Build Your Judo Students Up

Build Your Judo Students Up and Don't Break Them.

Build your Judo students up don't break them. You can control a class by breaking their spirit but such subjugation only makes you nothing more than a pathetic dictator. Your students will grow to resent you and eventually, all dictators fall. Usually, at the hands of those, they tried to subjugate.

Stand Tall: Respect and Affect
Click Here For More Information

Better to wrestle with controlled chaos and end up with confident people with a healthy spirit. Use what you need from my information above and discard what you don't need but please remember one thing; the most important thing that I have learned:

Regarding discipline “Be consistent”: everything works as long as you are consistent.

If you attempt to control the chaos with chaos, you will only end up with chaos. Don't whatever you do say: “If you do that {naming this crime} then that {naming the punishment} will happen”, only to do something else, or worse still do nothing at all.

Praise Good Behavior Rather Than Pointing Out Bad

Since attention is often the purpose of bad behaviour it’s surprising how quickly many of my misbehaving students will come into line once they realise that different behaviour is getting my attention. Of course, you have to be disciplined to redirect your attention and you can’t ignore unsafe behaviour let alone make someone a teacher's pet.

All the above can be done simply by praising good behaviour rather than pointing out bad.

There is a philosophy that argues that we praise our kids too much. It argues that in the “real world,” we only get praised for outstanding efforts. Even if this is true there is never any problem with parsing a child for something that they have achieved that they haven't achieved before, even if they achieve it poorly.

Wait... More Martial Arts Judo Information Loading

Deal With Behaviour Not The Student

I Do Not allow my frustration to boil over and start Labeling my students, or worse still calling them names. I have always named the issue i.e. “What you did was dangerous”, “That {name the action} was stupid”, and “Your misbehaviour has landed you into trouble”.

By doing this I have always been able to come back to any student who challenges me on any comment I have made to them by saying: “I called your behaviour ‘….,’ I never said you were ‘…’. You are not…’ and I hope you will never be ‘…’”.

Fix The Problem Not The Blame

Dealing with your Judo students well, will and should always be challenging. If you think it is, you are just not building good relationships. I work very hard at not letting my focus on a problem drift onto the student. Because a student is having problems with something I ask them to do, does not, mean they not trying. Nor does it mean that they are a bad student. It’s possible that it’s not the student at all.

Perhaps, I am not communicating in a way they can grasp what I am saying. I am always prepared to change my communication (my words, my phrases, my movements) before blaming the student. I ask if they have any questions and I avoid being dismissive of their questions. Be aware that some students learn kinetically, others visually and still others are audiological. Be prepared to change to what works best.

In other words make sure it is actual misbehaviour, not just a child struggling.

Enjoy
Sensai
Richard

Judo Class Management Tools

Tools For Managing You Judo Class

It a lot of experience to gather my Judo class management tools. 

I have been fortunate to have a lot of experience in working with people and have had a lot of good mentors over the years. I never thought anything of it until one day I was asked by another younger instructor to teach him what I knew about class management. So after spending a lot of time writing down what I knew for this young instructor, I thought that maybe there are others out there that may want to hear it too. And let's be honest, parents of potential students these days are also wanting to know "How I am Managing Student Behavior In Class". Most of this, if not all, will be obvious to an experienced instructor. But who knows I may have an idea or two worth stealing. You can be certain I will make use of the good ideas of others when I see them, so I should expect nothing else from other good instructors.

Stand Tall: Respect and Affect
Click Here For More Information

Voice

Vary your voice

I Save YELLING for dangerous or urgent or last resort type situations

Whispering: I do this as soon as I gather the children together because if you wait they will start to get their own conversations going and they won't hear you.

Alternatively, I whisper an instruction to one student at a time

As a lifeguard at the local swimming pool, I have become very adept at directing people with my eyes, a nod of my head or a motion of my hand. This comes in very handy at judo. The students have to be confident that you will follow this up with something stronger if they don’t comply, however.

The Power Of Shhhhh!

