Help leading my first karate class... what should I teach...?

Question

I got my brown belt about a month ago, and tomorrow i'm leading my first class. I'll be leading the youth class. Any suggestions for what I should teach or a fun exercise that all the kids would like, but learn from? Or something to teach discipline or control? I want to impress the person I learn from by coming up with something new and impressive to teach the younger kids. ANY suggestions help.

Answer 1

We as outsiders to your school can't help you, this is an internal battle. Your instructor should guide you as to what to do, or have already taught you the curriculum to teach. Think back to YOUR lessons. You do something your instructor hasn't taught you, all you are doing is adding confusion to the school.  

Answer 2

Don't try to eat the elephant in one bite!

No one is expecting you to come up with the perfect lesson plan, teach it perfectly, and have all of your students ready for a black belt test in an hour.

They will probably be impressed if you can get them lined up, do their warm ups, and actually learn one thing during the class without anyone getting hurt.

Teach something you already know really well, but that is appropriate for the age and level you're teaching.

Answer 3

I've been teaching kids for about 3 years now and here's what I learned about how to teach...

1.)  Keep it simple.  A kid might not be old enough to handle three steps - they might be able to do the first step then will look to you for step two no matter how many times you have demonstrated.

So, do step one, then add step two, then add step three.

2.)  Ask them questions.  Ask them things like "do you see the difference between this (what you observe them doing) and that (what you are trying to get them to do)?

3.)  Don't DEmand respect, COMmand respect.  Not easy - its a learned skill, just consider it as a goal.

4.)  Be safe.  Its not about you, its about them, so the goal is their safety and their learning.

5.)  Have the more senior students work with the more junior students - pick partners if you have to.

6.)  Don't take any sighs and such as an insult - your class will be different than other teachers classes and the students will be getting used to the change just as much as you are.

7.)  Teach what you want to teach.  You have been given a class and it is yours to run as you like.  Therefore, work on what you think the students need to work on.

Your Sensei isn't expecting you to be a great teacher only that you become better at teaching over time - just like they expect with your Karate.

A few years ago, my Sensei came to class to make sure a senior student would be there lest he have to cancel class.  I had just done the kids class and he asked if I would take his that followed.

I asked him if there was anything in particular he wanted me to work on and he said "Whatever you think they need to work on."

You are in the same situation - the training for you as a teacher is to learn to see and select what the students need - that requires experience.  You wouldn't have been asked to teach if your Sensei didn't trust you could do it so stop questioning yourself and roll with the punches!

If Sensei wants you to teach, all the questioning about if you are ready or not have already been considered.  If you don't trust yourself, trust Sensei and thus the instinct (s)he has in you.  You'll come up with something... as long as you don't let your worries get in your way.  You will impress your Sensei if you get through the class with the students being happy walking off the mat.

You are a white belt in the art of teaching now.  Innovation in the methods of instruction comes latter and isn't what Sensei expects now so don't worry about it.

Your Sensei isn't likely looking for impressive things that you teach your students.  Sensei is probably looking to be impressed with the manor in which you teach your students.

If the students learn anything, Sensei will be impressed so just teach them something - help them improve, facilitate their learning.  Do that and Sensei will be proud.