Teaching Kids

[NewEnglands_KyoSa]

Well I'm a 5'3" petite female....so I'm rather UNintemidating It would probably be different if I was a larger male. Then again I've seen some students respond automatically to larger males, where as I have to show them I'm serious by my actions before some of them will listen.

I understand what you are saying because i, myself, am a female. But i've always grown up with what my instructor calls 'a command presense' he's always told me, 'when you walk into a room, everyone knows it'. which is quite flattering and very nice of him to say. but i have to say, i usually don't have too much of a problem with people listening to me the first time, and i never have a problem with people listening to me the second time.

I am a very athletic, tough 5'6" female...skinny but muscley. So, i am not as fortunate. I don't quite have that innocent look down yet.

But you are a girl at the end of the day!

Yes, at the end of the day I am a woman...but that doesn't make any difference.

Edited June 7, 2008 by NewEnglands_KyoSa

[NewEnglands_KyoSa]

Well I'm a 5'3" petite female....so I'm rather UNintemidating It would probably be different if I was a larger male. Then again I've seen some students respond automatically to larger males, where as I have to show them I'm serious by my actions before some of them will listen.

I understand what you are saying because i, myself, am a female. But i've always grown up with what my instructor calls 'a command presense' he's always told me, 'when you walk into a room, everyone knows it'. which is quite flattering and very nice of him to say. but i have to say, i usually don't have too much of a problem with people listening to me the first time, and i never have a problem with people listening to me the second time.

I am a very athletic, tough 5'6" female...skinny but muscley. So, i am not as fortunate. I don't quite have that innocent look down yet.

When I first started teaching I was 17 and looked like I was 12. Right now I'm 24 and could still pass for 15. Most students listen to me the first time, but there are those students, mostly boys aged 8-11, who I have to prove my authority to. Parents have always assumed I was in my early 20's.

I worked in a middle school (students aged 12-14) for two years. Most students were confused as to whether I was an adult or another students. I always got weird looks when I broke up fights or confiscated skateboards. A look of "wait...are you really an adult? or are you some kid messing with me?"

Yea fortunately for me i look like i've been 25 all my life!(Now let's just hope i can keep it that way for the rest of my life.... )

But i have to say, your vertically challenged situation must make for some interesting situations, like with the kids in the school! I'd love to see the look on a guy's face that thinks they're picking on the small, inferior female who turns out to be a black belt and kick's his...butt!

[Zanshin]

Well I'm a 5'3" petite female....so I'm rather UNintemidating It would probably be different if I was a larger male. Then again I've seen some students respond automatically to larger males, where as I have to show them I'm serious by my actions before some of them will listen.

I understand what you are saying because i, myself, am a female. But i've always grown up with what my instructor calls 'a command presense' he's always told me, 'when you walk into a room, everyone knows it'. which is quite flattering and very nice of him to say. but i have to say, i usually don't have too much of a problem with people listening to me the first time, and i never have a problem with people listening to me the second time.

I am a very athletic, tough 5'6" female...skinny but muscley. So, i am not as fortunate. I don't quite have that innocent look down yet.

But you are a girl at the end of the day!

Yes, at the end of the day I am a woman...but that doesn't make any difference.

Well yes it does really.

Being a young woman in karate, taking a class and really "owning" it, takes a lot. Perhaps more than it would if you were a fella.

If I was being brutally honest, I think it would take a lot for a female instructor to impress me. Sure most women at senior dan grade levels are great technicians but perhaps there is only one female Karate-ka that I know of that truly cuts the mustard in this predominantly male world of karate. And she is truly extraordinary, so perhaps thats my point. If you are a woman and want to make a mark, you have to be extra good.

[NewEnglands_KyoSa]

Well I'm a 5'3" petite female....so I'm rather UNintemidating It would probably be different if I was a larger male. Then again I've seen some students respond automatically to larger males, where as I have to show them I'm serious by my actions before some of them will listen.

