Help with Children Classes

[iron_silk]

I help teach the kids class and I have a heck of a time trying to get them under control.

They constantly moving when they should be standing still or talking when they shouldn't. Of course they would stop when I look at them but they are just waiting for the chance that I would be focused on another child to fool around.

Sometimes it just take one or two to really get the class going.

Sometimes I fear being too harsh start making one cry and nowadays authorities would step in if they think the kids are being bullied etc...so what can one do?

[Sow Choy]

Iron

First get them under control...

Teach them to stand at attention...

As they stand there make them repeat after you really loud

Feet together! Hands by the side! Back Straight! Eyes Foward! No Talking!

So they like to be loud right? All kids do... Make them louder, but together in groups to get them to breathe properly and motivate them...

I punish with squats... Because many cant do push-ups... So if they break the rules I make it clear if you play, you pay...

Always tell them what they did wrong and correct them... Then I make them squat, usually 30 times, then they have to say Sorry Sihing, Sifu whatever...

You can be on their side and punish them too... Put them in lines to do kicks drills and make the timing an issue where they do things together while being loud... You will see them have fun and try harder...

Teaching kids 1 by 1 hardly works in the beginning...

Joe

[iron_silk]

Definitely some good ideas there!

I'll try some of them out and let you know how it goes.

Thanks again!

[yutyeesam]

How do you handle teaching forms to kids? It feels like a recipe for disaster if you tell them to practice while you work with someone else. Is there any way to do this with multiple ranks in a class and only one instructor?

-123

[CLFNole]

Keep them in groups and start with either a simple series of technques or a simple form. Joe came up with a few real easy and cool forms for the little ones and it seems to have worked well. When they get older and more in control of their bodies you can teach normal sets.

[TenTigers]

I started creating line drills. When I was in TKD we did line drills, and everyone's forms were good, when I did Tang Soo Do, we did not do line drills and not everyone's forms were good. Wu-Shu does line drills and their forms are impeccable, so line drills it is. I started with walking drills, then punching, then block punch, then gwa choy,punch. nothing too complicated, but many of the moves are in their first two beginner forms. Then we did drills from the line drills, then when we taught thenm the forms, voila! They picked them up quickly, and understood why they were doing the moves, and they had much better form.
Here's a "game" I play with the kids. It's called "Concentration" They do the form according to my count, they can't do any movemnet that is not in the form or they're out. It's like freeze tag-or red light green light, or something-(heck, I'm 48, i can barely remember my drinking games).ok, so they can't move other than what is in the form-they can't scratch,open and close their hands, look around, or laugh. I can, however make a correction on their form. As they get better, you need to find ways of getting them out, and it gets harder, because they get better fast. So that's where the no lauighing comes in. You try to get those last guys out by playing. (This makes it not only a little competitive, but fun) I have used the Lion Dance cymbols, the buddha mask, mispronouncing numbers, (gow, I say cow) anything to make them giggle, I stare right at them, and they develop some amazing concentration. Try it

[Sow Choy]

Kids, Kids, Kids...

With forms we have a level system, and it can be hard to teach them when many are at different levels...

Here is what I do...

I now have a separate class for 4-7 yr olds... I know 4 is way too young, but my sifu thinks its good for business, getting them to remember anything tough, so I stick to basics... Punches, Kicks, Jump Kicks, Blocks with counters... You can devise an easier test for them...

I make them grab their right foot when stretching and say "REPEAT AFTER ME THIS IS MY RIGHT FOOT" So they start knowing their sides...

The warm up is mainly different motor skill exercises... We make lines, they do bear walks, frog hops, run & jumps, kartwheels...

Forms...

With CLF in our family, the forms are quite long, so I created some sets to get them started to help increase quality, while being easier to remember...

Our 1st form is only stances, basic Stance form 1 they bow then: cat, twist, horse, bow on both sides...

a link:
http://www.leekoonhungkungfu.com/gbmb1.html

they say the names in chinese & english and count to 10...

This helps and they learn this on the 1st day... Even adults...

On the site you can also see Basic 1
http://www.leekoonhungkungfu.com/insider.html

With the kids I created a "Panther" "Snake" "Tiger" "Dragon", 4 sets... Panther they learn in their second level... Its really just some sections of CLF from other forms done in a way easy to remember... Some of the sets on our adult curiculumn is not so difficult so they learn those too...

I found these forms easier to teach and later the kids can learn the real sets with ease... In fact, many adults want to learn the kids sets... I made them with the intention of being good well rounded forms with apps and fun to perform for demos...

