To the sifus - class planning

[joedoe]

How do you plan for your classes? I have found I am terrible at planning classes. Any useful ideas would be appreciated.

[TaoBoy]

I look at what hasn't been covered by the other instructors for a while and also the types of training that is most often requested (maybe techniques, jongs or sparring). Then I just run with it on the spot. Sometimes I'll see something in class that really needs attention and I focus on that. I like to keep classes fluid and not always have a strict plan. I go in with an idea but not a 'plan'.

Generally, I get a good response from my class participants.

So, my thoughts:

- generate some ideas of what needs to be covered
- ask students what they are interested in focussing on
- perhaps decide on a particular area of training (e.g. footwork)and then focus on that for the whole class

Hope that helps.

[joedoe]

That is the way I tend to run my classes, but the problem is that I am so busy at work etc. that I get to class and haven't given any thought to what I am going to teach, then have to make it up as I go. Once I get started I am fine, but I often find myself standing there in front of the class thinking "What am I going to teach today?"

Maybe I just need to devote time to thinking about what I am going to teach each week :)

[Serpent]

Jot down all the most essential basics of your style. Each class, cycle through these basics, picking a new one each time. Start with the basic for that class and watch the students. Let the way they respond and the mistakes they make dictate how the class progresses. Next class, take the next thing on your list and so on.

[TaoBoy]

Originally posted by joedoe
That is the way I tend to run my classes, but the problem is that I am so busy at work etc. that I get to class and haven't given any thought to what I am going to teach, then have to make it up as I go. Once I get started I am fine, but I often find myself standing there in front of the class thinking "What am I going to teach today?"

Maybe I just need to devote time to thinking about what I am going to teach each week :)

Yeah, I've been there too. "What the hell am I doing here?" My solution - footwork and conditioning. The basics. Then watch what everyone is doing and progress from there. You will very quickly find a direction given what the students are doing.

I have found that group fighting scenario training and basic self defence application always goes down well.

[Martial Joe]

This might work...


have a simple plan...my sifu just trains...and people can come and go whenever and just go to train basicaly.

There isnt any set class.

[joedoe]

Hmmm. Lots of good advice. Thanks guys.

Martial Joe - that is fine if you have a full-time school. However, I teach once a week so I need to make sure my students are learning stuff properly and orderly. Otherwise I might just forget to teach them something important :).

[Laughing Cow]

In my class there is no set schedule.

You join, train and get given corrections and new stuff as you are deemed fit.
There is a path along which you progress, but no specific goals or time schedule for you to do so.

Same as with MJ if I want to take a 2month break, no problem, membership fees drop to 1/3 during that period.

There are no beginner, advanced, kiddies, etc classes, everybody trains together.

Not sure if this will work in a formal/fixed school setting though, eg. College KF School or similar.

Or for a School that trains for a certain goal like competitions or similar.

P.S.: We only train together once a week.

[TaoBoy]

I must qualify my statements. I teach in the 'fluid' fashion as I don't often take classes and the other more senior instructors teach to the plan. My classes are generally a break from the standard routine.

[Serpent]

Also, most schools have some sort of curriculum, traditional schools at least. As students progress they learn more and more advanced forms and drills. Work the basics at the start of the class, then split the class up to work on the stuff of the level they are at and wander among them correcting stuff, explaining and demonstrating applications, etc. Other classes, concentrate on sparring drills and open sparring, etc.

[TaoBoy]

Just listen to Serpent.

[Oso]

shouldn't there be some sort of curriculum guide
even if you aren't a school that uses a belt/sash
system?

The first 30 minutes of class are warm ups/stretching and group
conditioning.

We then break off into skill levels (for me identified by sash
color) and I rotate between each group.

If I am making a point to one group that I think needs to be made
to everyone then I call everyone together (tonight's point was:
If you think you are about to be attacked from behind, DON'T
look over you shoulder to spot them but under the shoulder
while taking a step forward)

I constantly re-evaluate my curriculum adding, moving or (rarely)
deleting something. As a part time instructor with a 40-50 hour
a week day job I find that this tactic works for me. Forms and
their underlying principles are set in place to provide a
progressive curriculum that builds on the lessons of the previous
level. With this in place, and checked and rechecked for validity,
I don't have to spend as much time thinking about each class
but the overall objective at the end of 5 years or so. With
'skill checks' every 6 months or so.

matt

[Serpent]

Originally posted by TaoBoy
Just listen to Serpent.

*Send Me All Your Money....*

[Martial Joe]

Joe~Oh alright...well I can help there too. My school was once like that. I would show up, we would work on my form at first, and then just do chi sau and maybe some other stuff but the forms first then the chi sau basicaly.

[joedoe]

I used to just do a set warmup routine, then focus on different skill areas to be developed. But I found that the students found that kind of boring, so I would try to mix it up a bit. Then you end up in the situation where you run out of ideas to mix it up with :).

[Laughing Cow]

Joedoe.

I wouldn't try to gather too much to the students wishes.
If they get bored than maybe what you do is not for them.

The traditional training style is not something that suits everybody.

Hence we got a ton of McKwoons that give the student what he wants.

Granted, sparring and rolling on the floor is more fun than pole standing and similar, but you also will have to eat bitter.

Just my view.

[Cheese Dog]

Lots of good advice!

At the last school I was an assistant instructor at, every week the owner would have a "theme of the week". For instance, one week the theme would be kicks, so almost everything would be oriented towards that. Drilling basic kicks, combination kicks, sparring using only kicks, self-defense with kicks. The next week might be devoted to throws. Or kata. Or power development. Or standing joint locks. Or ground fighting. Or going from kicking range to punching range to a takedown to ground submissions. Because each week had a theme it was, for me, alot easier to come up with drills, concepts, etc.

Happy training :)

[joedoe]

Originally posted by Cheese Dog
Lots of good advice!

At the last school I was an assistant instructor at, every week the owner would have a "theme of the week". For instance, one week the theme would be kicks, so almost everything would be oriented towards that. Drilling basic kicks, combination kicks, sparring using only kicks, self-defense with kicks. The next week might be devoted to throws. Or kata. Or power development. Or standing joint locks. Or ground fighting. Or going from kicking range to punching range to a takedown to ground submissions. Because each week had a theme it was, for me, alot easier to come up with drills, concepts, etc.

Happy training :)

Interesting idea - my sifu kinda does this with the senior students, except that he has a theme each 6-months/year :)