I understand what you are saying because i, myself, am a female. But i've always grown up with what my instructor calls 'a command presense' he's always told me, 'when you walk into a room, everyone knows it'. which is quite flattering and very nice of him to say. but i have to say, i usually don't have too much of a problem with people listening to me the first time, and i never have a problem with people listening to me the second time.

I am a very athletic, tough 5'6" female...skinny but muscley. So, i am not as fortunate. I don't quite have that innocent look down yet.

But you are a girl at the end of the day!

Yes, at the end of the day I am a woman...but that doesn't make any difference.

Well yes it does really.

Being a young woman in karate, taking a class and really "owning" it, takes a lot. Perhaps more than it would if you were a fella.

If I was being brutally honest, I think it would take a lot for a female instructor to impress me. Sure most women at senior dan grade levels are great technicians but perhaps there is only one female Karate-ka that I know of that truly cuts the mustard in this predominantly male world of karate. And she is truly extraordinary, so perhaps thats my point. If you are a woman and want to make a mark, you have to be extra good.

That's a very interesting remark and opinion. Maybe women only have to try harder to impress people because that's what people think oh she better be amazing if she's a female doing Martial Arts. If it's a man in Martial Arts nobody questions it. But in fact, i think women artists are better technitions, at times, because men usually, but not always, have that brute strength mentality. To do something without strength is quite a skill in itself. There's no reason why women should be extra good because they're woman. If you wouldn't ask the exact same of a man, why would you ask extra of a woman.

And if you were a woman instructor in martial arts and you couldn't "own" your class, you should not be an instructor...and that goes for a man too.

[Zanshin]

Well I'm a 5'3" petite female....so I'm rather UNintemidating It would probably be different if I was a larger male. Then again I've seen some students respond automatically to larger males, where as I have to show them I'm serious by my actions before some of them will listen.

I understand what you are saying because i, myself, am a female. But i've always grown up with what my instructor calls 'a command presense' he's always told me, 'when you walk into a room, everyone knows it'. which is quite flattering and very nice of him to say. but i have to say, i usually don't have too much of a problem with people listening to me the first time, and i never have a problem with people listening to me the second time.

I am a very athletic, tough 5'6" female...skinny but muscley. So, i am not as fortunate. I don't quite have that innocent look down yet.

But you are a girl at the end of the day!

Yes, at the end of the day I am a woman...but that doesn't make any difference.

Well yes it does really.

Being a young woman in karate, taking a class and really "owning" it, takes a lot. Perhaps more than it would if you were a fella.

If I was being brutally honest, I think it would take a lot for a female instructor to impress me. Sure most women at senior dan grade levels are great technicians but perhaps there is only one female Karate-ka that I know of that truly cuts the mustard in this predominantly male world of karate. And she is truly extraordinary, so perhaps thats my point. If you are a woman and want to make a mark, you have to be extra good.

That's a very interesting remark and opinion. Maybe women only have to try harder to impress people because that's what people think oh she better be amazing if she's a female doing Martial Arts. If it's a man in Martial Arts nobody questions it. But in fact, i think women artists are better technitions, at times, because men usually, but not always, have that brute strength mentality. To do something without strength is quite a skill in itself. There's no reason why women should be extra good because they're woman. If you wouldn't ask the exact same of a man, why would you ask extra of a woman.

And if you were a woman instructor in martial arts and you couldn't "own" your class, you should not be an instructor...and that goes for a man too.

Indeed,

I should start by saying that I wasn't seeking contention by posting what I did, in fact, I was trying to agree with you.

I think that sometimes, as people escalate through their karate grades eventually it is assumed (in some associations at least) that they will become a teacher - kids to start with and then on to adults. I know, cos in the eighties I was one of them!

Reality is however it takes a very special person to do that properly... more than a perfect technician really and again I will agree with you that some of the best karate technicians that I have ever met are women.

