Bronson

Well, by difficult I don't mean they should have to drag their tongues across razor-wire to gain admittance to the dojo

I meant more that the student should have to take some responsibility for their education. They shouldn't be handed everything on a plate. It should be made available to them but they should have to put in some sort of effort to attain it. It doesn't have to be anything big but it should be something.

EXAMPLE: One thing I do differently where I teach than my sensei does in his dojo is how we make the test requirements available to students (I think I'm going to change to his way btw). I have copies of the various kyu rank requirements that the students are free to take at any time. They just have to go in the office and get one or ask a senior student. My sensei has a book that has all the requirements in it. It is always availailable but if you want a copy you have to get paper and pen and hand copy your own. When I started teaching I thought my way would be better because people would be more likely to take and read a sheet instead of taking the time to copy one. I was right in that respect, I'm always running out of sheets. The problem is that nobody ever remembers what was on them. By having to hand copy them you invest time and effort making it more "real" for you. Not to mention it utilizes more than one learning mode which helps to cement it in the memory. The same thing happens with flashcards. I made a set and found that in the process of making them I learned almost half of them. If some one had just given me a set I'd never have learned what was on them so quickly.

So I guess what I'm saying is that I'm not really opposed to the idea of Arthur Murray style foot patterns. I just think the students should have to make them for themselves. They should research the movements, diagram them out, label everything, name everything, etc. My bet would be by the time they were done they wouldn't really need most of the them.

Bronson