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Old 12-15-2012, 09:57 AM   #3
Janet Rosen
 
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Location: Left Coast
Join Date: May 2002
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Re: Student Selectively Learning

I have worked w/ neurologically challenged teens and adults on the mat - developmentally disabled, autism, and things that weren't categorized for me and so not my business to diagnose.
Like each of them, I would bet this guy is doing the best he can, just like you are.
That he shows up regularly and does the best he can at both classes and dojo functions means that he has the sincerity and dedication every teacher wants in a student and that should be an example to every student.
There is something to be learned in spending some time training with every partner (I hope your dojo changes partners through the class so nobody spends an entire class with one partner) - it may not be the lesson you thought you wanted to work on in a given class but learning to deal with what reality places in front of you and learning to make it look easy certainly is part of what my training is about :-)
For instance: Can you be fully present for and with him with an open heart accepting what he is in the moment and wondering less about "doing ikkyo" so it looks textbook perfect and more about just being and doing with him?
I'm not in any way criticizing your post or your questions. Just trying to see if you can reframe how you consider the issue.
Note: I will say that in some dojos there will be a smaller cadre of experienced students who are able and willing to be the regular partners of students like the one you describe.

Janet Rosen
http://www.zanshinart.com
"peace will enter when hate is gone"--percy mayfield
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