You will often hear people calling shhhhh! in a very aggressive way and it usually does not work. But I have found it to be a very effective tool in settling down students; and not just children.

If I don't do it aggressively and start as loud as I can and work my way down to as low as I can. I continue to Shhhhh until I run out of breath or until it has had the desired effect. If it has not been completely effective I start the shhhh again but only slightly louder than where I finished. So far, I can't think of an instance where it hasn't worked to settle everybody down.

I have had one instance where it was working a little too successfully and the person I was helping resented my effectiveness (and possibly the apparent “childishness” of it all) and they told me to stop. Unfortunately, the act of stopping me resulted in them almost losing control and they had to work very hard to regain it.

Despite the above event, the power of Shhhh has proved itself almost every time I have used it. Though I would not use it all the time, in case it loses its power.

Calling The Student By Name

I think you will have gained the idea that I am a big believer in getting people's attention first in order to maintain discipline. One of the best ways I know to get attention is to speak to a student by name.

Now obviously you can do this when a class is working away and you are giving individual attention to each student. That is something that all coaches and teachers should be doing during class, but I don't mean that.

I'm talking about when a class has started to become unruly and is fracturing.

It is very labour intensive and I would never do it if I had to direct a group that has become unsafe but if I have the time and it is safe to do so because the unruliness and fracturing are just beginning, it is not unusual for me to go around and speak to each individual student quickly and quietly to get their attention and gather them together or set them on a task to order.

It can be very hard work and takes a bit of practice but it beats the living daylights out of yelling.

Wait... More Martial Arts Judo Information Loading

Counting Down Improves Reaction Time

I'm sure that you have heard about the idea of counting to ten to cool off before you overreact and this is something that I highly recommend when you are about to explode. But there are other ways to use a countdown that help to bring a class together.

When I want students to come together for an activity I will start at 5 and count down to 1. There is never any consequence for being late but they still respond. Mind you I spent a lot of time training them. Whenever I have a game I will count down to encourage them to the starting point quickly and then start the game the instant I get to 1 whether they are ready or not. If the game is too chaotic as a result of this I tell them I am restarting the game and then restart the game, interrupting play with a countdown from 5 to 1. I keep doing this until they get to the start quick enough and then I let the game run through.

The process takes a few games for the students to get the picture but once they get it I can use it again and again on all sorts of activities; not just games.

Breathing

This is kind of a step up for dead fish or statues above. This one has even more science than the others. If you breathe in the correct way there is a nerve running down your neck that is stimulated. If the class is getting out of hand I sometimes call everybody to breathe. They instantly know what I mean because I have taught them.

The effect is sometimes mind-blowing. There is an instant calm that runs through the air and over the whole class.

The method is simple:

Perch your mouth as though you were going to whistle but DON'T whistle and then squeeze it a little tighter. Now breathe through your mouth, in and out very slowly. Big deep breaths. Keep this up until calm is restored and then return to your lesson.

The same can be done by breathing in through your nose very slowly and out through your mouth as above. It's not quite as effective but if someone has a blocked nose it still works and is very meditative.

Tell Stories To Make A Point Or Teach A Lesson

If you have to have them sit to pass on information, telling stories is a phenomenal communication method and the kids take the information on board very easily. To the point now that it is not unusual to have parents come to me after class and ask me to deal with a particular topic in my stories or meditation time.

Just be careful if you love to talk or tell stories because the kids will figure that out and use it to get you talking and telling your stories rather than working. Mind you I can't help but find that often more endearing than misbehaving but you do have to be careful of it. I have made it a practice to get one of my co-instructor to say “Not Judo” when I get too sidetracked.

There are more ideas in "How I am Managing Student Behavior In Class" It's free to download so you may want to check them out.

Enjoy
Sensai
Richard

Judo Games As Class Management & Discipline?

Judo Games As Class Management and Discipline?

Judo Games: not just an excellent education tool but also one of the most useful methods of class management available to any Judo instructor.

Stand Tall: Respect and Affect
Click Here For More Information

If you are not playing games you are missing perfect education opportunities. Used as a tool to teach they are a fantastic medium. It is the perfect way to keep them moving. There are plenty of games books and videos around that are intended as teaching tools.