My missus occasionally helps out at our Karate club, and when she does she has all of the kids eating out of the palm of her hand. A bit of that is because she is a mother of two, another is that she is a high school teacher by profession. And of course she is a very good Wado-ka

That said, there is a huge gulf of difference IMO from technical ability and the"budo" mindset that is effectively the missing link in terms of converting the physical actions of karate into a workable and meaningful MA.

Now I will hold my hand up here to be old and sexist, but IMO not many women have that instinct built into them. Some yes, but in the most part women are not born fighters.

And thats a good thing me thinks, cos my missus would batter me senseless most nights lol!

[NewEnglands_KyoSa]

Well I'm a 5'3" petite female....so I'm rather UNintemidating It would probably be different if I was a larger male. Then again I've seen some students respond automatically to larger males, where as I have to show them I'm serious by my actions before some of them will listen.

I understand what you are saying because i, myself, am a female. But i've always grown up with what my instructor calls 'a command presense' he's always told me, 'when you walk into a room, everyone knows it'. which is quite flattering and very nice of him to say. but i have to say, i usually don't have too much of a problem with people listening to me the first time, and i never have a problem with people listening to me the second time.

I am a very athletic, tough 5'6" female...skinny but muscley. So, i am not as fortunate. I don't quite have that innocent look down yet.

But you are a girl at the end of the day!

Yes, at the end of the day I am a woman...but that doesn't make any difference.

Well yes it does really.

Being a young woman in karate, taking a class and really "owning" it, takes a lot. Perhaps more than it would if you were a fella.

If I was being brutally honest, I think it would take a lot for a female instructor to impress me. Sure most women at senior dan grade levels are great technicians but perhaps there is only one female Karate-ka that I know of that truly cuts the mustard in this predominantly male world of karate. And she is truly extraordinary, so perhaps thats my point. If you are a woman and want to make a mark, you have to be extra good.

That's a very interesting remark and opinion. Maybe women only have to try harder to impress people because that's what people think oh she better be amazing if she's a female doing Martial Arts. If it's a man in Martial Arts nobody questions it. But in fact, i think women artists are better technitions, at times, because men usually, but not always, have that brute strength mentality. To do something without strength is quite a skill in itself. There's no reason why women should be extra good because they're woman. If you wouldn't ask the exact same of a man, why would you ask extra of a woman.

And if you were a woman instructor in martial arts and you couldn't "own" your class, you should not be an instructor...and that goes for a man too.

Indeed,

I should start by saying that I wasn't seeking contention by posting what I did, in fact, I was trying to agree with you.

I think that sometimes, as people escalate through their karate grades eventually it is assumed (in some associations at least) that they will become a teacher - kids to start with and then on to adults. I know, cos in the eighties I was one of them!

Reality is however it takes a very special person to do that properly... more than a perfect technician really and again I will agree with you that some of the best karate technicians that I have ever met are women.

My missus occasionally helps out at our Karate club, and when she does she has all of the kids eating out of the palm of her hand. A bit of that is because she is a mother of two, another is that she is a high school teacher by profession. And of course she is a very good Wado-ka

That said, there is a huge gulf of difference IMO from technical ability and the"budo" mindset that is effectively the missing link in terms of converting the physical actions of karate into a workable and meaningful MA.

Now I will hold my hand up here to be old and sexist, but IMO not many women have that instinct built into them. Some yes, but in the most part women are not born fighters.

And thats a good thing me thinks, cos my missus would batter me senseless most nights lol!

Those are all very good points. And let me tell you i could not agree with you more about the whole everyone expects to be an instructor someday thing. Some people have a more inept ability than others, some don't even have the ability to teach at all...i know this because i am friends and a co-worker of people like that. I know first hand because i was selected out of three other second degree black belts when we needed a new Kyo Sa. Now i've been teaching for years since, and people are still bitter about it...but on the other hand they've done nothing to improve their ways of teaching and bad teaching habbits. As an instructor, i get to choose who covers my classes in my absents, and i will not feed my class to the wolves by giving them someone who can't teach, or will scare them, etc.

