Students and lack of focus

[terryl965]

What do you all do when you have student that have a lack of focus for all they do is the same thing over and over and want try new techniques, that they have been tought/

2nd If your school is divided in there training philosophies, let say a under instructor only wants Olympic stuff and nothing else, but the students enjoy the Sd being tought and the one steps and everything else how would you handle this type of stituation?

Lastly if the confortation got to the point where it was tearing apart the school would you bow yourself away from that school or stay and try to make it better.

This is only hypothetical and is no way attended at anybody or any school, so see we are just seeing people objective to certain stituations that mat arrive from time to time.
Terry

 

[rmclain]

What do you all do when you have student that have a lack of focus for all they do is the same thing over and over and want try new techniques, that they have been tought/

Terry

This situation is typical when you teach children. You have a few children out of the many that appreciate repeating and refining core fundamentals. But, most don't have the patience necessary for this and just want to learn something new.

I teach mostly adults at my school (which is what our MA system mostly attracts anyway). I also have an interview process to screen potential student: to find out who just wants to play (if children) or who wants to learn something else than I offer. If I don't offer the experience they are seeking, I recommend another school and provide contact information.

R. McLain

 

[Carol]

What do you all do when you have student that have a lack of focus for all they do is the same thing over and over and want try new techniques, that they have been tought/

2nd If your school is divided in there training philosophies, let say a under instructor only wants Olympic stuff and nothing else, but the students enjoy the Sd being tought and the one steps and everything else how would you handle this type of stituation?

Lastly if the confortation got to the point where it was tearing apart the school would you bow yourself away from that school or stay and try to make it better.

This is only hypothetical and is no way attended at anybody or any school, so see we are just seeing people objective to certain stituations that mat arrive from time to time.
Terry

Take this with a grain of salt because I am not a teacher.

First question - with an adult it is important to as why. Maybe the student isn't serious, yes...but maybe the student has a lot of personal stuff and is very distracted. Maybe the student isn't getting the type of training he/she needs to get it. Maybe the school doesn't have enough penetration of instructors to keep everyone learning and focused. The answer to Why? can be very important.

Second question - if it were me calling the shots, I'd set up 2 different classes and compensate the instructors according to interest. If it were me as the student, I'd hightail it out of the school faster than you can say "broken contract". I don't train in a competitive school for a reason. To paraphrase Scotty...Dammit Jim, I'm an engineer, not a competitive athlete! If my instructor does not approve of my career choice or my (comparitive lack of) athleticism then I would have to change schools.

Can't answer the lastly one

 

[stickarts]

We get a lot of repetitions in by disguising it through different variations of the same move / technique and make it fun.
With the kids you can make a game out of it.
I try and find where a students passion is and link their training to that. How can their training improve other things that they love to do?

If the owner / master instructor has a totally different or opposing philosophy than you do, then its probably not the right school for you unless you find another mentor there that you can connect with.

At our school we all have the same core values and work in unison, however, we all have different strengths to bring to the table for the benefit of students.

 

[terryl965]

We get a lot of repetitions in by disguising it through different variations of the same move / technique and make it fun.
With the kids you can make a game out of it.
I try and find where a students passion is and link their training to that. How can their training improve other things that they love to do?

If the owner / master instructor has a totally different or opposing philosophy than you do, then its probably not the right school for you unless you find another mentor there that you can connect with.

At our school we all have the same core values and work in unison, however, we all have different strengths to bring to the table for the benefit of students.

Stickart I thank you but this is hypothetical and I'm my own boss at my school and me and my instructors are on the same page, but at a tournament this weekend somebody else mention this and I was wondering about it since saturday.
Terry

 

[stickarts]

Stickart I thank you but this is hypothetical and I'm my own boss at my school and me and my instructors are on the same page, but at a tournament this weekend somebody else mention this and I was wondering about it since saturday.
Terry

I understand that! I am my own boss too! I was giving a hypothetical answer. Sorry if i miscommunicated.

 

[ccultrara]

In my school, there are 90 percent kids with myself and another instructor in charge. For us, simply we spice up the drill in a way so that the core fundamentals are being practiced but the kids enjoy it more. If lack of focus disrupts the class, the student will be reprimanded.

 

[StudentCarl]

What do you all do when you have student that have a lack of focus for all they do is the same thing over and over and want try new techniques, that they have been tought/

2nd If your school is divided in there training philosophies, let say a under instructor only wants Olympic stuff and nothing else, but the students enjoy the Sd being tought and the one steps and everything else how would you handle this type of stituation?

Lastly if the confortation got to the point where it was tearing apart the school would you bow yourself away from that school or stay and try to make it better.

This is only hypothetical and is no way attended at anybody or any school, so see we are just seeing people objective to certain stituations that mat arrive from time to time.
Terry

Hi Terry,
On attention/focus: My role as an assistant is to assist 1:1 when directed by my master, so I'm on the floor helping in the back row in all but the high level and adult classes. The kids I work with are expected to stay with the class. When they get lost or distracted, my job is to redirect them quietly from beside them. I generally get groups of 2-3 white belts aged 5-7 for forms.

Regarding the conflicted school: In my experience the master is generally the school owner, so this is not a democracy. If I was the junior instructor who wanted to do something different, I would first work WITH the master to see if this would be GOOD FOR BUSINESS. There are many possible reasons why the master would not want to take on something more or different, but being divisive will only do harm. I would probably design and propose to the master to do a one afternoon seminar with signup to test interest. Turnout at a seminar is visible and real. If there is no way to work with the master within his concept of his own business, then your answer is obvious: you should go rather than undermine his business.

On you last question about it tearing apart the school, it completely depends upon the role you have played to that point. If you have taken sides and are part of the drama, then you are part of the problem. If you really have a different philosophy than your master, the question is whether you share enough goals to work together. Many senior students explore other arts outside the school. The master/student relationship is key to this, and each situation is unique.

Best wishes,
Carl

 

[StudentCarl]

Holy cow!
It wasn't 'til after I posted that I saw the date on Terry's original post.

Diggin in the archives, ccultrara?

Terry--do you know how this situation ended up?

Carl

 

[terryl965]

Holy cow!
It wasn't 'til after I posted that I saw the date on Terry's original post.

Diggin in the archives, ccultrara?

Terry--do you know how this situation ended up?

Carl

Yes I do and the assistant instructor was ask to leave the school. He was lost about what his role was and forgot he was not the owner. The owner and Master feels real bad about it but sometimes people forget who and what is really running things.

On a side note I also believe that this happens alot in the workforce as well, people get confitable and forget that their boss is still there boss.

 

[ccultrara]

Haha yea i was looking around at the wayyy older posts. Some are interesting