Character Development

[Jay]

To me this is an interesting subject. In martial arts you often hear claims from most instructors especially the ones that teach kids that martial arts will lead to enhanced character bulding qualities.

Things such as, self discipline, confidence, respect, self responsability, self awareness are plastered all over posters usually advertising martial arts schools. The way that it is usually implied is that all you aspects of you life will be enhanced by doing martial arts. I read this on a poster the other day just walking down the road.

I actually stopped an thought to myself is this actually true. I actually thought that there was no difference to myself at all in this respect. It has effected me in class. Im much better at coordinating myself now than when I started, im more confident when it comes to sparring different people, im more humble when it comes to getting beat or losing and im always disciplined and polite listen to the instructure etc etc.

But when it comes to application in real life as they so claim nothing could be further from the truth. In fact I have probably become more paranoid. Im always wary walking down the road late at night. Im still not particularily good at receiving criticism in other aspects of life. Im not particularily disciplined and in fact am quite lazy sometimes. My confidence has not particulary increased in my own opinion from martial arts. It has increased more from other aspects I have progressivly got less shy as I have got older but nothing to do with martial arts. I can't fight anyone who criticises me or embaresses me.

So I fail to see that application. Im have always been very polite, nice but probably introverted.

It just annoys me sometimes when these things are claimed as 'you will GAIN .......' when in no uncertain terms its just not that simple.

[Lupin1]

I don't think Martial Arts teaches those things any more than being involved in any other after school program. You could gain self-confidence, self-awareness, self-discipline respect and responsibility just as well by being in Boy Scouts or playing on a basketball team. That said, I do think that well-run youth activities do instill those things, so the poster is most likely telling the truth, but I find they're usually stressed a lot more in advertisement for the martial arts when I think you could learn them just as well in the other activities.

[bushido_man96]

I agree with Lupin1. I don't think that the Martial Arst instill those things anymore than any other activity does.

With that said, I do think it is important that any kind of activity, especially youth activities, teach things like good sportsmanship, good attitudes, courtesy, respect, etc. I also believe very heavily that it is the responsibility of the parents, far and away, above and beyond, to teach these things to their children, and follow through with them at home.

[sperki]

Jay - that's a great post! And I agree with what everybody has said so far; sure after school programs help develop all of those traits in kids. But the flip side is that I, like most people, am pretty disciplined and motivated about the things that I like, and can be "quite lazy" when it comes to projects that don't seem fun (building a fence in my back yard:)

Jay, do you think your wariness when walking down a street at night stems from a lack of confidence, or an increased awareness? It seems to me that in this case ignorance is bliss...but not confidence.

[Rateh]

I started martial arts when I was 12 years old. And I have to say that martial arts has had a huge impact in my confidence. When I started, and for the first few years I couldn't look people in the eye. I always stared at the ground when I walked. I whispered my kiah.

Now I look everyone in the eye when I talk to them. I look up and around when walking. I talk confidently and loudly in groups.

My brother and I were best friends growing up. We were very alike. Now he is hugely introverted, avoids people, hardly leaves the house. I see in him how I used to be, how I could still be, and know what a difference martial arts has made for me in my life.

[Jay]

Jay - that's a great post! And I agree with what everybody has said so far; sure after school programs help develop all of those traits in kids. But the flip side is that I, like most people, am pretty disciplined and motivated about the things that I like, and can be "quite lazy" when it comes to projects that don't seem fun (building a fence in my back yard:)

Jay, do you think your wariness when walking down a street at night stems from a lack of confidence, or an increased awareness? It seems to me that in this case ignorance is bliss...but not confidence.

I guess im just overly wary of what can happen. The thing is I think it may probably occur from a lack of confidence looking at the potential negative rather than the positive. Im not the best martial artist ever but then again im not the worst and I should be able to take care of myself. Personally when I had that epiphany I was just rather disapointed that my study hasn't helped me much in that respect.

