Teaching Juniors (under 16's) - Page 3

effectz · 06-26-2007, 05:51 PM

i instruct the children class the same format as an adult class.
the reps for kihon arent ask high and the count may not be as fast.
but i follow the same structure.

i saw a video of how the japanese children train, and they train with the same intensity as the adults. thats how you instill discipline and a good foundation.

i keep in mind how it was when kyokushin was back in the days where everyone trained together, no matter what age, rank, or gender they are. if they cant handle it, kyokushin may not be for them.

Lucy · 06-28-2007, 10:42 PM

1st session teaching juniors.

Well i did it! Helped instruct our junior section last night and it went very well! All the juniors are very well behaved already and im pleased i managed to keep them that way

Took a group firstly of white belts who are taking their 10th kyus this week. They were pretty quiet with me to begin with, but i soon gained their confidence. I was pleasantly suprised to see how keen they were to impress! After working through their kihon and katas i was given another group. These were 10th kyus and 9th kyus preparing to take their 9th and 8th kyus. They had already gone through what would be required of them for their grading and they looked bewildered when i took them so i asked them if they had any questions or concerns and they soon put their hands up which was good. Both groups were so eager to learn it made teaching them easy. I figured they are more scared of me than i am them and i learnt their names. I even punished one for asking for the toilet i said '20 push ups when you come back you should have gone before' lol and your right none of the others asked! Can't wait til next week now i found alot of confidence in teaching them and its very rewarding for sure. Fingers crossed they pass their grading. My instructor was happy with how i did and one parent came upto me after the session and thanked me! That was nice

Note to self though.....must swat up on my syllabus

Tameshigiri · 08-03-2007, 02:55 PM

OSU LUCY.

Good luck in this new proyect.
My advice:
Do kihon. Make an strong and funny drills for the kids.
Keep learning every day. keep teaching as well.
After 30 years I'm still looking for new training for the kids, new ideas, more,more,more...
Wish you luck.

bushido spirit · 08-04-2007, 08:05 AM

not much to say............ but defnitly i back up bloke's point of view yes they make u cry nd laugh :*_*: ( besides i cant even give lessons to adults " to lazy" ) >_< i just le to train

Liu · 08-04-2007, 09:44 PM

I think that discipline is very important. If a kid was talking when he wasn't supposed to, he must be punished. My Sensei shows a lot of enthusiasm to motivate the kids. Kiai is also a good way to motivate them. Little kids will probably be bored when doing kata, but they will love kumite.

As a teenager, I'm looking for a dynamic instructor that can push me over my limits. I like it when the instructor gives me good advices and points out my mistakes.

In my dojo, we're grouped by level when doing kata. White belts get private lessons with a Sempai.

boldbhoy · 08-08-2007, 02:05 PM

A few times on this thread I have read things like, "That's how they train the kids in Japan! so we have to do it here like that too!"
I'm not saying it's right or wrong. I'm not qualified and don't have the experience. What I will say from my own experience is, in the West, we (especially children) don't have the same attitude as in Asian countries for example. I have witnessed this inside and outside of dojos.
Perhaps then it needs a different approach? I'll keep an open mind
and see what others think of it.
When I hear a lot of others opinions and learn of their experiences,
only then can I reach a healthy, accurate general consensus.
I know that some people can remember when the training for juniors
was a lot tougher, but is it not true that the times are (constantly) changing.
We don't need to pander to spoilt kids, but if we keep an open mind, we
can all improve in our teaching of juniors. Or I suppose we can just be dogmatic and empty the dojos. Yes you would have hardcore dedicated students, but we need to pay the bills too.
Perhaps with just a little bit more patience, tolerance and understanding
with a junior, you may inherit a real budo karateka one day and he can pass on his/her experience to others? I hope so. Osu!

1

seienchin · 08-08-2007, 02:13 PM

Osu Boldbhoy
I think you are on to something, and I would like to expand. I think we should be getting kids in, and I actuallly think we should be demanding high standards of them, but in a way that sets them up to meet those high standards. Some kids will do better than others, because that's just the way life is.

There has been some recent work published about shaping children's attitudes, and the most important thing is to praise EFFORT, not result. So when I say demand high standards, I mean high standards of behaviour, high standards of effort, of focus. Generally, when those are delivered, the technique will follow, and will not be the pasty, open/slack handed, slow stuff that so many McDojo's pass of as karate.

Sure, they have to have some fun - but really most children will find a way to make just about anything into a game. We are genetically programmed to PLAY at that age, because play is how small humans (and small animals) learn. So the balance between play and discipline is as critical as the balance between hard and soft, circle and line etc.

I am really passionate about giving kids something to be GOOD at, that is good for them, and good for the rest of us! I had my own dojo for 5 years, and the memories that stand out for me now are of the kids, because of the excitement of watching them grow physically, mentally and emotionally. It is such a privilege.

boldbhoy · 08-08-2007, 02:41 PM

Osu Seienchin, thanks for your input, totally agree.
Another aspect to perhaps consider, it's not the 1970's anymore, children have changed a lot since then. They also have much, much more choices, especially in Western society.
As I intimated before, I don't have the answers, only asking questions
and observing some facts. Osu!

boldbhoy · 08-08-2007, 02:57 PM

On a lighter note.
I write all tips/suggestions down in my big Kyokushin notebook. this thread
included.
Imagine to my horror opening up my precious book yesterday and seeing strange handwriting on it!!!
Words like: carrots; chicken; spring onion; string beans; fish; prawns ......and the dead giveaway, pancit (filipino noodles!)
Yes, Lyn decided to write a shopping list on my sacred notebook!
I think she's been away from training too long with lame excuses like "I'm 6 months into a bad pregnancy!"
Recommended punishments please?? Osu!

