Etiquette of kids as instructors

[valdesta]

Hello everyone!

We've got some black belt students who are under the age of 12, and they've expressed an interest in "teaching a class" for the first time when we held a leadership devleopment class.

These kids, because they're black belt, tend to go to more advanced classes for their age, and they're senior in rank to over half of the teens and adults who train.

We do have program slots for children aged 6-12, but of course, these are about 50% white belt at any time, and it's a difficult session to teach as an ADULT because of the wide range of students and student ages, nevermind trying to handle as a pre-teen with social skills still maturing.

What are your experiences with mentoring new students into the teaching realm, and what would you suggest for mentoring these "black belt but under 12" kids in a way that won't offend our adults who are 3-5x older than them but junior in rank?

Val

[Lupin1]

Welcome to karateforums!

In my opinion, ideally kids under 12 (or under 18, for that matter) shouldn't be put in a position over adults. Have them help with the kids' class. They don't need to be in charge of it, but assisting will help them get their feet wet and will help the adult instructors by giving them the opportunity to break up that wide range of ages and skill levels into smaller groups. So have the kid black belts first start helping individual kids who might be falling behind, then maybe work with a small group closer to the middle of the skill level range while the adults work with the beginners and advanced students.

Even going through teaching college as an adult, they had us start off working with kids one-on-one our first year, then small groups our second year, then assisting with a full class our third year and not taking control of a full class until our fourth year (and even then, under the constant supervision of a "master teacher"). I wasn't completely in charge of a full class until I was 23 and a year out of college. There's no need to rush anyone into leading a full size adult class as an 11-year-old. Those leadership skills take years to develop and it's perfectly acceptable and preferable to work the kids into those roles over the course of years. So have them start just as assistants in the kids' classes, then as they get older, more experienced with teaching, and more mature, give them more and more responsibilities in the class (but always with adults there and in control).

If they do want to help out with the adults as they get older (say 16 or so), talk to the adults beforehand and let them know that they're helping these kids develop these skills. Never have it be that the kids are in complete power over the adults, but have the adult, even if they're a white belt, be helping the kid with the leadership skills even as the kid is helping them with the karate movements. Make it more of a mutual partnership with both of them helping each other with different things. Most adults, especially if they're parents, are open to helping kids with that development and are willing to be led by kids with the understanding that it's to help the kid learn and that if the kid steps over the line, they as an adult can step in and correct it (so don't give the kid dictator power over the adults-- adults always outrank kids when it comes to leadership. No kid should be yelling at an adult, telling them to do pushups, correcting adult behavior, or anything like that. Just helping them with the moves).

That's how I'd arrange it, anyway.

[sensei8]

Welcome to karateforums!

In my opinion, ideally kids under 12 (or under 18, for that matter) shouldn't be put in a position over adults. Have them help with the kids' class. They don't need to be in charge of it, but assisting will help them get their feet wet and will help the adult instructors by giving them the opportunity to break up that wide range of ages and skill levels into smaller groups. So have the kid black belts first start helping individual kids who might be falling behind, then maybe work with a small group closer to the middle of the skill level range while the adults work with the beginners and advanced students.

Even going through teaching college as an adult, they had us start off working with kids one-on-one our first year, then small groups our second year, then assisting with a full class our third year and not taking control of a full class until our fourth year (and even then, under the constant supervision of a "master teacher"). I wasn't completely in charge of a full class until I was 23 and a year out of college. There's no need to rush anyone into leading a full size adult class as an 11-year-old. Those leadership skills take years to develop and it's perfectly acceptable and preferable to work the kids into those roles over the course of years. So have them start just as assistants in the kids' classes, then as they get older, more experienced with teaching, and more mature, give them more and more responsibilities in the class (but always with adults there and in control).

If they do want to help out with the adults as they get older (say 16 or so), talk to the adults beforehand and let them know that they're helping these kids develop these skills. Never have it be that the kids are in complete power over the adults, but have the adult, even if they're a white belt, be helping the kid with the leadership skills even as the kid is helping them with the karate movements. Make it more of a mutual partnership with both of them helping each other with different things. Most adults, especially if they're parents, are open to helping kids with that development and are willing to be led by kids with the understanding that it's to help the kid learn and that if the kid steps over the line, they as an adult can step in and correct it (so don't give the kid dictator power over the adults-- adults always outrank kids when it comes to leadership. No kid should be yelling at an adult, telling them to do pushups, correcting adult behavior, or anything like that. Just helping them with the moves).

That's how I'd arrange it, anyway.

Welcome to KF!!

Solid post!!

I'd just add that the Chief Instructor and/or one the the senior BB's be present while the JBB is leading the class because it adds validity to the JBB. Any incorrect actions by the JBB are corrected by the senior BB and/or the CI in a very professional manner as to not deflat the JBB's enthusiam for teaching.

When a student is under the teaching of a JBB, any and all questions by the students during said class are immediately re-directed back to the JBB. The CI and/or the senior BB's aren't there to undermine the JBB; support wholeheartedly across the board.

[Kusotare]

In the UK at least, most public liability insurers will NOT cover instructors who are under the age of 21.

This includes assistant instructors so, for us, 12 year old kids teaching (even if supervised) is a big no no!

K.

[Nidan Melbourne]

At my old dojo and my current one, if we had a 12 year Junior Black Belt and they were interested in teaching we would restrict them to the juniors classes and not let them take the adults classes as intructors for obvious reasons (and they wouldn't be able to show the techniques to be effective for a demonstration).

Although for the more advanced juniors they are partnered up with older black belts (at my current school we are 15/16+ except for my sensei who is in his 30's) so they can see how to manage a class like that. But often we will allow the JBB to take a small group with that assistance but the senior instructor will watch and have input of what to do.

[mal103]

Great advice above, just wanted to add that my son is 14 and an assistant instructor with our association, he will either take a handful of junior grades or work under direct supervision from me or other Instructors.

We have to be careful with insurance, we are generally over-viewing but never ask him to do more than basics. He can expand on his teaching when under direct supervision though.

It can be a good lesson in humility for adults to get instruction from juniors, they should be happy to receive instruction from any senior grade. (so long as the instruction is good)