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Old 04-14-2005, 06:57 AM   #10
batemanb
 
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Dojo: Seibukan Aikido UK
Location: body in UK, heart still in Japan
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 1,031
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Re: My first attempt at teaching

A lot of good advice above. I teach a kids class, my students range from 7 - 15 years old. They pretty much all started at the same time, with the exception of 3 or 4. I started them on ukemi and techniques from aihanmi kataedori and gyaku hanmi katatedori, doing ikkyo, iriminage, tenchinage, shihonage and kaitenage. They've been at it a year now, once a week excluding bank holidays, now introducing new attacks and techniques (tsuki, Yokomen, ryote doir, ushiro etc.). The young ones lose their attention span fairly quick, so I don't stick with any one technique for more than 5 minutes before changing to something else, even if it's the same . The older ones are all for doing full over the top ukemi from kokyunage's and kotegaeshi now. I don't teach them nikkyo, sankyo or koteaeshi, although they may get 5 minutes practicing carefully every 4 months or so , without putting any pressure on the wrists.

Depending on how many kids are in the class, extra hands are very valuable, especially as levels of ability will vary, it will allow you to split the class.

Games are good, but not every lesson, fun is really good, so interaction with the kids is very important, don't run it like a drill sergeant, but do be firm and positive. Make sure they know that you are in charge, but let them get away with a bit every now and then, reign them in when needed .

rgds

Bryan

A difficult problem is easily solved by asking yourself the question, "Just how would the Lone Ranger handle this?"
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