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Old 11-02-2008, 06:18 PM   #13
Jonathan
Dojo: North Winnipeg Aikikai
Location: Winnipeg, Canada
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 265
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Re: What do you REALLY want to teach?

I have a basic set of principles and skills around which every class revolves. With this fundamental structure in place I can teach a wide variety of things and still maintain continuity in what is taught. I don't carefully plan each little thing I'm going to do in advance of each class. Like others, I see who shows up and go from there. Typically, if there is a wide range of skill represented in the students who attend a class, I will set different training for each level of skill. Sometimes there are three of four separate groups doing different levels of training in a single class. Keeps me hopping! It also ensures that everyone gets skill-appropriate training rather than senior students constantly accommodating the needs of the new or junior student. With training ordered this way, I never come to class thinking I'm going to proceed along one line of training only to find my intentions foiled by the inability of a junior student.

"Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend."
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