How to increase students?

[tmd]

Originally Posted by Dent

See, when we met, I new she was Ms Right. I just didn't know her first name was Always...

Poor! Dent very poor! I know you can do better you survived living in Southward for a start! Did you train while over here there were a few dojos I used to get to up that way around 20 of so years ago.

The place ain't like it was bud, sadly last night it was the scene of the 19th knife related teenage killing in London this year (second this week in London) (Sorry to hijack the post).


The T-Shirts and track suits idea is one I'm likely to adopt, it's a great way to advertise the dojo while you and your students are training else where there will be like minded people.

A good place to site flyers/ posters will be at the local bus stops and station if you can.

[Dent]

Osu!

Originally Posted by tmd

Poor! Dent very poor! I know you can do better you survived living in Southward for a start! Did you train while over here there were a few dojos I used to get to up that way around 20 of so years ago.

The place ain't like it was bud, sadly last night it was the scene of the 19th knife related teenage killing in London this year (second this week in London) (Sorry to hijack the post).


The T-Shirts and track suits idea is one I'm likely to adopt, it's a great way to advertise the dojo while you and your students are training else where there will be like minded people.

A good place to site flyers/ posters will be at the local bus stops and station if you can.

Man, everyone's a critic...

I trained at the Camberwell Dojo before it burnt down some years ago. (10? 15?)

Another knifing? I think it's time for us all to question the violence that has become such a part of the fabric of our society.

For myself, I've found Dojo based purely on seeing someone with the sticker, shirt, shorts, T, top, tracksuit etc, and asking them about their training.

Osu!

[meguro]

Originally Posted by tmd

The T-Shirts and track suits idea is one I'm likely to adopt, it's a great way to advertise the dojo while you and your students are training else where there will be like minded people.

Good man. I was once stopped by a guy in my building who noticed my ichigeki T-Shirt. He just wanted to chat Karate. I suppose I could have shifted into sell mode if I were in the business. I later learned the guy was a training buddy of Kansetsu.

btw, your entire wardrobe might be tax deductible if the T-Shirts and track suits are used for promoting your business. Check with your accountant.

[Surfer_Sam]

OSU!

I have been running dojo in North NSW for about 2 years. very hard slog at first and still less students than I would like. BUT, I am based in local squash courts.

This is really great as it means rental costs are very minimal.

Found that NEwspaper advertising is only good for building "brand Awareness" Have just opened second dojo in nearby town, advertised by Flyer in letterbox. great results, from about 200 flyers ended up with 4 students to start.

Slowly building it up. so after two weeks we are approaching 7 students. Not much, we have full time "McDonalds" dojo down the road. BUt I see that as an advantage as we will eventually get their more serious students.

good luck and perservere

[Dent]

Osu!

Originally Posted by Surfer_Sam

Slowly building it up. so after two weeks we are approaching 7 students. Not much, we have full time "McDonalds" dojo down the road. BUt I see that as an advantage as we will eventually get their more serious students.

That's the attitude, Surfer_Sam!

Osu!

[eggy]

interesting topic,our dojo is also a little sad on the membership side,we have started running self defence classes for mums and daughters,this has been a huge success,as you will no if one person gets a huge amount of satisfaction from the course then they will tell 10 people and so on and so on,we have run 2 classes now and both have been very good,in turn we get the local paper in to do a editorial and we are no involved with a government agency who subsidize the fee which is great,we no have enquires about running a blokes course,all the classes are advertised as basic self defence and we will run a advanced course as time goes by,what we find is people are really keen to learn to learn how to protect them selfs but also want to no how to give someone the bash,you no what i mean!!!we then say well come to our regular kyokushin class and learn how to protect your self and gain confidence,awsome out come and the best thing is it dont cost us a cent,some dojos are running self defence classes and charging up to $1000 for the course,also it is good for the students in the class to practise there stuff aswell,OSU!!!

[Hughes_Kyokushin_Oldham]

[quote=GJEChamberlain;65807]Osu!


