LIL Dragons/Tiny Tigers (teaching kids)

Discussion in 'Tae Kwon Do Resources' started by Chazz, Jan 18, 2005.

  1. Chazz

    Chazz Keepin it kickin TKD style

    LIL Dragons/Tiny Tigers

    Hey again this is because of the "new school"

    When i would teach at my old school i had in KY i would teach everyone the same. 4 year old - 74 year olds. All the same. (because that the way i was told to do it) Well since im away from there and able to change things ive started looking into the Lil Dragons program.

    Can anyone help me out with how to run it or how they or their school runs it. How long the program is, how they are promoted, what belts do they use, what they teach for each rank or program. Just any help would do.
     
  2. Yudanja

    Yudanja Euphoric

    Heheh.. go back to the old thread you just started.

    Those Little Dragon and Black Belt Clubs have McDojang written all over them in my opinion...
     
  3. Chazz

    Chazz Keepin it kickin TKD style


    Yes i saw that. But i also think that a program for 3-6 year olds is good. Ive worked with a lot and they need something to help get them started. They cant just get thrown in with everyone else. They get the same amount of classes just shorter. They get to work on things that they need to help them jump into a reg class such as Courtesy, Respect, balance, focus, coordination, as well as the simple kicks and punches. When the parents thing they are ready they move to the real class.
     
  4. KickChick

    KickChick Valued Member

    We have a Little Dragons program at our school.
    Classes run for 45 minutes (remember those limited attention spans!).... our youngest student is usually 5 years old .... rarely younger than that.
    NAPMA
    has some Little Dragon Info & merchandise available.

    I used to have an awesome web site that detailed how to successfully teach little dragons.... but unfortunately that bookmark is now a dead link. I'll have to see if I printed that out and placed it somewhere.

    More tips here ... games & drills
    Tips for 3,4, & 5 year olds

    Good luck Chazz.... quite the undertaking! I hope you have some help! Well you got us too ;)
     
  5. Chazz

    Chazz Keepin it kickin TKD style

    ITS KICKCHICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol missed ya girl


    Thanks so much. I have my 17 year old green belt brother helping me. Thats it :confused: If you find that info from that link PLEASE sent it to me. Ide love to read it to get ideas. Thanks for the games as well. I knew you would have my back. I was just waiting for you :D
     
  6. Kwajman

    Kwajman Penguin in paradise....

    Good to see you again Chazz!
     
  7. KickChick

    KickChick Valued Member

    Missed you too Chazz!

    Here is the description taken from our web site that we use on our Little Dragon Enrollment Info forms

    "FUN EXERCISE - Our Little Dragon classes are full of the activities kids love most; running, jumping, kicking, punching and tons of high energy drills that keep kids interested, excited, and motivated.

    DEVELOPMENTS - Our goal is to have your child acquire basic Tae Kwon Do skills at a pace that he/she can enjoy and learn from. The Little Dragon will improve their listening skills, learn left from right, improve balance and coordination, and sharpen fine motor skills.


    ATTENTION SPAN - Our class curriculum is taught in stations. By this method of teaching, the Little Dragon's attention span is improved by moving to a new station every 5 minutes or so. The Little Dragons class always has 3 instructors for an effective student to teacher ratio.

    CONSISTENCY - Little Dragons train in two, *thirty minute classes each week. Experts agree that this consistent repetetive routine is perfect for children ages four through six."

    *correction --not 45 minutes like I said in earlier post


    The link is unavailable. The site was Downey's Taekwon-do Centers (Newfoundland Canada) He is mentioned in this article.Little Dragons get their Kicks
     
  8. Yudanja

    Yudanja Euphoric

    I dont think I am going to accept students who are under 10 years of age..LOL.

    Seems like TKD classes have turned into day cares....but just my opinion.

    Sorry.. this is just a really sticky topic with me..dont mean anything negative about the program if it works for some.. i just dont think it has a place in a serious martial-arts environment...
     
  9. NaughtyKnight

    NaughtyKnight Has yellow fever!

    True, true. Wouldnt moving children on to another station every 5 mins teach them bad habbits when they finally attend the regular classes?
     
  10. Chazz

    Chazz Keepin it kickin TKD style

    Thanks Deb
    your links always help a lot. I just hope i can get a program together before the school opens
     
  11. Kwan Jang

    Kwan Jang Valued Member

    There is a three video series put out by Century Martial Arts supplies that completely outlines this program. It's done by my instructor, Ernie Reyes, Sr. and is age appropriate and pretty much turn key. This program should not be considered as part of your regular program, but basically like pre-school. In KJN Ernie's main location in Santa Clara, he currently has 228 children in this program and his retention is remarkable. He had only two kids quit in over a year. The value to the kids and their parents is great as they are developing life skills and are getting a foundation for developing strong martial skills as well.

    You basically chunk down your first three belt levels down to ten levels for 4-5 yr. olds and five levels for 6-7 yr. olds. You take in consideration what the needs and abilities of a child that age are and then you serve them accordingly. Also, since they are a seperate program within your school (the way a cardio kickbox, ect. is), it keeps you from any temptation at watering down your regular program to try to meet the needs of these kids.