[Chitsu]

To me this is an interesting subject. In martial arts you often hear claims from most instructors especially the ones that teach kids that martial arts will lead to enhanced character bulding qualities.

Hi Jay,

I think it all comes down to your instructor, how well he/she explains how "your" karate is designed to work and how truthful he/she is.

Maybe look at that first.

Chitsu

[Sibylla]

It's always disappointing to come to the conclusion that things aren't what you'd expected, but personally I believe that there are many things of value in MA besides the often false claim of character development. Also consider the alternative, many of the people in MA that speak the most about character development, have none. They are in fact often pretty bad people, who use "character development" to justify dojo abuse, etc.

[sensei8]

Imho, character development should come primarily from the parents. Everything that a child comes in contact with, either builds or tear downs a childs character develpment.

MA has many credible things, including character development, BUT, the MA is primarily for self-defense. Schools of the MA that have 'life skills' interwoven into the fabric of its curriculum are fine, but if the life skills are handled so freely and not taken serious, disaster awaits just over the next hill.

The MA schools' job is to teach the martial arts. The parents' job is to parent said children. If the martial arts positively impacts the childs' charater development, then it's quite possible that that's a side effect of the martial arts.

For example:

A) Adults play an active and important role in shaping the development of children's character.

B) Character develops from within the child on the basis of the child's own thinking and experiences.

C) Given an adequate family environment, children will be disposed to be concerned about others as well as themselves.

Surely, the atmosphere at the MA school is condusive of positive learning as the aboved actions permeates through and through. The MA isn't more important, nor does it offer the cornerstone of development; no more than any other program(s) that one can find.

Campbell and Bond (1982) state there are four major questions to be addressed when focusing on character development:

1) What is good character?

2) What causes or prevents it?

3) How can it be measured so that efforts at improvement can have corrective feedback?

4) How can it best be developed?

Are these questions found in the local MA school? Possibly; but not guaranteed! A parent needs to be careful as to who influences their child, and this applies to MA schools. That black belt doesn't walk on water, and is as fallible as the next person.

Marketing tools list the positives of the MA, but, again, the MA isn't the only thing or the best or anything cosmic when it comes to improving character development. We can quote the tenets of the martial arts, and while they're valuable, they're dependant on a having someone who's properly motivated in the betterment of the martial artists.

The martial arts, as wonderful as it is, it's just a thing! We must be careful how we wield this weapon, because it takes only one mistake to bring it all tumbling down. As instructors of the martial arts, we speak either life [positive things] or we speak death [negative things] to our students; I choose to speak only life to my students.

Again, imho, it's the job of the parents primarily, not the MA and the like, to teach thier kids positve character development. We're hopefully a positve side effect WHILE we're teaching the martial arts!

[joesteph]

To me this is an interesting subject. In martial arts you often hear claims from most instructors especially the ones that teach kids that martial arts will lead to enhanced character bulding qualities.

In Soo Bahk Do, there are the Ten Articles that, in particular, refer to character development.

I remember speaking with my SBD teacher about them as we stood before the poster up on the dojang wall. I told her that these were very good values to teach to children, and that it's likely the families who bring their children to the dojang are doing their part to raise their children "right."

But then I told her that I didn't believe it worked with adults. I didn't say teens and adults, even though I believe that teens are young adults. I said that the way the adult comes in is the way the adult remains. I told her that there are those who will look at these values and be glad to see that they and the art are in agreement. I then said that there are adults who will be able to repeat the list word-for-word, but it's all lip service. She knew I was referring to a certain adult, but neither of us said his name.

I've watched children's classes at the dojang, and I see how my own children respond to the values taught. I don't know what to say about teenagers, but I believe that when an adult comes in, the dojo or dojang will not change/improve/develop that individual's character for the better. An adult comes in with the values and reflects them, or lacks those values and isn't going to adopt them. When dealing with adults, there may simply be a limit as to what a teacher might say or do, or might be comfortable saying or doing. If the unnamed adult I referred to, above, had been a kid, he would never have gotten away with all that he did. No way.