sifumary

If you want to start a MA program in the high school setting, a great way to get your foot in the door is to start a club. Our local high school has a karate club and the kids really enjoy it. You wouldnt be paid, but if your program gets popular, you could start doing private lessons or start talking to the school about making it a class or a sport. All you need is a credentialed teacher present during the class. That teacher could be taking the class as a student! I agree, our schools need more MA classes but adminstrators are afriad to offer these programs due to liability issues. They need to have some trust in you and your program. If you get parent support that would help tremendously! Good luck!! Mary W.

Pacificshore, What an awesome idea for the first class! I love to hear what others are doing successfully in their classes! I know preschoolers are a tough age group for martial arts, but the rewards, as you know, are great too. Thanks!!! Mary W.

Thank you for your warm welcomes! Ninjanurse, For my 4-5 yr old class I'll be doing the Little Ninjas karate program that was developed by NAPMA a few years ago. Each week there is a theme: control, teamwork, balance, memory, fitness, coordination, discipline and focus. 8 themes for an 8 week course! The kids in this age group mostly learn studio ettiquette (sp?) and earn a skill stripe for each theme on their belt. I think this class helps them get ready for group instruction. Its my 6-10 yr old class that I am having trouble with. Do I do the watered down kenpo curriculum my sensei was doing when I went I left? Do I go back and do the traditional kenpo program and overwhelm them with 22 techniques per belt level? Or do I do my own program.. a mixture of kenpo, shotokan and some fitness training? I'm leaning toward doing my own program since I will only have these kids for 8 weeks, once a week. Instead of a traditional karate program, my goal may be to get them excited about martial arts so that they can join a traditional program in the future. Of course, if I have students re-enroll I may need start a traditional belt rank program. But I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. What do you think? Mary W.

Hi, Like to introduce myself. I am a 43 yr old mom with teenagers. I have 1st degree black belt in American Kenpo karate. I also have a 6 kyu in Shotokan and have dabbled in Tae kwon do and Jeet kun do. I am also a yoga instructor, recently certified last February. I have learned so much from my yoga teachers forum that I thought it was time to join a karate forum. I have taught kenpo karate classes for ages 4 to adult but had to leave my dojo a few years ago due to personal problems with the owner. Recently, I've been asked to start a preschool (ages 4-5) and a junior class (ages 6-10) for our park and rec center this coming January. I'd like to get some advice on teaching these groups and any other helpful hints I can find on teaching 8 week courses. Any other "park and rec" teachers out there? Mary W.