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Re: Kids Program - What's yours like?
This thread is particularly appropriate for me as I am thinking of starting a kids` program at my dojo this year. Sorry if the following is a bit disjointed as I am just going to throw out the various concerns and considerations I have. I do think they are related to Dave`s questions and ideas.
1. My whole goal is to help children become stronger, physically, socially, and emotionally. I define strength as a balance of power (ability to change things) and flexibility (ability to flow with things one cannot change.) I believe that all values come naturally when one is "strong."
2. I have an issue with "controlling" a kids` class. It may be more of an issue here in Japan, but I feel that external discipline makes a person weaker, not stronger. There has been a streak of child murders by strangers here recently. I cannot help but feel that the tendency in this culture to encourage children not to think for themselves and to follow along with what others are doing is a major factor in crimes against kids.
With these two things in mind, I am leaning toward the idea of not teaching "Aikido." My plan is to focus on non-competitive games and activities. I have to admit here that what I want to do is heavily influenced by my practice of Systema along with Aikido. This does run directly contrary to what Jorge and many others have indicated.
Charles
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