Teaching Young kids

[ShotokanKid]

P.S.

Don't hesitate to have them do pushups. It gets them to remember fast.

[SloMo]

I like a lot of what I read here. And making it fun is extremely important as everyone here can tell you. Another important thing is to manage your own expectations. With kids you are going to get a huge difference in how they perform, attention, how fast they learn, and energy. Don't expect the kids to learn at the same rate. You almost have to set your expectations for each person individually. You'll reduce your stress level a lot if you can do that.

Keep your energy up as well. Adults for the most part cnan motivate themselves sometimes but not kids. If you have a low energy day the kids will respond to it.

Good luck!

[SloMo]

One more thing. I would hesitate to give them pushups. Punishment is my choice of last resort. Personally I feel like I didn't do something correct when I have to resort to having the kids do pushups or crunches or any other physical "motivator".

I make it a point to compliment each student twice every class. I think you will find that it will help you more in the long run to use positive motivation rather than negative.

Now, that's not to say that won't use pushups or something if I need to. But that's more of a punishment for when they do something really wrong and they know they must have messed up really bad if I make them do it.

Just my opinion, I could be wrong.

[cjburns77]

Thanks for the advice SloMo.. I don't like to punish either. But I am trying not to get walked all over also.. example.. I ask for a front snap kick and most will do ok but a few will just kind of fling there leg around and not even come close to a front snap kick.. I walk up and ask these kids privetly if they would do me a favor and copy what i do, and then I would proceed to walk through the kick with them.. But I get no effort... especially when i turn around... I want to get them to want to try hard as much as they can, not only when i am looking at them.. I want them to try hard for themselves not for me...

thank you for the advice

[SloMo]

Another technique you can use is to bring students to the front to demonstrate something when you see them do it well. Not perfect but better. It helps motivate the kids to want to be used as an example and if you have a kid who isn't working hard, if you see them put some effort into it. Make a big deal out of it. Saying something like "Now that's what I've been looking for! Come up here and show the rest of the class" really pumps some kids up.

Also, what ages are the kids you are teaching? That's really important to know.

[Sandan]

Hi,

I've been teaching kids for more than 10 years now and I've noticed that competition and challenge will really get them going. Yes keep it fun up to brown belt and at brown belt introduce the 'this is serious' factor.

They keep comin back!

[cjburns77]

ages vary between 7-14.. but the youngest prove the most difficult to grab there attention....

[Sandan]

With the 7-10 age bracket I generally pull one out every now and again and make them do kata just to check their kata levels... this does tend to keep the concentration.

[ineluki]

But I get no effort... especially when i turn around... I want to get them to want to try hard as much as they can, not only when i am looking at them.. I want them to try hard for themselves not for me...

Actually, I think you are expecting too much.

Some Kids just aren't really interested in it, they may be there because their friends are etc.

As long as they aren't disturbing others, just let it pass

[SloMo]

7 - 14 is a pretty big range. I find that you can keep a 7-8 year old's attention for no more than 1/2 hour. If possible you might want to break up the class into smaller groups based on age. Sometimes the younger kids and cause the older kids to feel left out because of all the extra attention they require.