Motivating Students who "can't"

[Dent]

Osu!

Originally Posted by EnterTheirMinds

For adults, if they're told to do 20 push-ups or so for bad behavoir, some may comply the first few times then later, they may decide not to or just won't from the start. For them, I think more detailed explanations are required because I cant quite see an adult being told to sit in a corner and think about what they did wrong

If the behaviour expected is common, and within their capacity, and they choose not to participate, or to act out, then adults should count it lucky to only be given push ups.

For significant infractions, I think they should expect to be shown the door. If the Sensei says we're going to do 1000 front kicks, and whiny-Joe just refuses to try, then whiny-Joe can either participate through push ups, or get on his bike.

No one is forced to attend training, and no teacher should have to put up with someone because their opinion of themselves is so much more important than the task at hand.

Osu!

[EnterTheirMinds]

Very true, no teacher should have to put up with intolerant behavoir. A dojo is meant to be a place of serious training and working hard, not whining or being disrespectful as that is the wrong place. If a person does do something very severe, then they should be asked to leave, I agree.

Very true, if the behavoir is expected, common and within their capacity yet they refuse without a good excuse (i.e. not wanting to is not a good excuse, having some serious physical injury that impairs them is a good excuse), then punishment is in order.

If whiny-Joe refuses to try then he should have 2 choices: do some other activity assigned/approved by the sensei or show himself to the door. However, if Joe does try as best as possible and can only do 900 and gets dehydrated, then Joe deserves no punishment but should make up the remaining 100 later.

I think we may both be on the same page but beating around the bush so it seems unclear. I think this is mostly my error and not yours. Sorry.

[Dent]

Osu!

Personally, I don't see 20 push ups as much of a punishment, but then I don't like the word punishment in the Dojo. I prefer to think of all these exercises as a form of encouragement.

If the target for Mae Geri is 1000, and Joe does 900, I think he's done very, very well. 1000 Mae Geri are a leg trembling nightmare, especially if the guy leading the exercise is a sloppy kicker. (Those of you who've been around for a while know what i'm talking about.0

There's no need to do the other 100 later. The training is over, and his best effort is left on the mat. That too is part of training.

Osu!

[EnterTheirMinds]

I was using the word "punishment" because in psychology, when we discussed learning, we used the terms "punishment", "reinforcement", etc..., so I simply continued to use that word. However, if you wish to refer to it as methods of encouragement, I think that does sound less negative. 1000 mae geri, not the sloppy ones, would be very difficult and I'm not sure if I could pull off 1000 all at once.

At the dojo I attend, if we are told to do X amount of hits or kicks, and suppose I come up 20 kicks short because I get dehydrated, later, the sensei usually will get us to finish off those 20 kicks by ourselves. However, he'll only do this if the kicks were sloppy or not in proper form. If we did them properly to the best of our ability, then, he tells the person they don't have to make up the 20 kicks.