**Paedde** · 08-08-2007, 03:11 PM

Hmm maybe I can give some impression from when I was nine, i had to go to the adult class because there just wasn't a kid class and I really enjoyed it, I just did what other white-belts were able to do and made my first grading.

But then I had to change the dojo and came in one of those children classes and one or two months lather I quitted karate...

So I can say I really enjoyed it to be treated as an adult in training instead of playing around

eamoncramb · 08-08-2007, 04:31 PM

im 15 so iv got an idea for how to make it fun and have taught sum juniors even more juniour than me lol

ive niticed that they like kunite,team work like split into groups then have to sprint crawl wheel barrow up and down thehall before the other teams,also im sure they like to do fancy kicks like ushiro mawashi tobi geries ect also assualt courses including lots of jumoing running again split into 2 teams and timed to find out who wins

osu lucy i hope thjis helped you good luck

Spirit · 08-08-2007, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boldbhoy

A few times on this thread I have read things like, "That's how they train the kids in Japan! so we have to do it here like that too!"
I'm not saying it's right or wrong. I'm not qualified and don't have the experience. What I will say from my own experience is, in the West, we (especially children) don't have the same attitude as in Asian countries for example. I have witnessed this inside and outside of dojos.
Perhaps then it needs a different approach? I'll keep an open mind
and see what others think of it.
When I hear a lot of others opinions and learn of their experiences,
only then can I reach a healthy, accurate general consensus.
I know that some people can remember when the training for juniors
was a lot tougher, but is it not true that the times are (constantly) changing.
We don't need to pander to spoilt kids, but if we keep an open mind, we
can all improve in our teaching of juniors. Or I suppose we can just be dogmatic and empty the dojos. Yes you would have hardcore dedicated students, but we need to pay the bills too.
Perhaps with just a little bit more patience, tolerance and understanding
with a junior, you may inherit a real budo karateka one day and he can pass on his/her experience to others? I hope so. Osu!1

You All need to Read this KARATE IN MODERN JAPAN - THE REAL PICTURE. By Hamid Abassalty. Shotokan Karate Magazine - Home
Bye the mag, and read it, then read it again...
If you do have open minds you will understand

**Shokei Marcsui** · 08-08-2007, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jap man

You All need to Read this KARATE IN MODERN JAPAN - THE REAL PICTURE. By Hamid Abassalty. Shotokan Karate Magazine - Home
Bye the mag, and read it, then read it again...
If you do have open minds you will understand

Synopsis please? Us western kids (even those of asian decent...) are lazy compared to eastern kids obviously.

And we liked to be spoon fed too.

Just kidding.

Spirit · 08-08-2007, 06:00 PM

[quote=Shokei Marcsui;27670]Synopsis please? quote]
Stop being lazy and read the article....

boldbhoy · 08-08-2007, 06:20 PM

Osu Jap man, do you want us to go out and buy this magazine?
Even if I wanted to I wouldn't be able to get it in this town.
Can't you just tell me/us what's so important please?? Osu!

**Shokei Marcsui** · 08-08-2007, 06:23 PM

Stopped being lazy, but didn't want to buy the magazine.

So i found this on a forum:

Quote:

There is a really interesting article in the latest Shotokan Karate Magazine (92) by Hamid Abassalty on 'Karate in Modern Japan The Real Picture' in which he points out that 'Many Japanese instructors in Japan haven't got a clue about bunkai. Why? Well because they don't need to know.' Also 'Very few young people (who are the bulk of practitioners), care about the deeper aspects of karate tradition, budo, spirit, karate philosophy, or as they see it, all that old man nonsense.....Most of the older sensei talk about the good old days but unfortunately foreigners seem to be the biggest customers of 'karate tradition.'.'
He goes on to explain that tournament karate and winning tournaments is the key concern of the majority of karateka of all styles.
The author lives and trains in Japan and is a 4th dan in Shotokan. Although he doesn't actually say so I think he is a student of Kanazawa.
I think this is why we really cannot use the term 'traditional' when we are talking about modern Japanese karate, unless the tradition is to win tournaments.

boldbhoy · 08-08-2007, 06:59 PM

I don't know about other styles, but in Kyokushin I would find it very hard to believe that our Japanese instructors "Haven't got a clue about bunkai."
The Japanese instructors I meet (iko1 only I admit) are very clued up. Osu!

boldbhoy · 08-08-2007, 07:01 PM

ps, thanks Shokei Marcsui, you just saved me money and a long journey to buy the Shotokan mag. OSU!

boldbhoy · 08-08-2007, 07:05 PM

Can I just say, It's not clear when the author refers to "young people", exactly which age group he refers to. Remember, as you get older, more and more and more will be referred to as "young people!" Osu!

Lucy · 08-08-2007, 11:19 PM

Thanks for the advice guys. Good to see its still coming through thick and fast. Ive been regularly teaching them now for 5-6 weeks and they all seem to be enjoying and learning from me....phew! Im teaching the very young ones still at the moment (under 10's) and tonight im afraid i had to dish out quite a bit of punishment to one little boy! He's only 7 and such a chatter box. My instructor warned me he would be difficult, but he is like a sponge more so than some of the others and he picked up the 9th kyu techniques really well. This was very pleasing. They like to test you the littlest ones and see how far they can push you and what they can get away with. This does amuse me and at times ive had to turn away and have a laugh to myself!

What and how would you handle a chatterbox? One that likes to act the clown? Poor kid was doing lots of push ups and they obviously get worse when their tired and the weather is hot.

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