Kids and gradings

[Harkon72]

Children have white stripes on their belts between each color in our club, they are not expected to learn as much as an adult in one go. A child asked me to explain the system to him, I still made him feel competitive with the other children while respecting the fact that they need to take their time. I think it's a good system.

[bushido_man96]

I've always found myself puzzled by the amount of latitude afforded to kids when they are graded or even put up for grading.

I do understand that kids bodies are still developing and some moves they just can't seem to get or understand, mistakes like leaning forward in an oizuki and not keeping shoulders square, or not twisting the body in a jodan gyagi uki are commone kid mistakes BUT I have seen kids put through and passing gradings where their concentration just isn't there (picking nose, fidgeting and fiddling with gi, missing instruction because they are more interested in what is going on elsewhere in the dojo etc), they don't really want to be there and their kata, techniques and stances have fundamental errors yet they are awarded their belts and promoted beyond their ability.

Where do you draw the line?

Is it reasonable for a parent to be told that MA really isn't for their little one rather than keep promoting to try and rouse interest only to have a 1st Dan who should really be a 7th Kyu??

Teaching kids does present its own set of very rewarding challenges as opposed to teaching adults.

But what I find odd about your question is that you talk about what it is kids can learn in comparison to adults. I've never had a problem with teaching kids proper mechanics in things, like not leaning forward on a lunge punch, or getting the feet right in stances, or getting the proper hip movements involved.

Instead of concerning myself with what kids can learn, I instead focus on how kids learn. It takes a different approach to teach kids, and therefore to get them convinced of the same things I teach adults.

Now, it is up to each instructor to make sure they do a good job of being consistent with promotion when it comes to their child students.

[DWx]

Instead of concerning myself with what kids can learn, I instead focus on how kids learn. It takes a different approach to teach kids, and therefore to get them convinced of the same things I teach adults.

Bit late to this thread but that's a really good point. Teaching kids is a whole different thing to teaching adults. With adults I can say "you feet should be approximately 45° because..." but kids have no concept of angles unless you relate it to something that they already know.