Training Home-schoolers in MA

[IcemanSK]

I had something neat happen in class last night that I want to share. I have a family of 5 homeschool students in my MA program. They range from 7-14 in age. The 13 year old boy has always been into class, but not like a "typical" 13 year old. Last night, he starts asking all these questions about tournaments. I had a hunch so I asked, "did you guys just see 'the Karate Kid?'" An enthuiastic "YES!" was his response. After 4 months of training, watching that movie was the thing that clicked with him! So now, he has a connection to me that he didn't have before because his imagination is captured.

TV & movies aren't a big part of his life, nor are they for many home-schooled kids. My sister refers to my youth as "the sun-free childhood" due to my viewing habits. My sister homeschools her kids & I've noticed they don't take in the world as passively as I did (having already "everything" on TV). They also tend to be able to use their imaginations better because of lack of TV.

I know for some, the thoughts of "home-school kids" conjure thoughts of kids afraid of the world with few social skills. (Personally, I think that's just an extension of their parents fears). The reality is, often they just don't spend time in front of the TV to deaden them from the excitement of life.

A lot of kids have seen Karate Kid & don't get drawn to MA. That's not my point. Home-school kids tend to have more open imaginations & find learning for the sake of learning fun. If you can capture that imagination, you'll have em hooked. Its like with all kids, really. But with home school kids, it might be the little things that do it.

 

[terryl965]

That is so wonderful to hear good for you and the school.
Terry

 

[tshadowchaser]

one of my students was home schooled until this year. the only thing i had noticed was that he was more knowledgeable than some of the students that went to the public school system. He also was more attentive then most of the others

 

[Grenadier]

Several of the kids in my classes are home-schooled. Most of them train in both the day time classes and the night time classes.

It might be just luck, but all of them are dedicated, very well-behaved, well disciplined (and not just for their ages), and tend to pick up techniques quite easily. None of them have any problems interacting with the other students in the dojo, and outside the dojo. They're great to have in class, since the other students feed off their intensity and eagerness.

I would guess that once they hit college, they'll be just fine.

Kudos to the parents for raising them properly.

 

[7starmantis]

Not something I usually offer, but I was homeschooled until high school. I found very little issues with adapting to high school or college life, except maybe I had a wider base of knowledge than most did. I knew who Jimmy Durante was and things like that

7sm

 

[IcemanSK]

Not something I usually offer, but I was homeschooled until high school. I found very little issues with adapting to high school or college life, except maybe I had a wider base of knowledge than most did. I knew who Jimmy Durante was and things like that

7sm

I think a wider knowledge would make most teens stand out from the crowd. Among other teens that might be something that would intimidate, but among adults it would be refreshing.

 

[Carol]

Not something I usually offer, but I was homeschooled until high school. I found very little issues with adapting to high school or college life, except maybe I had a wider base of knowledge than most did. I knew who Jimmy Durante was and things like that

7sm

As were my niece and nephew. They seemed to have similar experiences entering high school. It's fun watching them...they seem to have a wider base of knowledge, but they also seem to have a sense of when to bring it out and when to keep it under wraps.

 

[arnisador]

We homeschool. My son takes martial arts classes alongside me and we have a great time. I'll start his younger sister in martial arts soon. They spend very little time zoning out on TV; if they watch a movie it's usually because we are all watching one together. Of course, video games are another matter...

 

[matt.m]

When I joined the Marine Corps in 92 we had a guy in boot camp that had been home schooled all the way through high school. He was bright as a whip, I mean rainman kind of quick with numbers.

However, his parents never had him in Tae Kwon Do, Judo, little league anything. So he had the social skills of an ameoba. It was hard to relate with him because the rest of us had played team sports are whole life etc.

 

[Tames D]

We Homeschool our kids also. To those of you who Homeschool,what organizations, if any, do you belong to? Have you found that participating in Martial Arts has been good 'socially' for your kids?

 

[7starmantis]

Yeah, I didn't see it as important as a kid, but I really am thankful now for all that knowledge I had at a young age. It really helped me alot and there are way too many people my age now that still are not exposed t oas much culture and such as I have been.

7sm

 

[trueaspirer]

Martial arts is an excellent activity for kids who are homeschooled to get involved in. It is very active and social, and it gets them out of the house for more than eating out.

 

[7starmantis]

Yeah, I got out of the house for way more than eating out, in fact I spent more time learning outsdie the house than inside, but I may be an exception.

7sm

 

[Drac]

I wish I could have been home schooled...It would have saved from all the worthless head games visited on me by my fellow students...