Disclaimer: I am not trying to tell parents how to, well, parent. Individual styles and rules differ from family to family and I would never presume that I know better than any parent. But I do hope you will consider the following before you take your child out of martial arts, or sports, as punishment.
Many children who do not behave in school, or maybe don’t do their schoolwork, or have a failing grade, actually behave well in our classes and work hard. This is partly because it is something they want to do. Because of this, taking it away from children who do misbehave in school, seems a good punishment.
Many parents believe that if children know they will lose karate as punishment, they will behave. This seems like sound logic, except that we are talking about children.
Children WILL misbehave. They will be lazy, will be careless. They will think they have the best excuse and maybe don’t think they are breaking rules.
Sometimes they will even break rules intentionally. Not cleaning their room because it doesn’t seem dirty to them, only mom or dad, so why should they? Not doing homework because they don’t understand it and don’t want to admit it. Or just because they don’t feel like it.
I had one child, a girl who was one of our most well-behaved and talented students, spend a month’s worth of lunch money on snacks. She definitely needed to be disciplined.
In general, children do need to learn the discipline to perform those tasks properly.
But consider this. Bringing them to class, having them not miss classes, helps instill in them a fulfillment of commitment.
The classes themselves, as well as teaching your children martial arts, teach self-discipline, coordination, goal-setting, and physical fitness. Staying at home will bring little of that. Attending karate classes will not end the behavior but it can help with learning the necessary skills.
In my most humble opinion, it would be better to take away things that only have entertainment value like video games, movies, television, eating out, computer free time, action figures, etc.
To me, taking away martial arts is like punishing them by taking away salads, from a child who like salads, or not allowing your child to do housework because they enjoy doing housework. I personally believe karate is something you should MAKE your child go to, like school and homework. It is GOOD FOR THEM!
Friday, February 9, 2018
Friday, December 1, 2017
Promotions and That 10-year-old Black Belt
Children start martial arts at different ages. Some children start at age 8, some at 15, some start at age 4 as a Little Dragon. The best of them, the most dedicated, will arrive at the same place, black belt, but at different speeds and at different ages.
As we move forward to having our first children move to Advanced belts, it’s time to think about how to move forward so that we do not end up with 10-year-old black belts.
I believe martial arts are good for people of all ages. I believe anyone who performs their best should be able to earn a black belt. However, I also believe that there is a level of maturity needed to wear a black belt that most children under the age of 16 do not have.
There are exceptions to every rule, and I am not opposed to 14-year-old, and the rare 13-year-old, but you are not going to see any 10-year-old or even 12-year-old black belts in this school.
So, if your child starts young and progresses at the regular rate of testing every three months through the lower belts, please understand that they will slow down when they hit advanced. They will slow down and progress at their own rate, a rate that will be determined by goals set and met.
Each child who progresses to Advanced will be given a GOALS FOR ADVANCED paper for each belt. It has three goals:
The goal set by the instructor will be a weakness we believe should not be present in an advanced student.
But more important is the other goal. Asking students to set goals for themselves not only gives them a goal to strive for, it helps determine whether they are ready to progress. Can they see where they need work?
For one student to whom I gave the form this week, I was undecided as to which of two issues I wanted her to work on. I chose one. She, without prompting, chose the other. I can guarantee you, she will progress.
Once they reach Cho Dan Bo (Black Belt Apprentice,) the process is slowed by the Cho Dan Bo Tracking Chart. There is a much larger set of tasks for each student to complete before progressing through the four levels of Cho Dan Bo.
The last level of Cho Dan Bo is a belt that is half black, half blue. In a sense you could think of it as a Junior Black Belt, as a child or really, even as an adult. It is the last level before black belt and if they make it that far there is no doubt they will make it the last step in time.
Through these last phases, please be patient with your child, and with us, if they do not progress as quickly as you would like. We want them to truly attain the skills and mental readiness for black belt before we test them.
Tang Soo!
As we move forward to having our first children move to Advanced belts, it’s time to think about how to move forward so that we do not end up with 10-year-old black belts.
I believe martial arts are good for people of all ages. I believe anyone who performs their best should be able to earn a black belt. However, I also believe that there is a level of maturity needed to wear a black belt that most children under the age of 16 do not have.
There are exceptions to every rule, and I am not opposed to 14-year-old, and the rare 13-year-old, but you are not going to see any 10-year-old or even 12-year-old black belts in this school.
So, if your child starts young and progresses at the regular rate of testing every three months through the lower belts, please understand that they will slow down when they hit advanced. They will slow down and progress at their own rate, a rate that will be determined by goals set and met.
