Need help from experienced instructors ~ especially TAGB

cavallin · Oct 26, 2006

i will welcome any instructor's advice, but especially TAGB as they will really understand the system.

basically, i feel like my student's are going backwards rather than forwards with their technical ability. they are learning new things, but some have already picked up bad habits that need correcting.
i will most probably answer my questions as i go along, but any experience would be appreciated.

i have about 7 students, highest grade is yellow (8th kup)

1) there a 2 girls in my dojang who CANNOT work independently. i can leave my 8 yr old junior and he will sensibly practise his patterns. unfortunately one of the girls has very low self esteem and gets discouraged terribly easily, but sometimes i have to tell them off. i am worried that if i am too harsh they will just get discouraged...i've tried giving them a "pep talk" to say the only person you are cheating on is yourself, and you will not be ready to grade with this attitude ect...which works for 5 minutes then the next lesson they are back in their old ways.

2) for a start all of my students only train once a week but they seem to be missing a lot of lessons, through things that sometimes isn't always their fault. how can i get them to be commited at such an early stage?

3) they seem to have picked up a lot of bad habits, i'm really not sure why/how...i'm a bit of a perfectionist, so i do notice these things a lot, and i feel that i want to hold them back a grading. this grading is very soon after the last one, so they could make it through, but they would not be doing their best.
someone's opinion was that at this grade it didn't matter, it's only yellow belt, and these things will get ironed out. somehow i feel that they will get worse...that person said "they only need to be a good yellow belt, not a black belt"

4) if some are ready but say one or 2 aren't im really worried they'll get discouraged and think they are rubbish (teenage girls ) if i hold them back!

please help me figure out all these uncertainties in my head. i feel like im expecting too much, yet not enough...and i can't get the balance right. i feel like im failing as an instructor.

i'd appreciate any advice, thanks

sliver · Oct 27, 2006

Hey Cavallin, buck up, you're experiencing problems every new instructor faces, namely, self doubt, and uncertianty. The good news is with experience these problmes will fade. Though they never completely go away for most, a trail you've tread several times looks less trecherous. I've never practiced TAGB TKD, but the problems you're facing are universal, so maybe my input will help a bit. I've practiced martial arts for 13 years now, and taught for six, so I have at least a little insite. To make things easier on myself, my responses are in the body of your post.

cavallin said:

i will welcome any instructor's advice, but especially TAGB as they will really understand the system.

basically, i feel like my student's are going backwards rather than forwards with their technical ability. they are learning new things, but some have already picked up bad habits that need correcting.
i will most probably answer my questions as i go along, but any experience would be appreciated.

i have about 7 students, highest grade is yellow (8th kup)

First note, your students are very new to martial arts and will pick up all kinds of bad technical habbits as a natural part of the learning process. This problems does need to be addressed, but it needs to be handled properly if you're going to keep these young students motivated. I appologize for how long the following explaination is, feel free to skip it if I'm covering old ground here, but I feel the technique worth mentioning.

First, isolate the specific problem, and discuss it frankly with the student. For example:

"Sally, I've noticed every time you throw your rear leg roundhouse you come up onto the toes of your standing foot rather than keeping your foot flat."

Speaking to people this way when you are their instructor, and especially young people is a habit worth mastering. Number one it's not attacking, so the student doesn't feel defensive or discouraged. Number two, it cites a specific problem that the student can then foccus their energy on solving. I realize this probably seems like a no-brainer, but I can't tell you how many times I've heard new instructors and especially assistant instructors use the negative version:

"Sally I've noticed your rear leg roundhouse is kind of sloppy (or weak, or whatever negative descriptor you care to use here"

Though this is said in a freindly tone of voice and intended to help the student, it completely failed it's mission. The student (particularly young or sensitive students) hear

"Sally, you're sloppy (or weak, or whatever negative again)"

This completely demoralizes the student. They may not even realize why they feel bad when they're at class they just know they do, and will quickly find other things to do.

Second, now that you've identified the specific problem for the student and done it in a way that doesn't shut down their learning process, give them a tool to overcome it.

