Who is Teaching the Children

[lvwhitebir]

What ever happened to the old school instructors who just taught people. These were instructors who taught because they loved and lived the art that they practiced, not business owners out to make a buck.

Don't confuse being a business owner with teaching because you love and live the art. To teach properly you have to have a safe location and safe equipment, both of which require money. When you take money, you become a business, no matter if you do it because you love the art or not. And it doesn't matter if you have a location in your basement or a commercial location. You accept money, you're a business.

Your art is your art, just teach it! I had one of those instructors who didn't care if you were big, small, young, old, male, or female. We all trained hard, learned at our own pace, and became like a family.

Fortunately we are learning a lot about physiology all the time. As an instructor, it's my job to continually learn how to teach better. And that requires more than just knowledge of my style of martial arts, and more than just treating people like family members. It requires knowledge on better methods for health, strength and flexibility. For example, we've learned that doing 'duck walks,' which is often done in children's martial arts classes, are terrible for your knees and can cause long-term damage. The same is true for the 'hurdler's stretch.' You can also learn better methods to teach self-defense safely and to minimize inappropriate contact (minimizing legal problems).

You trust your instructor to know what he/she is doing, so they should be continually learning what and what not to teach. Too many schools are caught in the "dungeon" attitude that teach how they were taught and many were not teaching kids until the late 80's. You can't teach kid's like adults.

As far as requirements to teach children, I'm glad parents are checking up on the teachers. Too many just drop their kids off and are then surprised when the kids are hurt or molested. They should stay and watch at a minimum and get to know who's teaching their kids. Owners should also be checking up on their instructors as well. Organizations such as MAIA, NAPMA, and the ACMA are based on helping martial arts schools improve their teaching methods. They are trying to help us police ourselves so that the government doesn't get involved. Unfortunately, I only know of the ACMA that actually "certifies" instructors.

Here's the information I would require as a parent:
Police Record Check
Better Business Bureau check
CPR / First Aid training
Access to first aid kit
Access to emergency contact information
Access to 'permission to treat' documentation

WhiteBirch

 

[elcajon555]

We do duck walks at times in my school, both in the childrens and adult classes. Personally they are one of my favorite exercises, and I am actually fast with them. We also do bunny hops and frog jumps for quad muscle workout. How exactly are they bad for you and how do they cause longterm damage?? I have never felt anything in my knees when doing them. The army also does a lot of those types of drills as well.

 

[MJS]

Maybe you did hit on something in your post though. Maybe if instructors were paid, or school owners PAID for their instructors to take classes they may end up with more student retention, safer schools, and less insurance costs. Let's not forget there are many children's programs out there such as Scouts and Girl Guides, where they invest a great deal in their volunteers.

Do the other programs out there such as the Girl/Boy scouts, screen their potential Troop Leaders for a crim. background? What about day care? Do parents screen and ask for a check before dropping their child off everyday?

Not trying to start anything with these questions. They are just that--questions. I'm not a parent, and I'm not familiar with the scouts.

Mike

 

[lifewise]

Don't confuse being a business owner with teaching because you love and live the art. To teach properly you have to have a safe location and safe equipment, both of which require money. When you take money, you become a business, no matter if you do it because you love the art or not. And it doesn't matter if you have a location in your basement or a commercial location. You accept money, you're a business.



Fortunately we are learning a lot about physiology all the time. As an instructor, it's my job to continually learn how to teach better. And that requires more than just knowledge of my style of martial arts, and more than just treating people like family members. It requires knowledge on better methods for health, strength and flexibility. For example, we've learned that doing 'duck walks,' which is often done in children's martial arts classes, are terrible for your knees and can cause long-term damage. The same is true for the 'hurdler's stretch.' You can also learn better methods to teach self-defense safely and to minimize inappropriate contact (minimizing legal problems).

You trust your instructor to know what he/she is doing, so they should be continually learning what and what not to teach. Too many schools are caught in the "dungeon" attitude that teach how they were taught and many were not teaching kids until the late 80's. You can't teach kid's like adults.

As far as requirements to teach children, I'm glad parents are checking up on the teachers. Too many just drop their kids off and are then surprised when the kids are hurt or molested. They should stay and watch at a minimum and get to know who's teaching their kids. Owners should also be checking up on their instructors as well. Organizations such as MAIA, NAPMA, and the ACMA are based on helping martial arts schools improve their teaching methods. They are trying to help us police ourselves so that the government doesn't get involved. Unfortunately, I only know of the ACMA that actually "certifies" instructors.

Here's the information I would require as a parent:
Police Record Check
Better Business Bureau check
CPR / First Aid training
Access to first aid kit
Access to emergency contact information
Access to 'permission to treat' documentation

WhiteBirch

WELL SAID, WhiteBirch, well said!! :cheers:
:asian:

 

[lifewise]

Do the other programs out there such as the Girl/Boy scouts, screen their potential Troop Leaders for a crim. background? What about day care? Do parents screen and ask for a check before dropping their child off everyday?

Not trying to start anything with these questions. They are just that--questions. I'm not a parent, and I'm not familiar with the scouts.