And they work...

When teaching I try and keep groups together... If I am swamped with kids, sometimes 40 in a class... I have a 2-3 helpers take care of the basics, or Use some of the older advanced kids to help out...

I feel it's important to let the advanced students help in warm-ups and basics... They have put alot of time in the school, its nice to let them help and they feel good that we trust them to help...

With lines, I teach some gymnastics to the kids too, Kartwheels, Aerials, Back & Front Flips, Butterfly kicks, Hurricane kicks and other dynamic type moves... Then I put some combos from the forms in there... After they learn the combos I teach them, They freestyle them together...

The kids get much better when they can create... and the not so good ones get better and break out of their shell...

Hope that helps...

Best of Luck...

Joe

[Lama Pai Sifu]

Don't catch kids doing things wrong...catch them doing things right!

If negative behavior keeps getting your attention, you are actually reinforcing that behavior. Try to ingore students when they misbehave, and they will recognize that the only way to get your (the instructor's) attention is to behave correctely!

Punishing the kids in class is a NO NO! There are ways to handle negative behavior, but you must not have kids associate punishment with kung-fu. Especially if it is a beneficial excercise, push ups, squats, horse stance, etc.

Best to have the kids sit outside in the lobby if they are being too dissruptive. Invite them back in when they are ready to behave. NEVER get emotional about it. It is not your problem, it is theirs....don't take it personally. It's just not professional.

I teach hundreds of kids in my schools. Kids classes can be as large as 40 kids, and there is only 1 instructor in charge of a class. You must learn to teach kids from someone who knows how to do it. l You can't wing it.

[iron_silk]

You guys gave me a lot to think about thanks!

Especially LamaPaiSifu, in the past when I got a bit emotional with the kids (not just because of the kids...really bad weeks and other such) I found it hard to communicate with them. But when I was calm and question their behaviour they tend to wise a bit (some of them).

In fact this applies to performances for me as well. Calm I do fine, not calm I screw eventually during the set. (arrgghh I recently slipped b/c my new pants started to slide and my foot step on the silk leg part.) :(

Again thanks everyone!

[Sow Choy]

Lamapai,

I know you are very sucessfull, but I respectfully disagree with discipline... That is one of the main reasons people sign their kids up... I am no drill instructor, nor do I embarras any kids... But I can not give them a time out...

That is another reason many students choose our school.. They don't want us to be friends as much as they want us to teach them respect as well as to discipline them...

So the times we have had kids sit down or be put in the lobby, parents have complained... Also for me teaching 40 + kids, there is no one in the lobby who can watch them... If I am not in constant watch over the kids, something bad may happen...

I would never condone losing your temper, but disciplining the kids is good for them, and I teach them that too... When I correct them and punish them with squats I ask them do you know what you did wrong? They understand and feel bad for whaty they did... You have to comunicate to them in some way you are unhappy with them... Ignoring them can cause more of the kids to behave bad...

So just my 2 cents.... I know it works for you, but there seem to be many BEST ways out there... if ya know what I mean...

Joe

[firepalm]

Spell Out the Rules from the Get Go and Reinforce Them Frequently.

1) No Talking When Teacher is Talking
2) Always Be Respectful & Polite
3) Roughhousing, Horse Play is not tolerated....
etc...

When someone forgets these rules don't just repeat them yourself, ask other kids in the class to point out the rules for them!

Make sure they know you are in charge and never let them question your authority. A friend that teaches a lot of kids says that when a kid questions in him anyway or the rules, he tells them quite simply he is charge and whatever the kid may get away with in school or at home won't happen in class (the teacher is popular with parents).

Be stern, yet at the same time show that you are caring and attentive.

In larger kids classes (especially when they are younger) don't do too much individual stuff, keep it group oriented and when teaching always position yourself in such a way that you can see what is always going on.

Whenever you have to break down the class make sure all the kids know what they are to work on and think about assigning group leaders to insure they stick to practicing their assigned drills, forms, etc...

Finally teaching youth & teens is very different from adults it takes patience, tolerance and understanding. You are not only teaching them a martial art but you are in many ways helping to shape them as a person.


Side Note - I n S are you teaching for Sifu Jun Ng? If so is it at Hoy Ping or his East Broadway location near Van Tech? How are his classes doing?

[iron_silk]

Certainly a lot of ideas going around and I'll have a lot to consider what will work well and best for my kids!

Thank you, the ideas are definitely invaluable!

I think this is a topic that help anyone who has to teach children.

sidenote: firepalm, thank you for asking, everything is well.