"I think we need to work on this for a while, I want your roundhouse to rock. Here's what I want you to do, go over to the mirror, and throw twenty roundhouses on each leg. Watch your standing foot in the mirror and make sure it stays flat. Ok? I'll do the first set with you to help you get in the habit... With a little practice you'll lick this no problem"

There are a few keys here. One, you've given the student an effective exercise to help overcome the problem. Two, you've made it clear to them that solving the problem is important, it's not something they can gloss over. Three, you've set up a pattern in their mind that the way to overcome these technical problems is by developing their own awareness of them, and practicing on thier own. Four, and perhaps most importantly, you're having them tackle one problem at a time. There might be ten things wrong with her roundhouse, but trying to correct them all at once is just going to overwhealm a young student and make them feel inadequate. Solve the problems one at a time, pick the worst one and let them work on that untill they've got it under control; praise them for their hard work then move on to the next problem. Yeah, it's a long slow process, but if being a good instructor was easy, everyone would have one. ;o)

Last, set a goal and set a deadline for the student. Make sure they are realistic and achievable:

"We have a grading comming up next week, Sally. I want you to be able to keep your foot flat durring your roundhouse before you grade. Here's the deal, not everyone grades at the same pace because everyone has different skills. If you can get your roundhouse kickin' by the time the grading comes up, I'll put you in the test, if not, no problem we'll have the extra time to work on it and get you in the next grading, ok? Try practicing at home for ten minutes a day, you'll be amazed how much it will help!"

Your whole class can not grade all at the same time forever, it's just not realistic. Sooner or later some of the kids are going to have to deal with disapointment at not grading. If you try to protect them from that, you're not doing them any favors, or yourself because you'll have set a negative precident. Just make sure that if they don't grade, they know exactly why and have a clearly defined goal as to what they need to do to be ready for the next grading. This way, they may feel disappointed at not graiding, but they won't feel it's because something is intrinsicly wrong with them ("I'm just not as good as the other students"), or because you just don't like them.

1) there a 2 girls in my dojang who CANNOT work independently. i can leave my 8 yr old junior and he will sensibly practise his patterns. unfortunately one of the girls has very low self esteem and gets discouraged terribly easily, but sometimes i have to tell them off. i am worried that if i am too harsh they will just get discouraged...i've tried giving them a "pep talk" to say the only person you are cheating on is yourself, and you will not be ready to grade with this attitude ect...which works for 5 minutes then the next lesson they are back in their old ways.

Yep, you're going to run into this one a lot before you're done. First things first: You will not fix their attitude with one pep talk. It's taken them their entire life to arrive at this mental/emotional state of being. Though you can affect them in a positive way, it's a slow process. The best thing to do with the low self esteem student as well as those who can't work well independently is give them clear feedback and clear goals.

By clear feedback I mean tell them exactly what you expect of them, leave no room for ambiguity:

"Ok Sally, we're working on your patterns today. I want you to go through your first pattern full speed with as much power as you can put into it, five times. Come get me when you're done, and I'm going to take a look and we'll fine tune some things"

What you've just done is first established exactly what is expected of your student, second, given them a clearly defined goal and reward (goal: five times through the pattern full speed and power, reward, you get my personal attention afterward), third you've required them to work independently. In an ideal situation with younger students I would stop by and watch sally's pattern while she was mid way through her five reps. I probably wouldn't say anything, just smile, watch for a few seconds, and move on to the next student. That way she realizes I'm still cognizant of what she's doing, re-enforcing a good habit, without allowing her to feel she can monopolize me durring class time.

Even if her pattern was trash, I'd let her run through them the full five times before I started coaching her on them. She has to pay for my time with her effort. No effort, no reward. Even if the effort is nominal (the pattern was far from full power or the kicks were low for example), she has to go through the requirement to get the reward. Then, I would make her do it again with me watch, and use the procedure I outlined above to move her to the next goal. Address a specific problem, give her the tool to solve it, and then give her a clear goal and timeframe to do so.

"Prety good Sally, But I know for a fact you can thow your front ball kick much higher than that. Heck, you almost hit the chain on the heavy bag last week! Go through the pattern again, and I want you to pay special attention to your front ball kick"

Watch her do it, and then tell her to do the pattern three more times paying special attention to the front ball kick.

I realize this may all sound a bit formulaic at this point, but that's exactly what teaching tools are, a consistant, effective, and repeatable methodology for training your students that can be applied universally. Just having that much puts you light years ahead of the haphazard way some intructors deal with their students.

The goal/reward system is absoloutly essential for younger students. Just telling a student "practice your patterns" doesn't give them anything to shoot for, nor any reason to shoot for it. Having a clearly defined end point will work wonders for most students. This is how you create structure within the class.

2) for a start all of my students only train once a week but they seem to be missing a lot of lessons, through things that sometimes isn't always their fault. how can i get them to be commited at such an early stage?

