and adults learn or do you have a seperate program of material to teach?

 

[BudoTiger]

we always taught the same material. might take a little longer for them to pick it up, but they did. and they loved it.

 

[Shuto]

Most of the material is the same for kids and adults but the adults sometimes get a few extra techniques. I think it's a safety thing but that's just my opinion since I've never heard the instructors say that. Oh, and the kids get to play games at the end of class and the adults don't. )-:

 

[bushidomartialarts]

Our kids program is radically different from our adult program.

For adults, we do Parker Kenpo self-defense, with all the eye gouges, face stomps and throat smashes.

For kids, we use a rotating curriculum that includes some self defense, some athletics, safety issues ranging from stranger abduction to fire safety, sparring & weapon sparring, even capoeira. Our philosophy is that strong Kenpo is not what parents want little Johnny to have, nor is it really what little Johnny needs.

Little Johnny needs a little self defense and a lot of personal development. Once Johny's a junior black belt (3-4 years), then he starts again with our adult curriculum and learns the Kenpo.

 

[jks9199]

I teach kids the same core curriculum that I teach adults. I use some different methods -- but I'm not one for big changes, there, either. I teach pretty much how I was taught. However, I don't always teach younger kids (pre-teen/pre-16) all the implications in some of the forms.

 

[Kacey]

Our curriculum is the same regardless of age, gender, ability, etc. It takes some people longer, and the reasons vary - some athletic kids pick up techniques faster than non-athletic adults - it takes as long as it takes. If a student is not ready to test when the bulk of the class is, the student doesn't test. If someone is ready to test off-cycle, then arrangements will be made as appropriate - although early testing rarely happens; off-cycles tests are generally due more to absences caused injuries, illness, family problem, and/or (for anyone in school at any level) excessive homework. Learning a martial art is a personal journey, and allowances need to be made for personal abilities, difficulties, and life outside the dojang.

 

[MartialArtHeart]

For adults, we do Parker Kenpo self-defense, with all the eye gouges, face stomps and throat smashes.

For kids, we use a rotating curriculum that includes some self defense, some athletics, safety issues ranging from stranger abduction to fire safety, sparring & weapon sparring

Ours is similar to this. For example, one of our self defense sets ends with a chop in the kids class, while the real ending is to snap the person's neck.
Also, we get so much more in depth in the adult classes. Kids learn the moves, but adults learn what the moves actually do.

Also, we have talks at the beginning of class with the kids about modesty, courtesy, integrity, self-control, perseverance, indomitable spirit, excellence, etc., while we don't bother with the adults.

 

[tshadowchaser]

we teach kids a little differently. I do not think kids realy need to know how to dislocate an arm or apply a choke. you have to remember they are kids and just may try what you show them on other kids

 

[Hawke]

There is a difference with the kids class and adults.

The kids learn self defense with minor changes such as a heel palm instead of the eye gouges. They play games while learning. Such as "Kenpo Says..." or a relay race across the mat doing strikes and kicks. The kids still learn where the power is coming from and the "why" behind each move. The kids are not allowed to use head shots when they spar.

The adults go into more details behind the moves. When we spar head shots are expected. We are taught more devastating techniques for self defense.

Both classes the structure of each move is drilled. We go over the basic footwork, strikes, kicks, and katas.

 

[exile]

Our curriculum is the same regardless of age, gender, ability, etc. It takes some people longer, and the reasons vary - some athletic kids pick up techniques faster than non-athletic adults - it takes as long as it takes. If a student is not ready to test when the bulk of the class is, the student doesn't test. If someone is ready to test off-cycle, then arrangements will be made as appropriate - although early testing rarely happens; off-cycles tests are generally due more to absences caused injuries, illness, family problem, and/or (for anyone in school at any level) excessive homework. Learning a martial art is a personal journey, and allowances need to be made for personal abilities, difficulties, and life outside the dojang.

Ours is similar to this. For example, one of our self defense sets ends with a chop in the kids class, while the real ending is to snap the person's neck.
Also, we get so much more in depth in the adult classes. Kids learn the moves, but adults learn what the moves actually do.