Each child who progresses to Advanced will be given a GOALS FOR ADVANCED paper for each belt. It has three goals:
- Goal set by ETTSD instructors
- Goal set by student
- Vocabulary/Martial Value/Protocol
The goal set by the instructor will be a weakness we believe should not be present in an advanced student.
But more important is the other goal. Asking students to set goals for themselves not only gives them a goal to strive for, it helps determine whether they are ready to progress. Can they see where they need work?
For one student to whom I gave the form this week, I was undecided as to which of two issues I wanted her to work on. I chose one. She, without prompting, chose the other. I can guarantee you, she will progress.
Once they reach Cho Dan Bo (Black Belt Apprentice,) the process is slowed by the Cho Dan Bo Tracking Chart. There is a much larger set of tasks for each student to complete before progressing through the four levels of Cho Dan Bo.
The last level of Cho Dan Bo is a belt that is half black, half blue. In a sense you could think of it as a Junior Black Belt, as a child or really, even as an adult. It is the last level before black belt and if they make it that far there is no doubt they will make it the last step in time.
Through these last phases, please be patient with your child, and with us, if they do not progress as quickly as you would like. We want them to truly attain the skills and mental readiness for black belt before we test them.
Tang Soo!
Wednesday, November 1, 2017
What Do Students Learn From Sparring
We spar at least once a week in our dojang. We encourage all students to participate even if they start out being reluctant.
Sparring helps improve techniques we teach in class such as punches, blocking and fighting strategy. It also builds skills unique to sparring: timing, distance awareness and footwork. And it is an essential part of Tang Soo Do.
We never let children spar unsupervised to be sure the lessons of sparring are learned and that no one gets hurt. However, not getting hurt is different from taking a hit. And we do want kids to learn that. Kids WILL get hit, and lessons can be learned from that also.
Kids learn that momentary pain from sparring isn't the same as getting hurt. Once they get used to this, they learn to not stop fighting when they get hit! This is important in the real world where their opponents will not stop fighting and give them a break if they actually do get injured.
Kids learn to not be bullies. Sometimes, instead of getting scared if they get hit, kids get mad. They have to learn to control their emotions if they want to continue sparring. And in real life, an angry fighter isn't usually a smart fighter. If children learn what it feels like to be hit, they will be able to keep their cool if they ever encounter a real-life opponent.
Kids learn that there are ways to minimize even that momentary pain from sparring. Tightening stomach muscles, kihapping, and other techniques that help a punch to the stomach, the most common place to take a punch or kick, not hurt as much.
Lastly, it really does become easier over time. The more you take hits, the easier it is to take the next one, both psychologically and physically.
And then there’s tournament sparring. Students are much more likely to test their skills in a tournament. They need to be able to take a hit, find openings and counter, even if they are hurting from being hit.
In the open tournaments we attend the meaning of “light sparring” is a bit different from the Tang Soo Do tournament definition. They spar hard, allow face contact and compete at a national level of competence and training. We want our students to learn to hold their own.
Many students who begin as reluctant sparrers end up being the best ones, once they learn the lessons sparring teaches. And usually, even most reluctant students come to eventually like sparring.
Sparring helps improve techniques we teach in class such as punches, blocking and fighting strategy. It also builds skills unique to sparring: timing, distance awareness and footwork. And it is an essential part of Tang Soo Do.
We never let children spar unsupervised to be sure the lessons of sparring are learned and that no one gets hurt. However, not getting hurt is different from taking a hit. And we do want kids to learn that. Kids WILL get hit, and lessons can be learned from that also.
Kids learn that momentary pain from sparring isn't the same as getting hurt. Once they get used to this, they learn to not stop fighting when they get hit! This is important in the real world where their opponents will not stop fighting and give them a break if they actually do get injured.
Kids learn to not be bullies. Sometimes, instead of getting scared if they get hit, kids get mad. They have to learn to control their emotions if they want to continue sparring. And in real life, an angry fighter isn't usually a smart fighter. If children learn what it feels like to be hit, they will be able to keep their cool if they ever encounter a real-life opponent.
Kids learn that there are ways to minimize even that momentary pain from sparring. Tightening stomach muscles, kihapping, and other techniques that help a punch to the stomach, the most common place to take a punch or kick, not hurt as much.
Lastly, it really does become easier over time. The more you take hits, the easier it is to take the next one, both psychologically and physically.
And then there’s tournament sparring. Students are much more likely to test their skills in a tournament. They need to be able to take a hit, find openings and counter, even if they are hurting from being hit.
In the open tournaments we attend the meaning of “light sparring” is a bit different from the Tang Soo Do tournament definition. They spar hard, allow face contact and compete at a national level of competence and training. We want our students to learn to hold their own.
