Re: Doubting the Art
Good comments.
From a teaching point of view...
Ugly truth: students often learn different things than the teacher teaches. Your path won't be theirs.
If something lacks validity, why would you waste time on it? If aikido as fighting is what's presented, then SHOULDN'T it work?
What other uses has aikido? I've fallen outside the dojo (many times) more than I've gotten into fights (never). UKEMI has pulled my chestnuts out of the fire more than once--falling off bikes, tripping playing frisbee, etc. Your kids skateboard or bike? Falling safely is a very useful skill. Can you run a class outside on rolling off a bike to make aikido relevant to their immediate needs?
They're kids. Competition comes with the territory. In a classroom, they compete to answer first.
The first time I teach a course is basically an introduction to me as to how I SHOULD teach it and will next time. I take notes.
My happiest students are the ones in classes where I test frequently (this is behind Kano Jigoro's introduction of the KYU/DAN system). Do you give "ability quizzes", graded or ungraded?
Just thoughts off the top of my head. Good luck.
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