Also, we have talks at the beginning of class with the kids about modesty, courtesy, integrity, self-control, perseverance, indomitable spirit, excellence, etc., while we don't bother with the adults.

we teach kids a little differently. I do not think kids realy need to know how to dislocate an arm or apply a choke. you have to remember they are kids and just may try what you show them on other kids

There is a difference with the kids class and adults.

The kids learn self defense with minor changes such as a heel palm instead of the eye gouges. They play games while learning. Such as "Kenpo Says..." or a relay race across the mat doing strikes and kicks. The kids still learn where the power is coming from and the "why" behind each move. The kids are not allowed to use head shots when they spar.

The adults go into more details behind the moves. When we spar head shots are expected. We are taught more devastating techniques for self defense.

Both classes the structure of each move is drilled. We go over the basic footwork, strikes, kicks, and katas.

I gotta say, I like all of these approaches (that's me, Mr. Decisive! ) I can see doing it Kacey's way; I can also see holding back, when teaching youngsters, on the very, very harshest moves, given the emotional and ethical nuances that come into play in deciding whether to go for a strike or, with the same physical movement, a possibly fatal head-twist as per MartialArtHeart's syllabus.

When I teach kids hyungs—and that's mostly who I teach—I try to show them some of the realistic bunkai for them; I want them to understand that these aren't pieces of pretty choreography (though they can be appreciated that way), but rather scripts for some pretty brutal SD techs. But I also want them to understand that the really harsh stuff is only to be used in extremis—that you don't just do it to friends or older brothers who are annoying you. I'm still trying to figure out a good balance between my desire to show my students the real goods that TKD can deliver for self-defense against a predator, on the one hand, and my reservations about showing things to youngsters that they could use to damage someone else gravely whom they didn't really want to hurt.

Enough of my blathering, however: the main thing is, here are a trio of excellent articles on just this issue—teaching children's self-defense—by someone who's done a lot of thinking and practising of it, courtesy of Iain Abernethy's galaxy-class website (hence downloadable and 100% free/no-strings):

http://www.iainabernethy.com/articles/Jamie_Clubb_4.asp

http://www.iainabernethy.com/articles/Jamie_Clubb_5.asp

http://www.iainabernethy.com/articles/Jamie_Clubb_6.asp

Read these—believe me, you won't be disappointed...

 

[Touch Of Death]

There is a difference with the kids class and adults.

The kids learn self defense with minor changes such as a heel palm instead of the eye gouges. They play games while learning. Such as "Kenpo Says..." or a relay race across the mat doing strikes and kicks. The kids still learn where the power is coming from and the "why" behind each move. The kids are not allowed to use head shots when they spar.

The adults go into more details behind the moves. When we spar head shots are expected. We are taught more devastating techniques for self defense.

Both classes the structure of each move is drilled. We go over the basic footwork, strikes, kicks, and katas.

What if one of your children actually confronts a real rapist?
Sean

 

[Blindside]

We teach the same curricullum. Most kids below 12 never make it past orange, and that is just fine with most of them.

Lamont

 

[bydand]

At our school the same basics are taught in both the adult and childrens programs, but with Ninjutsu being such an eclectic art and not really having a set 1-2-3-A-B-C format to the training regime, the instructors tend to cherry pick the stuff that is most sutable for each individual class, while maintaining continuity for each class so when somebody advances from one to the other, they still have the same skill sets, just different applications so far. I really don't know how he keeps it all straight, but the kids love him and the class and all the kids programs are growing steadily.

 

[exile]

At our school the same basics are taught in both the adult and childrens programs, but with Ninjutsu being such an eclectic art and not really having a set 1-2-3-A-B-C format to the training regime, the instructors tend to cherry pick the stuff that is most sutable for each individual class, while maintaining continuity for each class so when somebody advances from one to the other, they still have the same skill sets, just different applications so far. I really don't know how he keeps it all straight, but the kids love him and the class and all the kids programs are growing steadily.

Nice when it can work that way and when the instructional staff are enough on top of things that they can have both the individual and the group aspects under control. Sounds like your dojo is outstanding, Scott.