For the younger students, it's not their fault. You have to make the class important to both the students AND the parents. Talk to the parents directly; both in public and private. Emphasize how important it is for the kids to be at every class. Remind them that if they don't make classes they won't be ready to grade (I've found this to be fairly effective with most parents, but you're just not going to get them all).

For the teenagers, it is their fault by and large. Make the class important to them on a personal level. Let them know if they miss classes they won't be ready to grade. If you can, offer them a chance to make up missed classes some other time in the week if they call before the class they missed. Most of all hold them accountable!

If they miss the class have a private conversation with them and ask them why and what happened; ask them if they practiced on their own time since they missed class. If they say yes ask them what they did and ask them to show you. This lets them know you take a personal interest in their progress, and gives them a reward if they actually do practice on their own (your attention and feedback on their practice). Get them in the habit that they need to practice even if they really can't come to class for some reason. If you want to take it one step farther, give them homework due by next class. Be creative, you'd be amazed how people will respond positively to this if done right. For example, as homework have them time how long they can hold a fully extended side kick at their maximum height every day untill next class. Have them write it down on a worksheet you give them. When they give it back the next week, time them in front of the class to see if they can beat their next time (goal and reward system again). You can do a lot to get them in the habit of practicing on their own.

3) they seem to have picked up a lot of bad habits, i'm really not sure why/how...i'm a bit of a perfectionist, so i do notice these things a lot, and i feel that i want to hold them back a grading. this grading is very soon after the last one, so they could make it through, but they would not be doing their best.
someone's opinion was that at this grade it didn't matter, it's only yellow belt, and these things will get ironed out. somehow i feel that they will get worse...that person said "they only need to be a good yellow belt, not a black belt"

I would both agree and disagree with your couleage's statement that it didn't matter at this early stage. It does matter that they make acceptable progress, however, she is quite right, these are beginners not blackbelts. If you've given them specific goals, and they've overcome the specific technical problems you've set out for them, grade them. Their stuff may not be perfect, but you will know if it is showing disinct and measureable progress if you use the method I outline above. To take it one step further it helps to keep notes of what you've told your students to work on every class. With seven you may be able to remember them all, but when you have seventy, no chance.

If they aren't hitting their goals hold them back. Do however, talk to them privately and let them know exactly what they need to work on and what you want to see so they can hit the next grading. If missing one grading causes them to drop out, well, you can't win 'em all, and that's a prety darn thin skin. Better to not comprimise reasonable standards than worry excessively about loosing someone who just can't take constructive feedback. Just make sure your expectations are reasonable for their level.

4) if some are ready but say one or 2 aren't im really worried they'll get discouraged and think they are rubbish (teenage girls ) if i hold them back!

See above.

please help me figure out all these uncertainties in my head. i feel like im expecting too much, yet not enough...and i can't get the balance right. i feel like im failing as an instructor.

You'll be fine. It takes time and the self doubt you're experiencing is something every new instructor (or anyone new in a position of responsibility and authority) feels. Like I said earlier, it will fade in time. You're going to muck it up a few times, but tough it out, you'll be fine. By the way, I have a lot of respect for your posting something like this. Many people would be too insecure to admit they were struggling to anyone, much less look for help online. Hopefully, my method can be useful to you and some others will add their thoughts.

i'd appreciate any advice, thanks

You're welcome. Hope this helps a bit. Be well.
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Visage · Oct 27, 2006

Sliver, FANTASTIC post! It's helped me out too!

James

cavallin · Oct 27, 2006

cheers !! i am not ashamed of putting it down because i really want to be a good instructor. i'm actually a school teacher in "real life" lol, but it's a lot more personal in TKD, i want them to do a lot better ect...

i always use the positive/goal thing, but i think i dont reinforce it enough.
i love the worksheets idea, i think that will really help them!

thanks

HMFC · Oct 27, 2006

I agree with sliver about speaking to the parents and explain the importance of getting the kids to the class. I have a handfull of students who only train once a week although i run classes twice weekly, you can spot the kids who only train once a week a mile away. Personally , i dont get myself worked up about it and when it comes round to a grading , if they are not the same standard as the rest of the class they dont grade. Im sure you are doing a good job teaching and can guarantee you that almost every instructor has had problems similar to yours at one time . The most important thing is to stay possitive , enjoy teaching and enjoy the challenge.
No one said running a tkd school was easy but im sure with your commitment it will become easier as you iron out your problems one by one.
Good luck!!!

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