Who is Teaching the Children

[lifewise]

How do martial arts schools decide who is qualified to teach children? Is this a concern to school owners/head instructors or not? Do you think that those teaching children should have some training other than being a martial artist?

Some schools claim to be "experts with children" yet I don't understand this. I mean, I am a parent and voluteer with children, yet I would not be so bold to say I was an expert with children - hell, I am far from it. They amuse me, baffle me, and often I find them the best reflection of life.

:asian:

 

[elcajon555]

I don;t think those who teach children should have other qualifications then martial arts. Those who teach learn how to teach regardless of the subject material. Those who teach children will learn how to teach children. I have been teaching TKD for 4 and a half years and I have become good at teaching in general. I know how to learn and teach and my only experience has been throught martial arts. And I am just as good of a teacher as anyone who as a degree. Degrees don't make you good at something, experience makes you good at something. And the more experience you have with teaching children the better you will become. I believe you should know the material that you are teaching and that is all, learning how to teach will come with time.

 

[lifewise]

"I know how to learn and teach and my only experience has been throught martial arts. And I am just as good of a teacher as anyone who as a degree. Degrees don't make you good at something, experience makes you good at something. "

I am not suggesting you need a degree to teach. Degrees don't necessarily make you good at something - I fully agree with that. However, a degree or any formal education gives you knowledge to build on.

At the bare minimum, instructors in ANY childrens program should take a recognized coaching course and first aid.

"I have been teaching TKD for 4 and a half years and I have become good at teaching in general. I know how to learn and teach and my only experience has been throught martial arts.."

No disrespect intended here, you may indeed be an excellent instructor but just because YOU think you are a good teacher doesn't make it so. Your comment about you knowing how to learn and teach... you may learn in a different fashion then your young students, adults often do.

"Those who teach children will learn how to teach children."

Some schools have children teaching children!

So what happens if you, as an instructor, don't know the signs of an asthma attack for example, and you push a student to complete a drill. Do you want to learn how to deal with this situation through experience? In cases like this, instructors put students at risk.

Would you know the best way to teach a child with a learning dissability or ADD? Do you know what a child is physically able to do at a specific age, for example, hopping and balancing?

"I believe you should know the material that you are teaching and that is all, learning how to teach will come with time.

This may be so, but at what cost?

This kind of attitude is what hurts students, children and adult alike.

:asian:

 

[MJS]

How do martial arts schools decide who is qualified to teach children? Is this a concern to school owners/head instructors or not? Do you think that those teaching children should have some training other than being a martial artist?

Some schools claim to be "experts with children" yet I don't understand this. I mean, I am a parent and voluteer with children, yet I would not be so bold to say I was an expert with children - hell, I am far from it. They amuse me, baffle me, and often I find them the best reflection of life.

:asian:

Yup, you're right. There are many schools that claim to be experts on everything. Teaching is something that you really need to have a good understanding of. Some people are better at sparring than teaching, some are better at SD than sparring. Regardless, the fact is, is that teaching is something that you need to be slowly broken into. Teaching adults vs. children is a HUGE difference, and that is a fact!! There is no way youre gonna be able to teach a 30 yo adult and a 5yo child the same way, and if there is a way, thats news to me, cuz I havent seen it yet! You really need to get yourself on the childs level and modify the things that you're doing. Otherwise the child will be lost.

To answer your first question about having some other training. I dont think you need a degree or something like that, because nothing will prepare you better for something than the actual hands on experience. As I said in the beginning, gradually working yourself into teaching kids is the best road to take IMO. Eventually, it'll be just as easy as teaching an adult class.

Hope that this was a help.