Many students who begin as reluctant sparrers end up being the best ones, once they learn the lessons sparring teaches. And usually, even most reluctant students come to eventually like sparring.
Sunday, October 1, 2017
Your Children May Not Be Perfect, But They Are Good Enough
Many parents watch their children in class. I encourage this, but sometimes I see frustration on faces when “their child” is not perfect, or does not perform as well as another child.
Listen to me. Your child is good enough, no matter their performance in class, especially in the first six months to a year of classes. And I ask that you give them that chance.
Children develop at their own rates. Some pick things up right away. Others have to be told hundreds of times how to do a basic stance. Sometimes these children are in the same family.
I have some experience here. I not only run a martial arts school and have seen it in my students, I raised four children in the martial arts. Two of them were “naturals.” Two of them were, well, not. Three of them earned black belts. And Ian, Will and Sarah are all still practicing and competing.
But the big issue here is how parents react to their children. Encourage them. Say how well they did. If you see improvement, tell them. If you don’t, praise them for doing the class. Criticizing them will only make them feel as though they are not good enough. And it may make them want to quit. And they are good enough!
Even in Little Dragons I see huge differences in ability and yet consistent growth. For example, some 4 year olds are able to stand still for a full minute in the first class. Others take six months before they can do it. But eventually, they ALL get there.
Listen to me. Your child is good enough, no matter their performance in class, especially in the first six months to a year of classes. And I ask that you give them that chance.
Children develop at their own rates. Some pick things up right away. Others have to be told hundreds of times how to do a basic stance. Sometimes these children are in the same family.
I have some experience here. I not only run a martial arts school and have seen it in my students, I raised four children in the martial arts. Two of them were “naturals.” Two of them were, well, not. Three of them earned black belts. And Ian, Will and Sarah are all still practicing and competing.
But the big issue here is how parents react to their children. Encourage them. Say how well they did. If you see improvement, tell them. If you don’t, praise them for doing the class. Criticizing them will only make them feel as though they are not good enough. And it may make them want to quit. And they are good enough!
Even in Little Dragons I see huge differences in ability and yet consistent growth. For example, some 4 year olds are able to stand still for a full minute in the first class. Others take six months before they can do it. But eventually, they ALL get there.
Friday, September 1, 2017
Uniform Protocol
All students and their parents should be aware of the following.
Belt Protocol
A student’s belt should never lie on the ground. It should be on the student, hung up or be otherwise stored.Uniforms
We have not enforced the uniform trim because of the extra cost, but if you cannot afford a trimmed uniform, we plan to order colored trim that can be added to your current uniform at a lower cost. Ms. Jennifer can do the sewing, also at a small cost.- Students may wear any uniform authorized by the Head Instructor of their dojang.
- Students will wear their traditional uniforms to formal events: Gradings, Tournaments and such.
- 6 Gups - 4 Gups will have their uniforms trimmed in green.
- 3 Gups – 1 Gups will have their uniforms trimmed in red.
- All Dan Member uniforms will be fully trimmed in midnight blue.
T-Shirts
When wearing t-shirts, they need to be TUCKED IN to the uniform bottoms.Other Protocol
Protocol for social events, restaurants, visiting schools, patches and tying your belt can be found in our student manual.Thursday, June 1, 2017
Proper Names
We truly appreciate when parents make an effort to use proper terminology when speaking about our school, our uniforms and our instructors.
However, because we are a Korean martial art and most of the terms popularly disseminated in tv and movies are Japanese, I ask that you learn the correct Korean terminology so your children will learn it also.
So, we are not a dojo, we are a dojang. Our uniforms are do boks, not ghis. Our belt is called a dee, not an obi.
And neither I, nor any of our black belts are sensei. We have our own titles. Mr. Will and I are Kyo Sa Nim – black belt instructor, used for 2nd (Mr. Will) and 3rd (me) degree black belts.
Mr. Ian and Ms. Sarah are Yo Dan Ja, or black belt holders. A senior member of the class who is not a black belt is called Sun Bae.
The Sun Bae is the highest ranking student, other than black belts, in the class. This could be a green belt or even an orange belt. Your child could be Sun Bae Nim (the “nim” honorific added for class opening and closing protocol) and be bowed to if s/he is the highest rank.
Our black belt exam included a master testing. We also had two masters in the house performing the testing. The Korean word for Master Instructor is Sah Bum Nim.
These two particular masters, however, are the heads of their organizations.
Master Garth Charland is the grandmaster of our organization, Tang Soo Do Masters Alliance (TSDMA).
Master David Sgro is the grandmaster of United States Goodwill Tang Soo Do.
Grandmasters are called Kwan Ja Nim.
