What are some of the best practices for instilling a strong interest in martial arts as a way of life for those who teach children?
Do you have an active method for teaching a way towards eager learning?
Do you find yourself stuck babysitting and not knowing how to motivate some of the kids to do the work?
Care to share your innovations or ideas in this important part of martial arts instruction in this day and age?
In before Bawang says to beat them with a stick. 
I only allow kids with parental supervision.
Kids are a huge liability and overall a waste of energy. I allow families to come and I teach techniques, parents must discipline their own kids. If kids or adults show a lack of respect they are excused.
If parents don’t have time to spend with their kids, I don’t have time for their kids either.
I have been teaching kids for over 15 years and I have these thoughts:
Less memorization of complicated patterns. Single movement drills are easier to remember. With many single movement drills you can always change to a different drill before they get bored.
More Shuai Chiao first before sparring. Wrestling is natural for kids and they like grappling better than forms anyway.
Have a rotating curriculum that changes every 3 months or so. This way when kids start to get bored, they have already moved on to something new.
The major problem with kids is they get bored quickly, keep things moving in class. Never let them stand around. My classes have a flow that never lets them stop until I bow them out. Kids will cry to their parents and want to quit as soon as they get bored and usually parents will pull their kids if they cry hard enough.
We are heavy on SC and Sparring.
ginosifu
ps. I don’t babysit
I’m a big fan of the rotating curriculum.
Following internal martial arts theory I change it based on the time of year.
children have no place in martial arts
Yes they do. Child soldiers are all over the world.
I do not teach kids kung fu, I teach martial arts to kids who can behave like a warrior.
let me rephrase that. white children have no place in martial arts.
Rich white kids.
Poor white kids are good fighters. When I first came to the US, I used to pay them to fight each other. Good fun.
Basically any kid who is poor can fight. This is how they compete for dinner. That is why the oldest is always fat and the youngest stay skinny.
Train the fat one. He has the nutrients for success.
[QUOTE=David Jamieson;1109307]What are some of the best practices for instilling a strong interest in martial arts as a way of life for those who teach children?
[/QUOTE]
I just got an email today to teach two kids.
I said that I could teach them with the parents there that I would not babysit and that I would only teach them “Chinese style”
I make them sign a waiver that says that I will hit them as a method of teaching or that I may ignore them or stop teaching them for any reason.
These kids are Mexicans so there is some hope for them.
[QUOTE=bawang;1109334]let me rephrase that. white children have no place in martial arts.[/QUOTE]
I have 3 kids, a 5 a 3 and 1 year old. The 5 and 3 year old practice with me. They are mixed white and Asian, is this ok with you Bawang?
My 5 year old daughter will toss any kids her size on thier @ss while wrestling. My 3 year old son is built like tank, once he get some more SC training he will rule the Kwoon.
All of the kids that train with me are taught to fight. None are rich kids, most are low income families and the kids are there to learn self protection. I will put my kids up against any others and they usually defeat most all others in SC competition.
ginosifu
Ginosifu
As a martial artist your value system will be different so you will actually allow your kids to be trained.
Rich kids tend to have picky parents who won’t let you train them, but will let you take **** from them and babysit their kids.
[QUOTE=ginosifu;1109340]I have 3 kids, a 5 a 3 and 1 year old. The 5 and 3 year old practice with me. They are mixed white and Asian, is this ok with you Bawang?
My 5 year old daughter will toss any kids her size on thier @ss while wrestling. My 3 year old son is built like tank, once he get some more SC training he will rule the Kwoon.
All of the kids that train with me are taught to fight. None are rich kids, most are low income families and the kids are there to learn self protection. I will put my kids up against any others and they usually defeat most all others in SC competition.
ginosifu[/QUOTE]
children cannot think abstract thoughts and cannot understand the reason behind martial arts, especially if they grow in a sheltered environment
[QUOTE=;1109341]Ginosifu
Rich kids tend to have picky parents who won’t let you train them, but will let you take **** from them and babysit their kids.[/QUOTE]
I have been known to hit kids as well. Tugging ears, kicking them, slapping the back of their heads…
I have no Rich kids… they never last long. Besides, I have a trial lesson where the parents and the kids come in for a trial lesson. During the lesson they see how I am with the kids, I don’t kill them but, It is definately not a babysitting service. The rich kids that talk back or have a bad attitude never come back after the trail.
ginosifu
[QUOTE=ginosifu;1109343]I have been known to hit kids as well. Tugging ears, kicking them, slapping the back of their heads…
[/QUOTE]
why didnt you say so? you are my kung fu brother. respec
i think with kids the most important thing is to teach about right and wrong
kids no serious training
make them fun or a game.
I learned Tan Tui 2 men drills as a kid
kid A punch, kid B block, kid A kick, Kid B brush–
change place/role
I also learned shuai jiao as a kid.
but shuai jiao require more stuff and more accurate execution
–
–
some stretching, warming up as if it is a drill/dance with a tune
–
so kids learn something while they think it is fun and not bored.
my teacher carried a bamboo shinai and whacked us if we stepped out of line.
I continue that tradition.
Funny thing is, the parents like it as much as the kids.
(no, I don’t whack the parents. Although…)
kid learn falling and basic sweeps and leg reaps, basic punches and kicks.
Although I am a Hung Kuen school, I also teach tan-tuie. Line 1,2&3, these share basics with Hung Kuen
[QUOTE=SPJ;1109350]kids no serious training
make them fun or a game.
[…]
—[/QUOTE]
Go ahead and train kids. The only fun they need is to go all out in trying to take your head off or to take you out. They’ll try hard too, especially if you ridicule them.
If you don’t wear protective gear, you can let them hit you so you can work on your impact conditioning and they can develop their power.
It’ll be worth it when you watch them fight and scare other adults later.
[QUOTE=bawang;1109334]let me rephrase that. white children have no place in martial arts.[/QUOTE]
Genocidal sino centrism is so adorable.
*counts money