martial arts?
Jessica Kelly
the thread regarding badges and school reports brings another issue to mind for
me. i'm curious as to how you all feel about martial arts classes in general.
on son jake's request, we tried a kinder kung fu class, but i was very put off by
it. i was prepared for the psuedo-uniform and even expected the teacher to bark
orders, but i couldn't handle the performance rewards and punishments, simple
though they were. for example, if a child didn't listen to a direction, he or
she was required to do push-ups or some other extra (and harder) physical
activity. if a child didn't perform a stance as quickly as the other kids, he or
she was "out" and benched for several minutes. and here's what really got me:
if a child said that a certain move was uncomfortable or painful (such as bending
from the waist and touching the floor with flat palms, which all of the girls
could do but most of the boys could not), they were told that it "doesn't really
hurt" or that they "aren't trying hard enough." mind you, it was all done with a
smile and a laugh -- the teacher did not come across to the children as mean or
authoritarian -- but authoritarian it was, just the same. for us, part of
unschooling is to encourage our child to question directions to ensure
understanding, go at his own pace, and listen to his own needs (including those
of his physical body), and i just can't seem to resolve the military style of
martial arts with a holistic unschooling approach to living and learning. i know
this summer my son will ask to take the class again -- his enjoyment of the sheer
"physicality" of it overrides his frustration when the teacher tells him his legs
don't really hurt. and, of course, being an unschooling family, shouldn't we
just follow his lead?! what are your thoughts?
--
Jessica Kelly
W o r d U p
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"There would be no greater joy than to see a beautiful park
that our children and adults can go to and learn about the
oil and gas industry."
- Tony Sanchez, former Texas Parks & Wildlife Commissioner
[it's all about oil...]
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
me. i'm curious as to how you all feel about martial arts classes in general.
on son jake's request, we tried a kinder kung fu class, but i was very put off by
it. i was prepared for the psuedo-uniform and even expected the teacher to bark
orders, but i couldn't handle the performance rewards and punishments, simple
though they were. for example, if a child didn't listen to a direction, he or
she was required to do push-ups or some other extra (and harder) physical
activity. if a child didn't perform a stance as quickly as the other kids, he or
she was "out" and benched for several minutes. and here's what really got me:
if a child said that a certain move was uncomfortable or painful (such as bending
from the waist and touching the floor with flat palms, which all of the girls
could do but most of the boys could not), they were told that it "doesn't really
hurt" or that they "aren't trying hard enough." mind you, it was all done with a
smile and a laugh -- the teacher did not come across to the children as mean or
authoritarian -- but authoritarian it was, just the same. for us, part of
unschooling is to encourage our child to question directions to ensure
understanding, go at his own pace, and listen to his own needs (including those
of his physical body), and i just can't seem to resolve the military style of
martial arts with a holistic unschooling approach to living and learning. i know
this summer my son will ask to take the class again -- his enjoyment of the sheer
"physicality" of it overrides his frustration when the teacher tells him his legs
don't really hurt. and, of course, being an unschooling family, shouldn't we
just follow his lead?! what are your thoughts?
--
Jessica Kelly
W o r d U p
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"There would be no greater joy than to see a beautiful park
that our children and adults can go to and learn about the
oil and gas industry."
- Tony Sanchez, former Texas Parks & Wildlife Commissioner
[it's all about oil...]
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[email protected]
Not all martial arts classes are like the one you described. My kids take Tae
Kwon Do with a wonderful teacher who works them hard, but treats them with
respect.
Paula
Kwon Do with a wonderful teacher who works them hard, but treats them with
respect.
Paula
[email protected]
In a message dated 1/10/02 12:37:12 PM, wordup@... writes:
<< i just can't seem to resolve the military style of
martial arts >>
Try other schools. They're not all as you describe.
Don't generalize what you saw there to all martial arts.
Sandra
<< i just can't seem to resolve the military style of
martial arts >>
Try other schools. They're not all as you describe.
Don't generalize what you saw there to all martial arts.
Sandra
Jessica Kelly
do you think differences are based mainly on type of martial art (kung fu vs.
karate vs. tai chi etc)? or are the differences based mainly on teaching
style?