Even if you cannot find any relevant games and you can't invent some (something I struggle to think possible), then any game is the perfect reward system and sometimes punishment.

Games are fun and if it is fun then discipline is much easier to maintain.

Games As Reward

If you use games as a reward system, they must be used within a short period of time. It must not become a “Daddy will play with you when he gets home” type of event. That is, I never play a game more than 10 – 15 minutes from the time I promised it or it loses effectiveness and I lose credibility because they don't believe me.

Removing Games as Punishment

Wait... More Martial Arts Judo Information Loading

If you use it as a punishment a minimal time delay is critical. It must not become a “wait till your father gets home” punishment. I never say to my students that there will be no game if they don't get this finished unless I genuinely intend to do the game at the end of the exercise. A game that is at the end of class is too far away for them to care.

It would have to be a really bad act for me to punish by taking away a game because the games in themselves help manage the class as it keeps them moving.

Games As An Attention-Getting Tool

One of the best ways I have found to use games is in getting children's attention. There is little that will grab a child's attention faster than to say “There is a game after {the activity} and the longer it takes for me to explain it the longer it takes to get to the game and the less time you will have for it. In fact, it is even better if they already know the game is following because then all you then need to say is: “you are wasting your own time” when they are not doing what you need them to.

Games As Bribery

Bribery works if it is done well and games are a great bribe.

Just as an aside people don't like it when you call it bribery; they prefer the term contracting or some other word. Personally I've never been able to work out the difference but whatever term you use using games as a reward is very effective.

Enjoy
Sensai
Richard

Judo Class Temperature & Lack of Movement May Affect Behaviour

Judo Class Temperature and Lack of Movement May Affect Behaviour

A wet suit to keep a child warm on the Judo mat is not a good idea but there is still no doubt that if a child is too cold or too hot for that matter, their behaviour can be less than desirable. I mention wetsuits because as a swim teacher, the solution to misbehaviour in the water is sometimes a wet suit. Because from experience I get better behaviour from a warm child than a cold one.

Stand Tall: Respect and Affect
Click Here For More Information

Fact: If it is too hot or too cold behaviour will be affected.

1. Too Cold

If I am working at a training centre where I can't warm it sufficiently, I let my students wear added clothing under their uniform. If it is safe, I sometimes even allow socks until they warm up.

In most instances, the students are happy to remove these hindrances once they are warm. Even then, there are times when I need them to sit and listen to me so I am happy for them to put the added gear on whilst they are sitting. Though it has to be said that such centres are rare these days. I usually just turn the heat up.

Besides, as every coach knows, warming up before training reduces the risk of injury.

2. Too Hot

Wait... More Martial Arts Judo Information Loading

On the other hand, being too hot is also a problem. Many training centres do not have air conditioning. I solve this situation differently:

You can get very cheap spray bottles, fill them with water and every now and then have spray fights. The Kids think this is fantastic.

Some Safety rules:

• The bottles must be on spray (wide fine dispersion of the water)

• Don't let them spray into other students' eyes. In fact, never spray less than 2 arms lengths from the face.

• Never let the students take the spray bottle off "Mist".

• Don't let them spray too much or for more than a minute. The floor gets wet and slippery

• Don't let them drink from the bottles; it's just gross.

Keep Them Moving

Bored kids are misbehaving kids. In my view, it doesn’t matter how much detail you think you need to give in a description, or how much practice you think a child might need, it can always be broken up into smaller bites.

Even though I question that children were ever able to sit for more than a few minutes at a time, there is no question that now we have educated our children to only pay attention for very short amounts of time. So Keep it short; Keep it moving and Keep changing it.

Particularly on cold days.

Enjoy
Sensai
Richard

Discipline: Practical Application in A Judo Class

The Practical Application of Discipline in A Judo Class

It's all very well to talk philosophically about Discipline in A Judo Class but you also need practical how-tos. The following is a set of ideas that I have used successfully over the years to manage my classes. I hope you find them helpful.

