copyright
© 2010 Douglas Tong, all rights reserved
Case #1
Recently, a beginning teacher, one who had just started a dojo, talked
to me about how different it was teaching, rather than learning. He had
to be responsible for a lot more than just showing up to train. That is
the student’s luxury, not the teacher’s. He was feeling overwhelmed and
asked for some help. One of the many issues he brought up was this one:
He was trying to teach the beginners kamae but they just couldn’t do it
right. Either the hand is wrong or the feet or the body position or
some strange contortions with their bodies and so on. It was really
difficult, he said. He was frustrated.
Case #2
A while ago, another teacher with a few years of teaching under his
belt told me how his class was becoming mundane. They would do the same
opening exercises, which in this case amounted to some practice in
kamae, then basic cutting exercises, then kumi-tachi (partnered kata).
He felt that the students were getting bored and got the feeling that
they felt the class was getting repetitive. What should I do? he asked
me. He felt that he had to do something or they would soon be leaving
in droves.
Different circumstances, same problem
Welcome to teaching: It is, at times, glorious, at times frustrating.
Sometimes glamorous, sometimes exasperating. And in the two case
examples we see above (which by the way are true events), we can feel
the frustration and anxiety. But before we decide to throw in the
towel, let’s look at these two cases in more detail.
In Case #1, this new teacher has a problem. He is dealing with
beginners and there is a lot of work to be done. His problem is that
there is too much to be done. Everything is wrong. There is too much to
fix and naturally he feels overwhelmed.
In Case #2, this novice teacher has a different issue. The class is
going fine but it is getting monotonous. Same thing, week in, week out.
The routines are set, that is good. But it is too routine now. The
danger here is that one might get into the habit of “just going through
the motions”. There is no thinking about whatever it is that they are
doing, no engagement.
While both cases have different issues, they actually both share the same problem. That problem is lack of focus.
“Focus? But I AM focused when someone is pointing a sword in my face!” some might argue.
But no, not that kind of focus. Focus, as it pertains to training
goals. In other words, every class should have a focus. You can’t do
everything in one class. If you think you can, you are in for some
frustration.
Build the house brick by brick
For our beginning teachers, in Case #1, we are confronted with the
scenario where there is so much to do, one doesn’t know where to begin.
Case #2 concerns a situation where the training has become unfocused
and purposeless, like a ship with no captain.
I have talked to teachers in both of these circumstances and this is the list of foci that I usually provide them with:
Practice Objectives: Basic Level
Physical (Body)
| sword grip: |
focus on thumbs (no straight thumb; wrapped around hilt) |
| sword grip: |
focus on fingers (last two tight, middle firm, index loose) |
| sword grip: |
“twisting a towel” |
| sword point: |
no wavering; dead on |
| foot placement: |
front foot (straight forward or out) |
| foot placement: |
back foot (perpendicular) |
| body position: |
orientation (45 degrees in seigan; han-mi in gedan) |
| body position: |
hips sideways, not forwards |
| body posture: |
erect, upright, no slouching; correct posture |
| balance: |
stability |
| balance: |
rooted to the ground; both feet flat on floor |
| balance: |
50-50 (no leaning forward or back) |
| where to look: |
opponent’s eyes (“metsuke”) |
| where to look: |
looking at whole body without looking directly |
| shoulders: |
no stiffness, relaxed |
| elbows: |
bent, tucked close to body |
| head: |
upright, no bobbing, level |
| back: |
straight |
| body movement: |
settled; not jumpy |
| body movement: |
head should be level, not bobbing up and down |
| body movement: |
how to “walk”; focus on feet |
Technical (Kata)
| distance: |
“ma-ai” (correct engagement distance) |
| distance: |
correct distance in all strikes, blocks, and evasions |
| angles: |
correct angles on all strikes, blocks, and evasions; geometry |
| timing: |
“correct” timing of strikes, blocks, and evasions |
| cutting: |
ensure “correct” sequence of motions to make cut |
| cutting: |
correct trajectory of cuts |
| crossing swords: |
resistance (ie. “meat and bones”- see my interview with Sozen Sensei.) |
| ki: |
kiai; big, loud, spirited |
| execution of kata: |
slow it down |
| execution of kata: |
each move must be done “correctly” |
| execution of kata: |
go through kata move by move |
| execution of kata: |
correct number of steps in coming to make a strike |
| execution of kata: |
repetition, repetition… – building automaticity |
| execution of kata: |
remembering the entire kata |
| bowing: |
correct bow-in procedures (step-by-step) |
| bowing: |
correct bow-out procedures (step-by-step) |
| bowing: |
correct posture |
| bowing: |
correct movements (stiff and formal) |
| bowing: |
correct observance of rites |
While this list pertains to the practice of Katori Shinto Ryu in our
dojo, I think you can extrapolate and apply it in more general terms to
the unique characteristics of your own art. This list is by no means
exhaustive either but I think it will give you a good starting point to
think about how to structure your practice sessions with specific goals
in mind.
As an example, you might want to focus on balance in your next session.
A great focus and one that cannot be stressed enough. Balance can be
looked at in terms of stability, weight distribution, posture, depth of
stance, etc… You can stress balance in motion, in transition, or
stationary, particularly in the execution of kata.
The point is that having that focus makes the training session less
mundane, less ambiguous, and adds meaning for the student. It
introduces an attainable goal that is specific and measurable (or
observable). In the business field and in education, we refer to this
kind of goal-setting approach by the popular acronym: SMART goals.
In other words, goals that are:
S = Specific
M = Measurable
A = Achievable
R = Realistic (or Reasonable or Relevant)
T = Time-Bound/ Time-Framed
So, back to our example, the student now having a specific, measurable
(or observable), achievable, relevant, and time-framed objective, can
more easily see his or her own progress in the achievement of the goal.
They understand clearly what is being practiced and assessed for that
session or for that month or whatever timeframe you set for the
achievement of the goal.
If we are focusing on balance, he or she will quickly understand where
they are with regards to their skill in balance, in static stances like
kamae and while in movement, as in the execution and performance of
kata.
It is easy to do. Just start with the phrase, “Today, we are going to
focus on _______” and insert the name of the issue you’d like to focus
on for that session. And in your post-class debrief, you can then
either choose to talk to individual students about their progress or
you can make general statements to the entire class about common things
that you saw from everyone or particular instances that stood out but
are useful lessons for everyone to hear and to learn from.
Why is an approach like SMART goals useful?
This will take care of Case #1, namely where there are too many issues.
Choose one and work on it that session. This will structure your class
better. Build the house brick by brick. This week, we focus on this.
Next week, we focus on that. Brick by brick. Adding bricks and building
the foundation.
This will also take care of Case #2, which is the situation where there
is no focus. Now you have a focus and the students will find the
session more purposeful. Gives you a purpose too and forces you to
think about what you want them to achieve and how to achieve it, today,
in the short term, and in the long run. Now you have to sit down and
plan and that is surely better than having no plan at all.
For teaching, you need to have a plan. A plan typically involves goals,
objectives. Nebulous goals only create confusion. SMART goals
therefore, goals that are achievable, are really the smart way to go…
For more information about SMART goals, see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMART_criteria and
http://www.career-intelligence.com/management/SmartGoals.asp
Mr. Tong has a Master’s
in Education in Curriculum Studies.
