Teaching Techniques for Teaching Children Martial Arts

http://kirkhamsebooks.com/MartialArts/MartialArtsArticles/TeachingChildrenMartialArts.html

I'm taking a break from updating my new ebook Bringing The Martial Artist Out from Within to talk about one of my favorite subjects – teaching children realistic self-defense with the proper mental attitude. Today I want to cover mental training with an emphasis on positive reinforcement and why you either need to incorporate it or need to incorporate it more.

Mental Training

Conclusion

Yes I use the adverb even a lot. It makes people less defensive. For example, if I said you would be a good martial arts instructor if you used positive reinforcement methodology when teaching your classes, your reaction would probably be a defensive one. "I don't need this c#$%! I'm already a good martial arts instructor!" Now, what if I said using positive reinforcement methodology would make you an even better martial arts instructor.

First, I complimented you. I called you a good martial arts instructor. You are now beaming with pride and now more open to suggestion. Second, I just told you how to be an even better instructor than you already are. Are you more likely to try my methods now? Will your martial arts students, both young and old, be more attentive and try harder to get your positive feedback?

Speaking of good instructors, professional author, master educator (M.A.), and martial arts instructor Keith Pascal just finished his book Secrets of Teaching Martial Arts More Effectively. Not just effectively as you already are, but more effectively. The instructor's hand book is chalked full of great teaching ideas that can improve both you as a martial arts teacher, and just as importantly make your students even better martial artists through your new methods. Master Pascal doesn't believe in giving people their moneys worth, he believes in piling you up with so many freebies that come with your ebook that you won't know where to start. So visit Master Pascal's site and see what he has to say about Secrets of Teaching Martial Arts More Effectively.

Sensei J. Richard Kirkham B.Sc.

One of the big fears I get from parents is "will he use his karate training on his brother". Not with the correct mental training he won't. This can often be done with proper language, "When a grown up tries to take you away..., when you cannot run..., if you have to protect yourself..." etc.. Language to stay away from would be anything that can be taken out of context, any language that suggested fighting was fun or hurting people was alright.

But the mental training does not end there. I have often said training an adult is very similar to training a child. They both have similar goals, they both react similarly to positive and negative feedback. They both want to be recognized for their achievements. Remember, we all have a parent, adult, and child inside of us.

One difference between training an adult and training a child is children have more susceptible minds due to lack of experience. If I insult my friend, fellow writer and martial arts master Keith Pascal, he knows I am kidding and will generally retort with something very clever. Naturally depending on the age, but only to a small degree, if I do the same thing to a child or even a teenager, I could hurt his or her feelings and possibly the way the child feels about himself or herself completely, not to mention getting the parents ticked off at me. Completely damaging the child or teenager? Possibly not, but why take the chance? Why not promote positive reinforcement whenever possible with children, teenagers, and all adults for that matter?

Positive Reinforcement

Positive Reinforcement Methodology is an important issue to me as I spend a great deal tutoring children with behavioral problems both through email with house-calls. I mention positive reinforcement in another article I wrote called Modern Methods of Teaching an Ancient Art. As I said it's one of my pet peeves and a basic form of teaching and behavioral modification that all good educators utilize.

"Okay Rick so how do we use positive reinforcement in teaching martial arts? I don't know why I need to do anything different anyway, I've been teaching martial arts for a gazillion years and all of my martial arts students are doing just fine."

Well in the first place, how do you know your martial arts students are doing the best they can without having anything to compare to? Is it possible, just possible, you've had the same one years teaching experience a gazillion times?

Recognizing a child's achievements is a basic way of utilizing positive reinforcement methodology. "Good job", goes a lot further than "YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG AGAIN!", in both the self-confidence of the child and as a side, your own business. You will find your students stick with you a lot longer, enjoy practice sessions more, and work hard for your praise as opposed to fearing your wrath. As I mentioned before, the same technique works with adults. Try it.

"But Rick, recognizing when my young self-defense student does things right is all fine and dandy, but this kid does a front kick with a straight leg. He's a beginner and lacks self-confidence. I don't want him to quit, but I have to correct him."

You would be a poor teacher if you did not my friend (did that statement have a little positive slant when I ended it with my friend). Let's cover the common way of correcting a young self-defense student. I will also use the third person so as not to offend you. The martial arts instructor has 30 people in the class. Everyone is doing just fine so the martial arts instructor continues teaching the class as a group. He or she notices one of his or her child martial arts students is not raising his knee but kicking straight out and up instead. "Pascal! Raise your knee first like this!" The marital arts instructor then returns to teaching the group as a whole.

There are a number of events that took place in that scenario. Let's analyze them:

Everyone is doing just fine so the martial arts instructor continues teaching the class as a group.

Is it possible the martial arts instructor is not treating the students as individuals as much as the martial arts instructor could be by not calling out names and complimenting the young martial arts students on their individual actions?

He or she notices one of his or her child martial arts students is not raising his knee but kicking straight out and up instead.

The martial arts instructor noticed the young martial arts students as a group, but only noticed them as individuals when one of them did something wrong. What message is the martial arts instructor putting out when the martial arts instructor does this? Could some of the children be thinking , 'Maybe this is the way to get attention from my karate instructor. Do stuff wrong.' Is the martial arts instructor accidentally promoting both negative behavior and incorrect martial arts techniques?

"Pascal! Raise your knee first like this!" (Apologies to Master Pascal)

Again more of the above reinforcement of negative behavior more so for the young Pascal martial arts student as the correction was directed toward him and it was the only time he had received attention for his efforts. The young martial arts student, trying his best, could now be thinking, 'What's the point? I s!@">!. I quit!'.

The marital arts instructor then returns to teaching the group as a whole.

Did those other children notice the attention Pascal just received? You bet they did and if there are any potential behavior problems brewing, the martial arts instructor just showed the only way to get attention and that's by doing things wrong.

"All right Rick, you're making a little sense now. So how would you handle it?" Let's return to the scenario:

The martial arts instructor has 30 people in the class. Everyone is doing just fine so the martial arts instructor continues teaching the class as a group, but calls off names and compliments. "John, you're really getting your hips into that kick now! Great job keep it up! Good balance Connie!"

He or she notices one of his or her child martial arts students is not raising his knee but kicking straight out and up instead. "Pascal! That's a good front kick! You can make it even better by raising your knee first like this! That's it good job!"

The marital arts instructor then returns to teaching the group as a whole. "Slow down just a little Mike. You'll actually learn even faster that way! Good work! Sue if you want to make that punch even harder keep your elbow in! Yes like that great job!"