Stand Tall: Respect and Affect
Click Here For More Information

"Matte” - Seriously Enforced Safety Stop Words

Getting your students to respond to you and stop work instantly is always a challenge.

Try to get them used to responding instantly by playing the games:

• Dead Fish

• Statues

If you don’t know these games look them up on the internet.

Play the games and then substitute your Martial Arts stop word (ie. in Judo that is Matte) for dead fish or statues (ie. call Matte instead of dead fish or statues). Do this on regular occasions so that new students get used to the instant response.

Make The Punishment Fit The Crime

Push-ups for punishment are just silly. In Judo we want the children to develop strong healthy bodies push-ups may be a part of that regime. I don't make them a negative exercise.

For instance, when children are practising I don't want them to resist their partner's actions because it hinders the practice. I will often throw a resistant child, always keeping them safe and making sure they don't get hurt of course. The children often volunteer for this punishment they enjoy it so much but it does get the point across and they usually stop resisting their partner.

Telling Parents

Wait... More Martial Arts Judo Information Loading

There is a big difference between consulting with or seeking the advice of parents and using them as a threat. Threatening to tell a child's parents under any circumstance except potential expulsion is always a bad move. I may seek parental advice but I try never to threaten a child by telling on them. To do so would be to undermine my own authority and make the parents out to be the bad guys; I'm in charge, not their parents. Yes, I am in loco parentis but that should increase my authority not decrease it by constantly deferring to the child's parents.

Time Out Must Be Limited

If they are enjoying what they are doing then time out from that enjoyment is usually sufficient punishment. I just make sure that the amount of time out is appropriate to the crime. Sending them off for an hour for a minor infringement like talking when they should have been practising is overkill and may build resentment. I will only send children off if their misbehaviour is persistent and then only a few minutes is usually more than enough.

The more a child enjoys an activity the more a child will be affected if I withdraw it. The extent of the misbehaviour determines how much fun I remove.

Never Just Threaten

I learned a long time ago to never tell a child I am going to punish them by doing such and such if I don't intend to carry it out.

If you would not ever really carry something out, don't say you will. You just look stupid.

Wait... More Martial Arts Judo Information Loading

Only Give One Warning Or Even Give No Warning

I never give more than one warning and if the child knows the rules I don't even give a warning. More than one warning breeds contempt in my opinion.

Keep Fighting Sibling Apart

A word to the wise, however, considerable experience tells me that, in most cases, it is a very bad idea to put two siblings together at all let alone with one teaching the other. Such an arrangement is usually a recipe for building resentment.

There are exceptions to siblings not working together and you will know those almost as soon as those students join the club. This is because they will already visibly have this teacher/protector relationship. Even then because they have such a relationship does not mean it is a healthy one. If they are bickering all the time it is a clear signal that they need to be separated.

Enjoy
Sensai
Richard

Discipline and Respect of Parents in A Judo Class

Discipline and Respect of Parents in A Judo Class

Parents are critical to the survival of most organizations that involve children. You have to keep them on your side, however, that does not mean that they should supplant your role of leadership when you are teaching.

Stand Tall: Respect and Affect
Click Here For More Information

Discipline and Respect of Parents in A Judo Class

As far as possible I never contradict a parent's beliefs or culture but I am not limited by them either. I always listen to what a parent has to say and apply it as far as I can but at the same time, I let every parent know that I will not put aside my own beliefs and culture unless I can be shown that there is good reason to do so.

If I can accommodate a request from a parent I will but if I can't then I politely explain that I cannot. For example:

I had three Muslim children join my Judo club and they came to me after class one time and asked if they could avoid the kneeling bow at the start of class because it made them uncomfortable as it was so close to what they do in prayer time. This was easy to solve, we just did standing bows in the club and everybody was happy.

In contrast: when I ran before and after-school care programs, I was “given permission” by a parent to smack their child if he misbehaved. Such discipline would have ended me up in jail so I politely explained to the parent that whilst I greatly appreciated the trust they were putting in me with this action, I could not accommodate such a request and told them why.