Teaching for everyone, men and women, is a skill and is truly an art in itself, and not everyone is meant to teach.

As for the "budo" mindset, i'd like to say that everyone has it, men just prove it daily because they feel the need to be macho. Just because women don't throw around their "Budo" mindset daily doesn't mean they don't have it. If you do a survey on the street, and you start swinging at males and females you are going to get about the same amount on each side to swing back, karateka or not karateka.

In my opinion, no one is born a fighter necessarily, it's your background, lifestyle, struggles, and experiences that determine who you are. I am tough because i've had to be tough all my life, whether it's been for my family, my other, my co workers, whatever. I was also tough because i was brought up tough...the not afraid to break a nail kinda gal. And granted many women aren't brough up that way.

I don't think you could have technical ability without seeing yourself in a fight. I don't think you could ever do it, but not use it when it comes time.

So, most women, usually "save it up", for when they need it. You know...you ever see those TV shows or commercials where some feeble old lady gets picked on, or mugged or something...and then she beats the livin crap outta the guy with her purse alone? Woman have that instinct, we just don't go around grunting, flexing, and all that good stuff.

and Indeed, no contention sought my friend...all in good fun. all in a post

[Zanshin]

Well I'm a 5'3" petite female....so I'm rather UNintemidating It would probably be different if I was a larger male. Then again I've seen some students respond automatically to larger males, where as I have to show them I'm serious by my actions before some of them will listen.

I understand what you are saying because i, myself, am a female. But i've always grown up with what my instructor calls 'a command presense' he's always told me, 'when you walk into a room, everyone knows it'. which is quite flattering and very nice of him to say. but i have to say, i usually don't have too much of a problem with people listening to me the first time, and i never have a problem with people listening to me the second time.

I am a very athletic, tough 5'6" female...skinny but muscley. So, i am not as fortunate. I don't quite have that innocent look down yet.

But you are a girl at the end of the day!

Yes, at the end of the day I am a woman...but that doesn't make any difference.

Well yes it does really.

Being a young woman in karate, taking a class and really "owning" it, takes a lot. Perhaps more than it would if you were a fella.

If I was being brutally honest, I think it would take a lot for a female instructor to impress me. Sure most women at senior dan grade levels are great technicians but perhaps there is only one female Karate-ka that I know of that truly cuts the mustard in this predominantly male world of karate. And she is truly extraordinary, so perhaps thats my point. If you are a woman and want to make a mark, you have to be extra good.

That's a very interesting remark and opinion. Maybe women only have to try harder to impress people because that's what people think oh she better be amazing if she's a female doing Martial Arts. If it's a man in Martial Arts nobody questions it. But in fact, i think women artists are better technitions, at times, because men usually, but not always, have that brute strength mentality. To do something without strength is quite a skill in itself. There's no reason why women should be extra good because they're woman. If you wouldn't ask the exact same of a man, why would you ask extra of a woman.

And if you were a woman instructor in martial arts and you couldn't "own" your class, you should not be an instructor...and that goes for a man too.

Indeed,

I should start by saying that I wasn't seeking contention by posting what I did, in fact, I was trying to agree with you.

I think that sometimes, as people escalate through their karate grades eventually it is assumed (in some associations at least) that they will become a teacher - kids to start with and then on to adults. I know, cos in the eighties I was one of them!

Reality is however it takes a very special person to do that properly... more than a perfect technician really and again I will agree with you that some of the best karate technicians that I have ever met are women.

My missus occasionally helps out at our Karate club, and when she does she has all of the kids eating out of the palm of her hand. A bit of that is because she is a mother of two, another is that she is a high school teacher by profession. And of course she is a very good Wado-ka

That said, there is a huge gulf of difference IMO from technical ability and the"budo" mindset that is effectively the missing link in terms of converting the physical actions of karate into a workable and meaningful MA.