Mike

 

[lifewise]

Yup, you're right. There are many schools that claim to be experts on everything. Teaching is something that you really need to have a good understanding of. Some people are better at sparring than teaching, some are better at SD than sparring. Regardless, the fact is, is that teaching is something that you need to be slowly broken into. Teaching adults vs. children is a HUGE difference, and that is a fact!! There is no way youre gonna be able to teach a 30 yo adult and a 5yo child the same way, and if there is a way, thats news to me, cuz I havent seen it yet! You really need to get yourself on the childs level and modify the things that you're doing. Otherwise the child will be lost.

To answer your first question about having some other training. I dont think you need a degree or something like that, because nothing will prepare you better for something than the actual hands on experience. As I said in the beginning, gradually working yourself into teaching kids is the best road to take IMO. Eventually, it'll be just as easy as teaching an adult class.

Hope that this was a help.

Mike

I am not suggesting you need a degree to teach - simply other complimentary training. :asian:

 

[MJS]

I am not suggesting you need a degree to teach - simply other complimentary training. :asian:

Sorry for the confusion. I was not implying that was what you were saying, rather I was using that as an example. As for the other complimentary training. The hands of training that you'll get by gradually working yoruself into teaching small kids is the best training that you could get!

Mike

 

[elcajon555]

Let me first say that I am only an assistant instructor not the head instructor. I have been told by many different people that I am a good teacher, it is more their opinion versus my opinion. I have taught people from 3 years old to people in their 50s. I have worked with sereval children that have ADD, I have also taught people with mental disabilities. I have taught children that are on mediciation for sereval things, from epilisy to ADD, and the medication sometimes causes problems as well. And I know that at different ages people can do different things. That can easily be seen. We have this one student that has had 3 heart surgries and during cardio vascular exercises we watch for coloring changes in the face, first at the lips. I do agree that someone in the school should have first aid knowledge, I have learned a lot of what I know in regards to first aid from the head instructor and can recognize different signs for different things.

 

[edhead2000]

At the bare minimum, instructors in ANY childrens program should take a recognized coaching course and first aid.

Also CPR!

 

[MJS]

Also CPR!

Definately! Knowing, at the very least, some basic first aid, just may end up saving someones life.

Mike

 

[Gama]

At the bare minimum, instructors in ANY childrens program should take a recognized coaching course and first aid.

And should have a criminal background check.

 

[lifewise]

I am surprised at both the limited replies to this thread and the relaxed view on what qualifications some think an instructor should have - especially those teaching children (our future). Employees in many professions must take part in regular annual "professional development" and few here would consider it important. What does that tell us (and parents) about the people who teach our children?

It isn't enough to simply have first aid, CPR, and a police check. Even IF this was a requirement - how many have these three things? How many have emergency information on file should a serious injury occur?

Schools and instructors should really take a serious look at this. Parents are! Simply knowing martial arts is not enough.

:asian:

 

[MJS]

I am surprised at both the limited replies to this thread and the relaxed view on what qualifications some think an instructor should have - especially those teaching children (our future). Employees in many professions must take part in regular annual "professional development" and few here would consider it important. What does that tell us (and parents) about the people who teach our children?

It isn't enough to simply have first aid, CPR, and a police check. Even IF this was a requirement - how many have these three things? How many have emergency information on file should a serious injury occur?

Schools and instructors should really take a serious look at this. Parents are! Simply knowing martial arts is not enough.

:asian:

Let me ask you a question. Do you require to see a background check on the teachers in the school system before you send your kids to school? What about a CPR cert? Most parents at the school that I used to teach at, stayed there, watching the class. How could anything possibly happen to their child if the parent is right there watching?

What do you think would be appropriate for the Inst to have prior to teaching the kids?

Mike

 

[lifewise]

Let me ask you a question. Do you require to see a background check on the teachers in the school system before you send your kids to school? What about a CPR cert? Most parents at the school that I used to teach at, stayed there, watching the class. How could anything possibly happen to their child if the parent is right there watching?

What do you think would be appropriate for the Inst to have prior to teaching the kids?

Mike

There is always the possibility of an injury or something happening to a child regardless of whether or not the parents are watching.