However, because we are a Korean martial art and most of the terms popularly disseminated in tv and movies are Japanese, I ask that you learn the correct Korean terminology so your children will learn it also.
So, we are not a dojo, we are a dojang. Our uniforms are do boks, not ghis. Our belt is called a dee, not an obi.
And neither I, nor any of our black belts are sensei. We have our own titles. Mr. Will and I are Kyo Sa Nim – black belt instructor, used for 2nd (Mr. Will) and 3rd (me) degree black belts.
Mr. Ian and Ms. Sarah are Yo Dan Ja, or black belt holders. A senior member of the class who is not a black belt is called Sun Bae.
The Sun Bae is the highest ranking student, other than black belts, in the class. This could be a green belt or even an orange belt. Your child could be Sun Bae Nim (the “nim” honorific added for class opening and closing protocol) and be bowed to if s/he is the highest rank.
Our black belt exam included a master testing. We also had two masters in the house performing the testing. The Korean word for Master Instructor is Sah Bum Nim.
These two particular masters, however, are the heads of their organizations.
Master Garth Charland is the grandmaster of our organization, Tang Soo Do Masters Alliance (TSDMA).
Master David Sgro is the grandmaster of United States Goodwill Tang Soo Do.
Grandmasters are called Kwan Ja Nim.
Monday, May 1, 2017
Why Tournaments?
Tournament season is here! You will be hearing about them, being encouraged to attend and have your children compete in them. We will be running competitions in class to teach protocol and will be pushing the Saturday, 9AM Competition Class. Why?`
I believe a lot of good things come from tournament participation, both open tournaments and Tang Soo Do tournaments.
Students will get to showcase their skills and find out where they need to improve to win. I have never seen kids more determined to perfect their forms and sparring techniques than after a tournament. If going to competitions is what makes a child enthusiastic about learning martial arts, then going to tournaments is what s/he should be doing!
Students will make friends and in many cases will retain those friendships over years because many of the same children attend the majority of tournaments we attend.
Students learn to lose. Some schools discourage competition, but I think that since we live in a competitive society, teaching children about competition, including losing, is an important part of martial arts.
For Tang Soo Do tournaments, it is a family experience. Students are welcomed and nurtured, even in the ring.
If there were more of them around, we would go to more. The closest ones to here are about 5 hours away. We have gone to a few in Fayetteville and plan to go to one in Birmingham next month.
The rest of the tournaments we go to come from the All-Star Karate League (ASKL) schedule. This is a highly competitive open league based out of Atlanta that includes tournaments over a large swath of the U.S., from FL to WI!! The ones we go to are in TN and GA.
With open tournaments students get to see other styles, uniforms that do not look like theirs and to compete with their technique as much as their pattern. Since the judges do not know our forms, students with good form score well even if there are mistakes in the pattern.
These are more challenging tournaments since the divisions tend to be larger and the judges are not Tang Soo Do. However, these are the types of tournaments I came up the ranks with and they served me and my children (Mr. Ian, Mr. Will, Ms. Sarah) well.
I hope you will consider allowing your child to compete in at least one tournament this year!
I believe a lot of good things come from tournament participation, both open tournaments and Tang Soo Do tournaments.
Students will get to showcase their skills and find out where they need to improve to win. I have never seen kids more determined to perfect their forms and sparring techniques than after a tournament. If going to competitions is what makes a child enthusiastic about learning martial arts, then going to tournaments is what s/he should be doing!
Students will make friends and in many cases will retain those friendships over years because many of the same children attend the majority of tournaments we attend.
Students learn to lose. Some schools discourage competition, but I think that since we live in a competitive society, teaching children about competition, including losing, is an important part of martial arts.
For Tang Soo Do tournaments, it is a family experience. Students are welcomed and nurtured, even in the ring.
If there were more of them around, we would go to more. The closest ones to here are about 5 hours away. We have gone to a few in Fayetteville and plan to go to one in Birmingham next month.
The rest of the tournaments we go to come from the All-Star Karate League (ASKL) schedule. This is a highly competitive open league based out of Atlanta that includes tournaments over a large swath of the U.S., from FL to WI!! The ones we go to are in TN and GA.
With open tournaments students get to see other styles, uniforms that do not look like theirs and to compete with their technique as much as their pattern. Since the judges do not know our forms, students with good form score well even if there are mistakes in the pattern.
These are more challenging tournaments since the divisions tend to be larger and the judges are not Tang Soo Do. However, these are the types of tournaments I came up the ranks with and they served me and my children (Mr. Ian, Mr. Will, Ms. Sarah) well.
I hope you will consider allowing your child to compete in at least one tournament this year!
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