LIL Dragons/Tiny Tigers (teaching kids)

More than willing here Chazz ... (and you know that! ) I believe wholeheartily in the program as all 3 of my children went thru it and one made it through to earning their black belt. (.... that just happened to be my daughter who traded in her ballet & tap shoes to learn to kick & punch like mommy and big brother)

As Preta posted, as long as it is not run like a daycare.... and that is not thru the eyes of the instructor but the parents. Parents have to know that their kids are not going to be babysat plain and simple.

I wish you success in developing your Lil Dragons program Chazz. Might I suggest looking into Century's Lil Dragon's program

 

Good luck on this Chazz. I it's quite rewarding and satisfying to watch kids grow up in this type of enviroment. We have 12 kids ranging from 6 to 16, 3 just got placed in the adult class. I love teaching kids, for the most part they have more fun than the adults which makes them learn faster.

To those "naysayers", today's kids are tomorrow's "serious" martial artists. Ru

 

Chazz, while I generally do not like these programs, not because they are not a good thing, but because of the kids attitudes and that of the parents, here is a suggestion. Make sure that parents understand up front what is expected of them and their children. Let them know that discipline is required and expected. Todays generation of parents tend to let their children run the home and they in turn want to run everything else in their lives. I hope and pray your program does well and you produce many great martial artists. Pilsung!

 

I actually know the coach of the Clever Little Monkeys program, I used to train kenpo with him when he was about 14... Nice guy. Keeps trying to get me to compete MMA and join his BJJ club.

My current TKD club is adults-only, as it's a college club (youngest members would be 17/18), but back when I did kenpo, I was an instructor in the kids club for 2 years. Lets just say it's an experience trying to teach 5 year olds. :bang: I'd be inclined not to take students younger than 8 or 9 years old, I just think that the vast majority of younger kids aren't ready to be learning martial arts, and don't really appreciate what they're learning.

 

KC

I would love to talk to you (email, IM, or PM on here) about putting together a good program for 4-7 year old. Im open to anything since i really dont have anything in place or set in stone. So ANY help would be great.

I did check out Century's info but they want so much for their programs and tapes that i cant afford it. I cant even pay rent now so that would have to wait LOL.

 

I agree. Unfortunately, in any field of instruction, all too often the instructor tends to prefer students that are like-minded. I also see instructors trying to get their students to go above and beyond...not for the positive reasons this would produce, but so that they may live out their dreams vicariously.

As for teaching kiddies...they're loads of fun, and quite adept. Again, as with anything, you must have the ability to handle kids. Like those that teach elementary...you've gotta love it.

Yes, unfortunately many dual-income families/single parents have no time to be families, and therefore tend to rely on others (daycare) to raise their children. This, I've seen, creates the boom of daycare martial art schools.

As with anything, your programme will only be as much as you (are able to) put in.

As for my opinion on the programme you ask of, sorry...I've no knowledge of it, so I won't talk of something I know nothing of. Sorry.

I always proclaim that you need sounding boards. See if you can meet some elementary phys. ed. instructors and find out their curriculum (which is usually based on educational/empirical research/studies). From their you may be able to adapt that type of curriculum to your own style.


It'd save you bundles, I'd wager.

sorry, but I've errands to accomplish. Teaching children correctly (attending to all of the important facets of a budding mind/body) is not easy, so please take this seriously. What you do may very well shape them...for better or worse.

Cheers,

DH

 

DH

Thanks for the post. I love to teach kids. I also think that im real good with them. I always have been. I see all the time that parents cant and or dont spend a lot of time with their kids and then i see the kids not learning the dicipline and respect that kids 20 years ago learned. Kids today grow up doing just about anything that they want, talking any way they want, dressing any way they want, never hearing sir or ma'am. So coming up with a great program for kids is something i want to do. I want to see the respest of the past come back to the kids of today.

 

I think teaching kids martial arts will make them better people when they get older. If I took ma training when I was younger I would of been a lot healthier and better behaved now :Angel:

 

There is a lot of research out there that shows that some of the greatest learning and development of who a child is to become as a person happens within this age group. If an instructor truly wants to make a significant difference in a child's life and development, this is a prime time to make this happen. If we are really about teaching lifeskills, this is a time that you can make the most positive impact.

There are schools that don't do it well and there are ones that do sell out their integrity to try to be a daycare. That is NOT what a quality Little Dragons program is about. It is a well planned program to give quality lifeskills and start kids toward a life time of the benefits in the martial arts. It takes a well trained and very special kind of person to be an instructor for this age group and it's not for everyone. (My wife will only teach adults on a regular basis for example, and will only rarely sub for teens and older kids. She would rather not touch this group). I find this age group both a challenge and quite rewarding.