I have witnessed bad judgement on the instructors behalf, where if the instructor knew more then "just martial arts" perhaps the injury would not have occurred.

Take a look at these examples:

Due to the instructor's choice of drill and bad judgement of appropriate space required, a 5 year old girl was knocked down and hit her head on a concrete floor only to bounce and take a second hit. The instructor then stood her up, told her she was ok (and it must be true because Sensei said it) and told her to have a seat. The girl suffered a concussion and the parents were not informed by the school but by another parent.

Adults are also subject to this type of thing too. An instructor didn't take a woman's physical abilities/limitations into consideration and because of the drill she was to perform, she suffered a knee injury and needed a year to recover. With a little "education" outside of martial arts, perhaps this young instructor would have been able to foresee this kind of injury.

Then in contrast: Another instructor, at another school (with coaching as a required background for any instructors) notices a child's distress during drills and doesn't automatically assume the child is not work hard. He knows the sign of something more serious, and calls the child aside. Removing the child from class in appropriate time getting the girl medical attention.

All instructors should taking coaching courses. Not from another instructor either, but a recognized coaching program. That would be a start and benefit both children and adult students.

:asian:

 

[elcajon555]

The teaching profession is one of the hardest things to do, they have to put up with alot and don;t get paid that much, this includes martial arts teacher, assistant instructors often aren;t even paid(at least in my organization). To be quit frank if your child has a person who can teach well and puts up with everything then your lucky. Alot of teachers aren;t that good at teaching but do the job because they are the only ones who will. If you are going to start demanding more of the people teaching your children, especially martial arts teachers, the first thing that has to happen is that they actually make a good salary otherwise owners and school board members will take what they can get. And the instructor I have has knowledge of first aid and what not, I don;t think he has even gone to school for "teaching" but he is an awesome teacher. Some people are just meant for teaching and others aren;t. People who aren;t meant to be teachers, no amount of training and knowledge will make them into good teachers and the same holds true. Those people who are meant to be teachers, will be teachers regardless of zero training and lots of training. I believe that the ability to teach has to be more instinct versus knowledge.

 

[Mudo Warrior]

My problem is this. What ever happened to the old school instructors who just taught people. These were instructors who taught because they loved and lived the art that they practiced, not business owners out to make a buck. And as for those who think an instructor should cater to children by taking special courses I disagree. Your art is your art, just teach it! I had one of those instructors who didn't care if you were big, small, young, old, male, or female. We all trained hard, learned at our own pace, and became like a family. My instructor is like a second father not a business owner who needed training to provide a service. Why have we made an industry out of a way of life?
Respectfully,

 

[lifewise]

Elcajon555,

Please do not put martial arts instructors in the same catagory as school teachers! That just isn't the same thing at all.

So basically you are saying parents should just be happy with what they get?

Many schools look at children as nothing more then money and they really don't care WHO teaches the children. A crappy instructor can have a huge impact on that child for life bringing on major self esteem issues alone. Telling a child 5 years old to "go read it off the wall" (the belt requirements) is not acceptable. Many children at that age can't read let alone the tone of "look kid you are bugging me".

Maybe you did hit on something in your post though. Maybe if instructors were paid, or school owners PAID for their instructors to take classes they may end up with more student retention, safer schools, and less insurance costs. Let's not forget there are many children's programs out there such as Scouts and Girl Guides, where they invest a great deal in their volunteers.

 

[lifewise]

My problem is this. What ever happened to the old school instructors who just taught people. These were instructors who taught because they loved and lived the art that they practiced, not business owners out to make a buck. And as for those who think an instructor should cater to children by taking special courses I disagree. Your art is your art, just teach it! I had one of those instructors who didn't care if you were big, small, young, old, male, or female. We all trained hard, learned at our own pace, and became like a family. My instructor is like a second father not a business owner who needed training to provide a service. Why have we made an industry out of a way of life?
Respectfully,

So lets go back to "old school".