Mike

Yes Mike, Girl/Boy Scouts are screened, so are Big Sisters/Brothers and many other organizations such as these. At least in Canada!!!

Our daycares (Canadian) also have controls in place, and in order to be a licensed daycare, all staff are screened. I am aware of some which also have restricted access so only "approved adults" may enter.

:asian:

 

[Bujingodai]

This will likely reiterate points but what the hell.

Yes, I would expect a criminal check in all the accountable proffesions stated. Martial arts schools included and yes my daycare (canuck) is the same way very safe.
As for the schools paying for asst instructors to take courses, well where I am parents have an issue coming up with 20 bucks a month. So not really going to happen. In most classes we must depend on each other to have the extra knowledge incase something happens. (there are 3 of us trained as 1st responders in house)
Not everyone is perfect, not a person who takes a teaching course or anyone. So you as a parent must decide if the school has enough of the criteria to leave your kid there for an hour.
I would also contend that a Sensei and a Teacher are exactly the same thing. Except the Sensei teaches more emphasis on issues such as honour.
It is also great if you have Sensei that are trained in counselling. Luckily for us I am, but I lack some of the other skills that my teaching fellows make up for.
Safe enviroment, honourable teacher, no criminal history, first aid and the like. You already have more than alot of schools.
If you are that worried about it. Take the course and train them at home yourself. Its a big bad world and one day your child is going to be put into a situation that may endanger them. I doubt a dojo should be your biggest worry in that.
But I am just rambling.

 

[elcajon555]

What exactly will a criminal record check do. I mean most "criminals" don;t have police records. And if your instructor doesn;t have a criminal record doesn;t mean a whole lot, it could simply mean that they haven't been caught yet. You don;t have to worry about the criminals you know about, it is the ones you don;t know abour.

 

[MJS]

Yes Mike, Girl/Boy Scouts are screened, so are Big Sisters/Brothers and many other organizations such as these. At least in Canada!!!

Our daycares (Canadian) also have controls in place, and in order to be a licensed daycare, all staff are screened. I am aware of some which also have restricted access so only "approved adults" may enter.

:asian:

Ok, let me ask you this. Do you think that a priest is screened? I mean, look at all of the child molestation cases that have been in the NEWS lately. Unless the screening takes place on a random basis, then its not very reliable.

Mike

 

[MJS]

What exactly will a criminal record check do. I mean most "criminals" don;t have police records. And if your instructor doesn;t have a criminal record doesn;t mean a whole lot, it could simply mean that they haven't been caught yet. You don;t have to worry about the criminals you know about, it is the ones you don;t know abour.

Very true. Good point. My recent post touches on this as well.

Mike

 

[lifewise]

Very true. Good point. My recent post touches on this as well.

Mike

Don't just focus on the criminal check.

 

[lifewise]

This will likely reiterate points but what the hell.

I would also contend that a Sensei and a Teacher are exactly the same thing. .

I don't agree. As many threads on MT will attest, ANYONE can get ranked and call themselves Sensei. The Sensei is not equal to a professional teacher in a reputable school system.

We also have children with the rank of Sensei, does that mean they are equal to a school teacher? I don't believe so.

Many people, in all walks of life, throw around the term "professional" with little or no regard the level of responsibility applied to that term. You can't consider yourself a "professional" and not be willing to upgrade your skills regularly and take "professional development" courses from time to time. There are some professional martial arts instructors, but far too few.

 

[MJS]

Don't just focus on the criminal check.

And what else do you focus on?

Mike

 

[Phoenix44]

At our school, it's common practice for an upper rank kid to help out a lower rank kid. That doesn't mean s/he's an "instructor," but after watching that upper rank kid progress over the years, it becomes pretty obvious who is developing the skill and temperament to become an instructor. Then, this instructor-in-evolution will be given special instruction in teaching by our most experienced teachers.

The major martial arts organizations offer instructor seminars, and our teachers go. There are many other ways to access "professional development," and to incorporate it into our own instructor meetings. CPR training is required.

And parents aren't that dumb either. They can tell almost from the first visit whether the school feels right.

 

[marshallbd]

I don;t think those who teach children should have other qualifications then martial arts. Those who teach learn how to teach regardless of the subject material. Those who teach children will learn how to teach children. I have been teaching TKD for 4 and a half years and I have become good at teaching in general. I know how to learn and teach and my only experience has been throught martial arts. And I am just as good of a teacher as anyone who as a degree. Degrees don't make you good at something, experience makes you good at something. And the more experience you have with teaching children the better you will become. I believe you should know the material that you are teaching and that is all, learning how to teach will come with time.

I partially agree with this statement. Teaching childred is another whole ball of wax than teaching adults. Kids soak up information extremely quick. But they only soak up whats fun and easy to understand. In order for them to understand the material, they have to understand YOU THE INSTRUCTOR. They also have to respect you, and that comes from being able to empathize with them and see things the way they see them. That means getting down and making them an intellectual equal with you in their eyes.Just my thoughts.....right or wrong. :asian: