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Parent Orientation for 4 to 6 year old students

Posted on | May 15, 2010 | 1 Comment

In this post, I would like to share an outline with you that we use to help educate parents of our 4 to 6 year old students on how they can maximize the value of our program.

Parent Orientation for Little Dragons (Ages 4-6)

I. The Little Dragons program is not designed to develop a highly skilled 6-year-old Martial Artist.
More appropriately, our emphasis is on:

  • Teaching them how to pay attention so they can become better learners.
  • Developing better coordination so they can become more athletically inclined.
  • Teaching them how to be more respectful and courteous.
  • Showing them the foundational qualities of cooperation and trust.
  • Teaching them basic martial arts techniques and principles.
  • Confidence and mental self-defense.

II. Expectations – In Little Dragons, retention of techniques is not as important as enjoying class and exploring different movements, therefore tips and belts are based on time and attitude. Explain the tip system. Emphasize the importance of consistency and adhering to a set schedule.

III. Practice – Don’t worry if your kids don’t want to practice yet. It isn’t necessary as long as they are coming to class twice per week. If they do want to practice:

  • Be consistent! Have specific practice times and do your best to stick with it. (Two to three times per week is enough.)
  • Keep practices short! Five to ten minutes is usually plenty of time for beginners.
  • Reward effort! Be as encouraging as possible.
  • Don’t be too picky! Slowly but surely form will improve so don’t expect too much too soon.
  • Make it fun! This is the single most important factor in long-term success.

IV. Retention – Remember, it is natural if your Little Dragon doesn’t want to come to class every now and then. Here are some tips to minimize this:

  • Don’t ask, “Do you want to go to Karate today?” Remember, kids are present focused, and if they are doing something fun they will answer, “No”. Instead, say, “It will be time to go in 15 minutes, so please start to get ready.”
  • If resistance to coming to class persists, which it sometimes does, please let the instructor know. Often times a little instructor/student communication can do wonders.
  • Remember to measure your child’s feelings about whether or not they like Karate by how they feel after class.

V.  Advancement – We usually transfer the Little Dragons into the Junior program sometime between 6 and 6½ years old. It will be very apparent when it is time to move up. The goal is not to rush into the Junior group, but rather to make sure your child is learning and enjoying the process

Category: Industry Tips (Written)

Comments

One Response to “Parent Orientation for 4 to 6 year old students”

  1. Nazy
    July 1st, 2010 @ 12:37 pm

    Kyoshi,
    THANK YOU for outlining the essentials for our youngest martial artists. We esp. like the tips on retention. Another standout article from Satori.

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About Dave Kovar

Mr. Kovar has been teaching Martial Arts professionally since 1978. Dave is a multi-style Black Belt who has been committed to ever-improving his Martial Arts skills. He updates this blog to provide tips and insights to martial arts instructors around the country. To learn more, click here.

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