Teaching Strategies/Philosophies

[pazman]

You have to create a system of defense that can be remembered by people who don't know how to make a fist, are completely non-aggressive, & will never practice.

Then perhaps they really aren't too concerned about self-defense? Okay, small point I know. But, this is one of many reasons I question people's motives when they say they want to study self-defense. Either there is a real concern (and they'll dedicate themselves to training over a sustained period of time and attain real skill) or they are just evenly paranoid and lacking in common sense.

My advice for a women's self defense course? Stand up grappling at full resistance....oh wait, that's judo.....

[pazman]

Oh, and teaching children is AMAZING!!! They are flexible, they love to rough-house, and your building their foundations to become great martial artists. For those that don't want to, or can't, teach children, you should see it as a challenge to be met and overcome. Understanding the minds of children leads to a greater understanding of the training process overall. I've taught children martial arts before I now I teach them English...both are a breeze when you get the hang of it.

[Mike Evans]

So do/did you teach the kids the same curriculum as adults or modify it? And if so how? I don't want to teach kung-nastics, but at the same time, can the kids keep up with the adult skill set? And one more question...do you have more fun in the kids classes and ween them into the more disciplined adult mind set, or just drop the discipline bomb on day 1?


Thanks for the insight...

[onesp1ng]

Guess it depends on the "kid," and where you draw the line. Aren't many children in better shape than your average adult? Putting them in an adult class shouldn't be a great risk as long as they're old enough and mature enough. It may even motivate older students. I think 13 or 14 is a good age, again, depending on the student. You might just turn around and have a kid with the potential to be a wonderful maritial artist. It may be better to push them up than to limit them by keeping them with other children, especially the oldest ones.. Maybe let them have one or two days a week where they can choose to work out with the adults, then see what happens and give them motivation.

But, regardless, even in adult classes I think a good teacher should generally be pretty strict, yet at the same time able to break into a quick laugh whenever something funny strikes he/she or the group..

be well,

g

[LeiYunFat]

The prospect of children is amazing. I mean, just thinking back to my childhood, I remember such insignificant and small things, but those things have definately helped shape my life today...just thinking about teaching kids is such a huge a humbling privilage that if you sit back and try to analyze it all; whew, it's unfathomable.

But then they get old and even the biggest things that happen don't shake the old, crusty foundations. Heh.

[Greenknight2]

I think train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.

By the way check you doc dollars leiyunfet, nice signature by the way.

[shaolinstylee]

I don't think I'd mind teaching 8+, it is the 4-7 yr olds.. I coached ski racing.. I had two age groups.. both were equally difficult, but the older ones (14-16) problems were easier to deal with. The younger ones were just a pain (7-8 yr olds).

[LeiYunFat]

I think train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.

By the way check you doc dollars leiyunfet, nice signature by the way.

Agreed. And thanks, but I don't know what I should use them on.

[LeiYunFat]

I don't think I'd mind teaching 8+, it is the 4-7 yr olds.. I coached ski racing.. I had two age groups.. both were equally difficult, but the older ones (14-16) problems were easier to deal with. The younger ones were just a pain (7-8 yr olds).

Yes, kids are crazy. And ski racing?

[onesp1ng]

Yeah, kids between 5 to 10 are really tough...

g

[xing_jian108]

I don't like children. I don't know how other people do it. Bunch of little bastards...

Anyway, back to teaching strategies. How would you guys or your teachers go about passing on certain philosophies and ways to make people think, without making it so obvious as a religious philosophy. For example, if students aren't Buddhist but you still want them to grow in their minds and learn certain philosophies that may help even beyond their martial arts training. But you wouldn't want to tell them directly, this is an idea from Buddhism or make it seem that way. Is there a way you or your teachers have passed on precious philosophies without making you feel that they are trying to pass on their religion?

[dogchow108]

To be completely honest, Xing, if i were ever in the positino of a teacher of Shaolin kung fu, i would just make it very clear that they are learning a Buddhist martial art. That's a fact they will simply have to face. Even without the bows and chants of "Omitofo", the buddhist heritage of the system is so obvious you would ahve to be a moron to miss it.


There's plenty of "Christian Kicking Dragons!" type TKD schools out there for people who dont want to learn a "pagan" martial art.


I actually got into it with an old MA acquaintance about this subject a while back. Honestly, it kind of pissed me off how unappreciative he was of cultures otuside his own.

[LeiYunFat]

Agreed. Well in some cases of striking and fighting, streeing having no mind is best. This is one of the key elements of Buddhist principles and the like. If you think you can't win, you've lost.

[Mike Evans]

My teacher was always a question asker. If he wanted us to know something, he would ask the question or pose the situatuion for which the answer was what he wanted us to learn. This served two main purposes: 1. If I discover something myself, I tend to hold it more dear, and 2. Confucius said, "If I pick up the corner of a sheet, and a men does not bring me the other three, he has no business being my student."

[xing_jian108]

To be completely honest, Xing, if i were ever in the positino of a teacher of Shaolin kung fu, i would just make it very clear that they are learning a Buddhist martial art. That's a fact they will simply have to face. Even without the bows and chants of "Omitofo", the buddhist heritage of the system is so obvious you would ahve to be a moron to miss it.

All of my students are clear on that. It's kind of hard to miss. Our martial art comes from a Buddhist temple. We have a Buddhist alter in the room almost the first thing you see when you enter. They all know that I am Buddhist. If they don't they ask "what are those beads for". Then they know.

My question was how to go about sharing philosophies or simply making them understand certain things without having them feel that it's "Buddhism" I am trying to share with them but simply a philosophy that will help them with training and throughout their lives. I know most of my students aren't interested in becoming Buddhist or feeling like they are coming to a Buddhist class. But there are many things that will help them regardless of religion. I just want to share those good philosophies with them without sharing Buddhism, as I know they aren't interested in that.

I think asking questions seems the best way. Because that way it is them telling themselves which if they aren't Buddhists, then it won't seem Buddhist, but just realizing a truth that comes from anyone's mind.