Now I will hold my hand up here to be old and sexist, but IMO not many women have that instinct built into them. Some yes, but in the most part women are not born fighters.

And thats a good thing me thinks, cos my missus would batter me senseless most nights lol!

Those are all very good points. And let me tell you i could not agree with you more about the whole everyone expects to be an instructor someday thing. Some people have a more inept ability than others, some don't even have the ability to teach at all...i know this because i am friends and a co-worker of people like that. I know first hand because i was selected out of three other second degree black belts when we needed a new Kyo Sa. Now i've been teaching for years since, and people are still bitter about it...but on the other hand they've done nothing to improve their ways of teaching and bad teaching habbits. As an instructor, i get to choose who covers my classes in my absents, and i will not feed my class to the wolves by giving them someone who can't teach, or will scare them, etc.

Teaching for everyone, men and women, is a skill and is truly an art in itself, and not everyone is meant to teach.

As for the "budo" mindset, i'd like to say that everyone has it, men just prove it daily because they feel the need to be macho. Just because women don't throw around their "Budo" mindset daily doesn't mean they don't have it. If you do a survey on the street, and you start swinging at males and females you are going to get about the same amount on each side to swing back, karateka or not karateka.

In my opinion, no one is born a fighter necessarily, it's your background, lifestyle, struggles, and experiences that determine who you are. I am tough because i've had to be tough all my life, whether it's been for my family, my other, my co workers, whatever. I was also tough because i was brought up tough...the not afraid to break a nail kinda gal. And granted many women aren't brough up that way.

I don't think you could have technical ability without seeing yourself in a fight. I don't think you could ever do it, but not use it when it comes time.

So, most women, usually "save it up", for when they need it. You know...you ever see those TV shows or commercials where some feeble old lady gets picked on, or mugged or something...and then she beats the livin crap outta the guy with her purse alone? Woman have that instinct, we just don't go around grunting, flexing, and all that good stuff.

and Indeed, no contention sought my friend...all in good fun. all in a post

Well personally, I don't think that everyone has a "Budo" mindset. It should not be confussed with Machismo which I would agree that many girls do seem to have in abundance these days.

As for fighters being born or taught, its the whole nature vs nurture thing I suppose. (gees there a trip down memory lane to my college years.)

For what its worth I believe that you can make people better fighters through a good system, however now and then you get the "flukes" of nature come in to your dojo and they are just great natural fighters.

Not wishing to pull the "I am older than you card" out of my left breast pocket, but I have seen both sides.

You get a natural fighter into your dojo and you will know.

[NewEnglands_KyoSa]

Yes, everyone has to be taught how to hit someone and hit properly but i think everyone is capable of it. Some more than others...to the point where you have mass murderers out there who just hurt people for fun...but that's a different story. I'm sure you can pull the older card, I am one of the younger adults on this board, but i 've seen my fair share, trust me.

I think women get a bad rep. And im not biased because i'd love to say oh women don't have a kill instinct but, im one of the few that do...trust me i'd love to take that title. But on top of thinking women get a bad rep, some women don't help to shake it...the "oh my God, i just broke a nail" type don't really help us out much. Whatever it comes down to, i don't really care, i am a woman, i can protect myself, and even more than that i have a "Budo" instinct and that's all i care about. I'll survive, so the rest is just whatever it is...

[bushido_man96]

I do agree with Zanshin on the natural abilities of some over others. There are some people who can naturally fight, or have the desire to do so. Not everyone wants to; some people welcome it.

I also feel that many women have a more natural ability or will to defend, especially when it comes to children.

[NewEnglands_KyoSa]

Of course other people have natural abilities, there's not doubt about that...that goes for everything from office work to sports to state jobs to martial arts.

Not everyone wants to but i think everyone has the ability. Ability and natural ability are not one in the same, much like left and right.