SandraDodd@... wrote:
Jessica Kelly
W o r d U p
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"There would be no greater joy than to see a beautiful park
that our children and adults can go to and learn about the
oil and gas industry."
- Tony Sanchez, former Texas Parks & Wildlife Commissioner
[it's all about oil...]
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
karate vs. tai chi etc)? or are the differences based mainly on teaching
style?
SandraDodd@... wrote:
> << i just can't seem to resolve the military style of martial arts >>--
>
> Try other schools. They're not all as you describe.
Jessica Kelly
W o r d U p
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"There would be no greater joy than to see a beautiful park
that our children and adults can go to and learn about the
oil and gas industry."
- Tony Sanchez, former Texas Parks & Wildlife Commissioner
[it's all about oil...]
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[email protected]
In a message dated 1/10/02 2:37:27 PM, wordup@... writes:
<< i know
this summer my son will ask to take the class again -- his enjoyment of the
sheer
"physicality" of it overrides his frustration when the teacher tells him his
legs
don't really hurt. and, of course, being an unschooling family, shouldn't we
just follow his lead?! what are your thoughts? >>
There are dojos where that is not the attitude -- where students are asked to
do their best, but not to exceed their physical/mental limits. sheesh.
Sharon
<< i know
this summer my son will ask to take the class again -- his enjoyment of the
sheer
"physicality" of it overrides his frustration when the teacher tells him his
legs
don't really hurt. and, of course, being an unschooling family, shouldn't we
just follow his lead?! what are your thoughts? >>
There are dojos where that is not the attitude -- where students are asked to
do their best, but not to exceed their physical/mental limits. sheesh.
Sharon
[email protected]
In a message dated 1/10/02 1:10:41 PM, wordup@... writes:
<< do you think differences are based mainly on type of martial art (kung fu
vs.
karate vs. tai chi etc)? or are the differences based mainly on teaching
style? >>
Teaching style.
Partly the traditions of the schools themselves (schools within "styles"),
but I doubt it's the style itself. I could be wrong.
Sandra
<< do you think differences are based mainly on type of martial art (kung fu
vs.
karate vs. tai chi etc)? or are the differences based mainly on teaching
style? >>
Teaching style.
Partly the traditions of the schools themselves (schools within "styles"),
but I doubt it's the style itself. I could be wrong.
Sandra
Jessica Kelly
thanks for the input. i'll call around to the local schools and try to get a
feel for their teaching style.
SandraDodd@... wrote:
W o r d U p
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"There would be no greater joy than to see a beautiful park
that our children and adults can go to and learn about the
oil and gas industry."
- Tony Sanchez, former Texas Parks & Wildlife Commissioner
[it's all about oil...]
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
feel for their teaching style.
SandraDodd@... wrote:
> << do you think differences are based mainly on type of martial art (kung fuJessica Kelly
> vs. karate vs. tai chi etc)? or are the differences based mainly on teaching
> style? >>
>
> Teaching style. Partly the traditions of the schools themselves (schools
> within "styles"), but I doubt it's the style itself. --
W o r d U p
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"There would be no greater joy than to see a beautiful park
that our children and adults can go to and learn about the
oil and gas industry."
- Tony Sanchez, former Texas Parks & Wildlife Commissioner
[it's all about oil...]
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Karin
My boys are taking Tae-Kwon-Do classes through an organization called Young Olympians (kinda dorky name) and I'm very impressed with the teachers attitude towards students. He is firm and demands respect (as a martial arts teacher should be) but is kind and relates well with the kids at the same time. My kids really enjoy taking classes from him. Sometimes I am amazed at the level of discipline they *take* from him when they do not handle this sort of discipline from me at all.
I would tend to think that differences in martial arts classes commonly stem from different teaching styles and personalities of instructors and maybe how *they* were taught.
Karin
Jessica wrote:
do you think differences are based mainly on type of martial art (kung fu vs.
karate vs. tai chi etc)? or are the differences based mainly on teaching
style?
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
I would tend to think that differences in martial arts classes commonly stem from different teaching styles and personalities of instructors and maybe how *they* were taught.
Karin
Jessica wrote:
do you think differences are based mainly on type of martial art (kung fu vs.
karate vs. tai chi etc)? or are the differences based mainly on teaching
style?
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]