Lets see, using that concept we can take away child car seats, hell they were not around when I was young.

Why make a industry out of our children? Hell, give them a bike that is built for an adult and tell them to ride!

:shrug:

 

[Shu2jack]

Perhaps child training and requirements should be done at an organizational level. In the ATA you are required to be CPR certified by the red cross, go through the "child protection program" that boy scouts use, and teach at least 50 hours (usually takes 10 weeks) under a certified instructor.

That is just to become a "trainee" instructor. To become a "certified" instructor you are required to take classes like "Adult Learning", "Child Learning", "Class Management (running a class)", etc.

What does all of this training do? It made me know how to respond to a emergancy because of my first aid, taught me safty precautions to use while teaching children (how to detect abuse and how to run classes so that you limit yourself from lawsuits), training under a certified instructor shows me how to run things "properly", and all of those classes teach me the theories and methods behind child/adult learning.

Dispite all of this, it doesn't make you a good instructor, just a knowledgeable one. I personally think it takes a certain type of person to be an excellent child instructor. You have to be calm, patient, understand what to say and how to say it, body positions (you are 5 times bigger than the kid), etc. I agree that experience is the best way to learn how to teach kids. Teach them. Just make sure to get training in other areas to prevent unfortuneate circumstances.

So like I said in the beginning of the post. Perhaps the training of instructors and requirements should be more centralized in organizations in order to ensure quality teaching. I am not saying the ATA's method is perfect, but I don't hear to many complains from parents when it comes to injuries and other problems. Being a good technician and martial artist doesn't make you a good instructor.

 

[MJS]

There is always the possibility of an injury or something happening to a child regardless of whether or not the parents are watching.

I have witnessed bad judgement on the instructors behalf, where if the instructor knew more then "just martial arts" perhaps the injury would not have occurred.

Take a look at these examples:

Due to the instructor's choice of drill and bad judgement of appropriate space required, a 5 year old girl was knocked down and hit her head on a concrete floor only to bounce and take a second hit. The instructor then stood her up, told her she was ok (and it must be true because Sensei said it) and told her to have a seat. The girl suffered a concussion and the parents were not informed by the school but by another parent.

Adults are also subject to this type of thing too. An instructor didn't take a woman's physical abilities/limitations into consideration and because of the drill she was to perform, she suffered a knee injury and needed a year to recover. With a little "education" outside of martial arts, perhaps this young instructor would have been able to foresee this kind of injury.

Then in contrast: Another instructor, at another school (with coaching as a required background for any instructors) notices a child's distress during drills and doesn't automatically assume the child is not work hard. He knows the sign of something more serious, and calls the child aside. Removing the child from class in appropriate time getting the girl medical attention.

All instructors should taking coaching courses. Not from another instructor either, but a recognized coaching program. That would be a start and benefit both children and adult students.

:asian:

All very good points. Unfortunately, the majority of schools do not offer their Inst. any outside instructing. I've been teaching MA for many years, and have always told the students that if at any time during the class, there was something that they did not feel comfortable doing, then they did not have to do it. Of course, when talking about a child, its hard for them to make their own choices.

Mike

 

[elcajon555]

Even thought martial arts instructors and school teachers are in no means the same catagory, they share similar problems in their chosen profession. And unfortunely I am saying that parents should be happy for what they get, as the situation stands right now. Now I think the situation should change, namely paying instructors what they deserve, and if that were to happen then I could see outside training, but as it stands I would say take the best you can get. Basically people are getting what is paid for. It is a shame that teachers and instructors are paid very little, because they have a huge impact on the lives of children and their work is most deserving of monetary reward. My instructor, after completeing his 7th year at the school, made 15,000 last year, in my mind, for all he does at the school and for the students, that is absoluly wrong. He has impacted so many lifes and he is an excellent instructor it is just a shame. It first needs to start with changing the wages of the teaching profession.