I now never correct kids for at least a month. Adults rationalise and understand degrees of difference, while kids starting out just feel any correction means they did it wrong. Plenty of time to guide them later, but first get them in there, enjoying their training, and forming a good habit - trying. Lots of races, lots of games etc breaking up the technical bits to keep them buzzing. Above all, let them know by constant positive feedback that you're on their side, not standing aloof with an "I'm it, worship me" attitude.


I love the concept of not correcting beginners for a while....
Great Idea

[Nix]

Huh? Pardon me, but isn't correcting a large part of the learning progress? And wouldn't the lack of correcting make them feel overlooked?

[Hughes_Kyokushin_Oldham]

I used to teach beginners that had just walked into the dojo of the street at my dojo, and i would constantly correct them, "bend that front knee", "arm up higher".
Many children did not like that, i can tell that because not many of them stayed for more then 2-3 weeks.
What Sensei Gary said made me think that maybe giving the children that settling down period of say 2-3 weeks of not being very strict with them would be better for keeping them interested.
Just my thoughts

[Nix]

I see your point, but I believe not correcting them at all would be counter-productive. Corrections shows that you pay attention to the student. Of course, there are varying degrees of beeing corrected. A senior student might prefer the instructor to be completelly honest and tell him when his performance is rubbish and needs to be worked on. A beginner does not have the same amount of confidence, so you would need a softer approach as well as not forgetting loads of positive critique.

Not correcting the student at all would leave him/her uncertain of the moves. This will in turn make the student lose confidence, and he/her might not last for one month of not beeing paid any attention. And when you finally do correct him/her, he/she will already have developed bad habits, and find it difficult to lose them.

Some of the very basic moves are in fact very complex to a beginner, but many teachers does not realize that because it has become second nature to themselves. A lot of beginners are really struggling with soto uke, for example.

Karate is in all likeliness a completelly new experience to them. Instead of "ignoring" them, take them by the hand and teach them the techniques one small step at a time - start with correcting basic stances and general movement, and save more detailed corrections for later. Let them know when they are doing well. If they feel they are progressing, they will eventually be more confident when they learn new moves.

[Hughes_Kyokushin_Oldham]

I am not talking about never correcting them, and leaving them to their own accord. What I liked was not correcting everything they did all the time, giving them that bit of freedom, that will give them time to adapt.
Correcting them all the time and paying attention to them are totally different things.

Some children have very small attention spans, you can spend all the time in the world putting them right on Zenkutuso dachi, and they will not take in anything you said to them 30 seconds ago. Keeping them interested is probably one of the most important factors in retaining students.

[GJEChamberlain]

Osu! Nix

I'm not talking about just dumping them at the back and letting them get on with it. There's a thousand ways to encourage them without correcting them all the time.

Gary

[Nix]

Osu!

I agree with you both. Glad to see we're on the same page.

Osu!

[seienchin]

Sometimes pointing out what is right is more useful than correcting. If you work hard to "catch the student doing something right", you can provide positive reinforcement.

I was really struggling with one of my little guys until his mum explained that he needed to hear what was RIGHT. As soon as I adapted to his preferred learning style, he didn't look back.

[Dent]

Osu!

You beat me to it, Seienchin!

It took ages for me to learn that many people prefer to know what they are doing right, rather than what they are doing wrong. (Adults more than children, it would seem... )

I am now trying to find the balance for each member... (And the debate rages ahead. Will he lose the last of his hair before it all turns grey? )

Osu!

[seienchin]

Originally Posted by Dent

Osu!

You beat me to it, Seienchin!


Osu!

Of course....You are the Wheelchair Mod, and I am a bear! If I didn't beat you, I would be a very slow bear!

[Kurisu]

I try a balanced approach. Simple things like making a correct fist, using the ball of the foot for mae geri are the important things to me because it helps prevent injury. But if someone is making a good effort and training hard I let them know.