Hi Amir,
To answer your questions (since, the syllabus discussed is mine, used to teach an intro college aikido class),
Quote:
Amir Krause wrote:
Please take this as a constructive criticism:
How long is each lesson?
|
Each class is one-hour. I wish it were longer, but I have no control over that.
Quote:
From what I remember of my teacher giving a similar class at Tel Aviv University (that's where I started):
It was best to give as much theory as possible on the first week, most people lacked proper clothing.
|
Yes, that is what I do. First classes are concerned with etiquette and a quick lesson on the history of aikido, and O Sensei.
Quote:
Break falls back and then sideways are the easiest way to study Ukemi, Rolls are more difficult to perform tehcnicly thus should come later, same hold for front-wise break falls.
Tai-Sabaki (entering and turns) should also start early on, it will later assist giving an easy basis for developing the techniques.
|
I've found that there is no "right" way to teach aikido basics...and there are many strategies. I teach Tai-sabaki a bit later on because I want to teach all the elements of ukemi before I get to nage's role.
Quote:
One should teach some basic technique at the second lesson, otherwise the students normally get frustrated.
|
That's one approach, and not the only one.
I do teach technique earlier, when it's not part of a college curriculum, tho (as with my Middle School students).
Quote:
We found Shiho Nage to be oe simple option, another is Kote Giri (hope we use the same terminology though I doubt it).
|
Interesting.
Quote:
I do not see why advanced subjects such as mae, Breath and "extension" should be directly taught to the studnets in a short beginners course. It normally gets them to have a wrong understanding of things they never had the chance of learning to sufficient depth. I would suggest concentrating more on several simple techniques and situations and letting those explain the principles (you may have to verbatrose but do it in the contest of a simple technique and let them extrapolate).
|
Thanks for the suggestion, but I find that extension, breath, and ma-ai are critically important for beginners. Extension helps to understand iriminage; ma-ai helps with understanding dynamic vs static technique; and kokyunage is impossible to comprehend, without a discussion on breath.
But again: there is no "right" or "wrong" way to teach the basics, IMO.
Quote:
Hope this helps, obviously it is difficult to guess actual content from headlines.
Amir
|
Yes. I'm sure that if we were disc discussing this on the mat: we'd likely be more in agreement, than not. Thanks for the feedback!