Chazz, the 3 part tape series from Century is basically turn key, IMO you can't afford NOT to get it. If you would like, you would be welcome to make the drive and come and watch some of our classes with this age group and get some ideas. If you are interested, PM me and I'll be glad to help in any way I can.

 

Yeah i know it would be good to get it but right now i cant. Im not even making enough to pay for rent so i have to deal with that first.

I would love to come down and watch your classes or even talk to you and get some ideas. Like i said, im open to anything that would make a great program for them.

 

Not at all. Just my opinion based on 22 years of experience.

I've seen way too many parents drop their kids off at martial-arts studios just so they can run out and do errands.

The kids dont want to be there most of the time.

So i your "opinion" that my post was blatant and outright discriminitory is ludicrous...

 

I've seen it happen in my club. There was this little 6-year-old boy whose behaviour was really bad. I was shocked when I heard all that swearing coming out of his mouth and when I saw how badly he treated other kids, and he was only 6 year old. I talked to his parents and they told me that they love bringing their little son to my club twice a week because that's the time when they can take a rest from him!!!

Chazz,
do you at least know what you want to accomplish in the end? I mean the purpose of the program, i.e. your school. Do you plan on taking your kids to competitions?

 

Time to ring Dr. Phil....


Cheers,

DH

 

That should never go "unnoticed" by an instructor. At our school it is imperative that parents come in when they bring their children and often stay in the viewing area to observe their children. I must say, we have a very supportive group of parents and probably due to the fact that the owner/master of the school takes a valued interest in every single one of the students and keeps the line of communication open with every one of the parents.


Often times what he has to say to a few of them (the parents) is a bit "in-your-face" but he pulls no punches and feels that if he doesn't get their cooperation with the instruction of their children the child is not going to do as well and they are just wasting their money.

IMO ... a poorly run "martial art studio".

 

If a kid is mucking up all the time, discipline him badly. It will build character and make him a better person.

 

we're talking "Lil Dragons" here knightcommander .... disciplining a 4,5, or 6 year old "badly" as you say is the one thing you DO NOT do in a Lil Dragons program.

 

Im a bad boy. I used to be a very naughty lil dragon (if I did ma), If a master made me into a good boy, I would of been a darling by now.

 

Chazz, I'm getting in this kinda late as I just saw the thread. I work (as an instructor) with a program called Safe Kids. We're a nonprofit organization that is geared towards children and adolescents; our students range from 5-16. We get a lot of kids whose parents can't afford the MA school. Our classes are $5 dollars each and last 55 minutes long. We, however, have never turned down a child because they cannot pay. So, we get every type of situation relating to family structure you can imagine-single parent families, abused children, molested children, traditional family structure and everything in between.

Our premise is teaching kids about safety awareness and to protect themselves from bullies and would-be-abductors. We always have a discussion at the end of class whether it be about self-respect, knowing your phone number/address, fire safety, etc.

We have a similar set-up to a MA school with a ranking system as they progress through self-defense skills and maturity. As far as self-defense goes, we cover blocking, striking, kicking, moving off line, level changing, falling, rolling, sweeping, ground fighting, etc. We have the program divided into sessions with a test at the end of the session which runs about 16 weeks in length.

I've been with the program going on three years now and it's been a very rewarding experience. I've seen kids come in that were basically a shell and walk out with their head high with new found self-respect. I've seen kids that were picked on everyday and hated going to school walk away no longer picked on loving school.

So, I guess I'm saying I love this program and these types of programs that do benefit the children. Good luck in your endevors and let me know if I can be of help.

 

I wish you the best of luck with this. In my experience teaching young children is very easy and very hard at the same time.

It's easy once you have their imagination and attention.

It's hell when you don't.

I found the best way I could do that was find out what the students liked to do. For the particular group I had, they all liked to draw. So I'd teach them a new kick and then say "hey kids, why don't you help Sifu Rose draw your brand new kick. Then you can each make one and bring it home to show your parents."

This would usually get them revved to learn and it was really fun for me too.

 

then again, on the other side, parents don't have to stay at the training session, so why not take the kids where they have to go and do something else while at it? it doesn't have to be a poorly run ''martial arts studio''.

it all depends. for exmple my cousin has 3 children to take care. 2 train at my club, she has to take the 3rd somewhere else, she has to take care of her sick mother, her house and so many other things. she doesn't have time to sit in my club during the training session. she knows that they are safe at my club, that i won't teach them anything they are not supposed to learn, and it is perfectly fine that she drops them off and comes to pick them up.