    Chazz, disregard the naysayers who are putting this down.(Without trying to be overly abusive or offensive, I find it amazing that people who have come up under what is by definition a "children's art" that is highly critcized by many in the arts as the definition of "McDojo", throw that term out there so much regarding others). Our regular program is a MMA cirriculum including MT, BJJ, Submission Grappling, as well as TMA's like TKD, Escrima, and Kenpo. It's hardcore enough to have guys like Frank Shamrock to train under KJN Ernie 2-3 times per week for the last (roughly) seven years. The kids who came up under the developmental stages of this program are really awesome, it's going to be interesting to see what levels this new crop of kids will reach as they mature.
     
  12. Yudanja

    Yudanja Euphoric

    Not a naysayer.. I just think if you want to run a daycare service and cater specifically to children then you should have to be liscensed just like a day care service and have AMPLE staff to run such a program.

    I however want to teach martial-arts. I've been to many McDojo's and McDojang's and most have had a program like this in place.... I guess i'm just old fashioned when it comes to martial-arts training and was lucky to be brought up in a "traditional if you will" type of Taekwon-Do atmosphere.
     
  13. Gizmo

    Gizmo Valued Member

    I've been teaching kids for several years now and have 2 separate kids groups. Their classes are 1 hour long, twice a week. We use the same belt system as for adults, but the requirements are simplified up to 5th Kup. Testings are held twice a year. Starting from 4th Kup, requirements are the same as for adults, excluding breaking and full-contact sparring.

    We have been quite successful with our kids program. Last summer I took a group of them to our summer training camp. 10 days of hard work alongside teenagers and adults. The kids were the most disciplined group in the camp and came home happy.

    On our website you may find some pictures and videoclips with our students.

    Regards

    Gizmo
     
    Last edited: Jan 18, 2005
  14. Chazz

    Chazz Keepin it kickin TKD style

    Thanks for the info. If you find or get any more info about how to run a class let me know. anything can help!!

    Hey Giz thanks. I will check out your site. Right now im just looking for what to do aboutthe lil dragons belt promotion, time tables of when they test and how long they stay in the program, What rank do they start in reg classes when they get out of lil dragons, etc (im sure i will have more questions sometime soon LOL) But i will check out your site. Thanks for the help and again ANY info will help and is welcomed
     
  15. Chazz

    Chazz Keepin it kickin TKD style

    Well im going to start getting a few little one in soon or at least thats what im told. Is there any instructors or Asst that have a real good lil dragons program or tiny tigers, or just lil kids (4-7) year old program that they wouldnt mind talking over with me either through messenger, email, PM or anything. I have ideas but anything will help and anything would be great.
     
  16. wynnema

    wynnema Valued Member

    I agree entirely Steve, having taught kids (under 10) for a few months I told my instructor I was'nt prepared to do it anymore. We had to get checked out by the police (mandatory in the UK when you are invlolved in teaching children). In the end its like running a playschool.

    Not the reason I started TKD.

    Its very difficult to find a serious MA club anymore, at least where I live. The only one I considered moving to was Tang Soo Do. It was serious, but the instrcutor was verging on psychotic. Often would walk around with a large stick, sweeping people if there stances were wrong.
     
  17. Chazz

    Chazz Keepin it kickin TKD style


    Personally i think we need to invest in our future. This is why i agreed to set up these programs at my school. I think that if parents feel that they want their kid to be involved in the MA at an early age this is the best way to do so. Ages 4-7 kids cant jump right into a regular class, plus they need more attention. So why not give it to them. Give them a class that teaches small parts of the MA (Blocks, kicks, punches) and then add things in that would help them grow. Add dicipline, saying yes sir no sir, raising hand when needing to talk. asking permissing to do somethign. Teaching about strangers, about fitness, younger ones help them with balance, coordination, and even more basic things. A lot of parents dont have much time with thier kids and we all know how much school ARE NOT teaching them. Martial arts has been proven to help make kids and teens better people and better in life so why not help them start early. Give them an realy love for the martial arts and who knows, you may have they new owner of your schoo when you retire. Just my thoughts

    But i still would like to find some people willing to help me set up a killer program but it looks like there are more people willing to talk against it than there are willing to help.
     
  18. Sgt_Major

    Sgt_Major Ex Global Mod Supporter

  19. Chazz

    Chazz Keepin it kickin TKD style

    thanks for the link. Im glad there is someone who sees my side of it LOL :p
     
  20. Preta

    Preta New Member

    If you run it as a daycare, that is all it will be. If you are there to teach children discipline, more than not, they will learn. Children also tend to pick up a lot faster. This was more than apparent in my limited teaching experience. You can also apply simply common sense: the longer you train, the better you will be.

    This makes no sense. If you'd care to take a look back into history, you'll see warriors of every race training from a very early age. That was their means of survival, so it became their life. If you were truly "traditional", you would have your child training from the time they could walk.

    ...not to flame, but that was just a blatantly ignorant and outright discriminatory post.
     

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