 

[Hawke]

What if one of your children actually confronts a real rapist? - Touch of Death

In the kenpo arts I am in the adult class (high school kids and up). The high school kids learn more. But the kids under 14 years old do not go into depth like the adult class. If an 8 year old girl is confronted by a real rapist her self defense option is more limited than an adult, but the options she does have is still devastating. The kids get paired up with adults so they can feel the energy level of an adult. The self defense of kenpo IMO is practical and to the point whether the kids learn to eye gouge or not (such as slapping the ear).

As for why we teach it this way, I am not sure I never asked the head instructor.

In my private lessons with the neighborhood kids (their parents know me and I have them join too) I do teach strikes to the eyes, but no killing moves.

 

[Shuto]

The kids get paired up with adults so they can feel the energy level of an adult.

I really like that!

 

[Balrog]

There's a big learning growth spurt at about age 6. This is where you see a huge increase in vocabulary, the child starts thinking in more logical terms (step A leads to step B leads to step C, etc.) and their focus and concentration span increase.

I won't take a child under age 5 as a student, and the 5 and 6 year olds are taught differently. Our Tiger program is kinda like kindergarten; it's getting them ready for the regular classes. Our emphasis is on teaching them to follow instructions, show basic life skills (courtesy, respect, self-control, etc.), and learning some basic techniques. The classes are taught more free-style, with a lot more game-playing. Kids that age learn through play, so our games are fun but they also have a specific goal of teaching the child something and they don't even realize they are learning.

Kids in that class do not earn rank. They stay officially as White Belts until they graduate into the regular classes. This usually happens after their 6th birthday, but some kids take a little longer. At age 7, they automatically move into the regular classes and it's sink or swim in them.

 

[foggymorning162]

Our Junior advanced classes are pretty much the same as the adult classes, in the intermediate they start to get a little more into the SD but our beginners only get the basics we teach them the "escape" without the counter. We also have a Kid Kicks (5-6) and a Little Ninja's (3-4) the kid kicks get a modified corriculum with only a very little SD and earn rank very slowly while our Little Ninja's only resembles a karate class in that they learn basic kicks and blocks and the proper way to punch, we focus on attention span, following directions and ettiquette the only thing we do that could be considered SD is the occasional stranger danger class.

 

[kidswarrior]

Our kids program is radically different from our adult program.

For adults, we do Parker Kenpo self-defense, with all the eye gouges, face stomps and throat smashes.

For kids, we use a rotating curriculum that includes some self defense, some athletics, safety issues.... Our philosophy is that strong Kenpo is not what parents want little Johnny to have, nor is it really what little Johnny needs.

My philosophy is similar, with the caveat that I only teach 'kids'. Some are 17 or 18 year olds that have 60-80 pounds and a couple of inches on my 6', 240#, and some are 6-10 year olds who weigh less than one of my legs and when I ask, Are there bad men out there?, Answer 'Nooo'. :uhyeah: So the younger curriculum is heavily modified like bushido's.

Only difference in our systems is, I don't have a junior black belt, just stretch it out so it'll take 8-9 years for some, if they're serious. My instructor believed that BB meant 'you could fight with men', so that's going to take a 16-18 year old body plus the skills. Just my way.

 

[Grenadier]

Depends on the age.

There's a class for 4-5 year old kids, and it's more of a fun learning session, where the excercises are catered towards a child's mind. The kids still have a fun time, but they are learning techniques, even if it's at a slower pace than what the adults learn.

The older kids are lumped into the same class with adults. When possible, I try to pair up kids with kids, and adults with adults, but once in a while, I'll have adults pair up with kids. This way, nobody gets too comfortable with similarly sized partners, and everyone must make adjustments.

In free sparring, again, adults with adults, kids with kids. However, once in a while, I'll pair up an inexperienced child with an experienced adult. The adult is there to act as more of a mobile target, so the child can develop properly, without being afraid in the beginning.

Once in a while, though, there may be a 6+ child that needs a bit more individual instruction, at which point, one of the assistant instructors gives them some much-needed one-on-one instruction to help catch up.