Wait... More Martial Arts Judo Information Loading

Talk to parents about discipline sparingly don't be a tattletale. I won't discuss the misbehaviour of students in class unless I need advice. What happens in class should as far as possible stay in class otherwise children will lose respect for you.

Unfortunately, not all requests are so straightforward and I have had to do some serious thinking as to how or if I can accommodate them if at all. The important point is to keep the parent involved and never disregard what they say or ask of you.

Medical Issues And Parents

Other times I have had to deal with medical issues and this is where parents come into their own as they are your best source of knowledge. I talk to all my parents about what works and what doesn't.

For example, Autism, ADD, ADHD, Epilepsy, vision issues, etc. none of these things stop a child from participating but you do need to know. All my students fill in medical information forms as part of their joining. I discourage complete medical histories but make sure my parents tell me what I need to know. That way I can talk to them as needed about the best management skills; both medical and discipline.

I have said above:

“Talk to parents about discipline sparingly don't be a tattletale. I won't discuss the misbehaviour of students in class unless I need advice. What happens in class should as far as possible stay in class otherwise children will lose respect for you.”

This is particularly true when dealing with children who have medical issues. Both parent and child are almost certainly overburdened with everybody giving them advice on how to deal with whatever the condition is. I don't need to compound that. I am never afraid to ask for advice but if a situation was dealt with in class that should be the end of it. If they ask me I'll tell them whatever they want to know but I don't volunteer information unless I need advice.

Wait... More Martial Arts Judo Information Loading

The sort of advice I ask is what skills the child is working on at the moment and how the professionals are working on them. I do not ask what are the things the child cannot do. Always ask in the positive never in the negative.

Also, I will always take note of what parents tell me about the limitation of a child. Such things are important to be aware of. But I will not stop a child from going beyond those limitations unless there is a good medical reason. However, I will never do this in the blind; I will always keep the parents informed.

For example, I have had a child in my class with brain damage. It affects his motor skills on the right side. I ended up with the privilege of helping him develop that side. Otherwise, he is a normal child and I teach as such. As I do with all children with medical issues. I expect him to try everything but because I am armed with the correct medical information from the parent I can be patient with him if he doesn't succeed.

I am always very proud when parents come to me after I have finished a round of classes and tell me how pleased they are at their child's progress and how surprised they are at how much progress they have made. Including those that have medical issues. This is all because I do not have expectations about a child's limitations and teach them as I would any other child except with a bit more patience.

Open Classes

I have open classes; parents can come and go as they please. Doing so opens the doors to trust as nothing else does. Not only does it make the parents feel more confident but it improves behaviour because the children know they are being watched. It also means that new insecure children need never be far away from a familiar face.

A big spin-off from open classes is it also protects me from any chance of being accused of misconduct. This is so even though by far and away most parents leave during class after a few weeks, to do other things.

I took one of my own sons to a Karate class one time; as he expressed an interest. I discovered I was not allowed to remain in the class whilst the lessons were on. I was told this was because it gave the young people confidence that this was their class.

I removed my child from the class. Such secret societies do not belong in today's world.

A common objection to open classes is: but what if a child has issues at home? Experience tells me that you can be assured that any child who trusts you will soon find a way to reveal such issues. You don't need clandestine meetings to find such things out. You only need the child's trust.

The downside of open classes is parents coaching from the side of the mat. I don’t let them take control of my class from the side of the mat. I don't know why other organizations do. A simple polite word in the ear of the parent after class will usually resolve this. I explain that such actions affect class management. Better still, if they seem to know what they are talking about I get them to be an assistant leader. I invite them on the mat to help. I can always use help.

The Use Of Titles And Respect

Wait... More Martial Arts Judo Information Loading




Let me finish this very long section on parents with a personal rule. I never get upset with a student using my first name and in fact, off the mat, I encourage it. And whilst on the mat, I encourage the use of the term Sensei I never correct a student who uses my first name. There are many who say that using the first name of the teacher breeds disrespect, whereas the use of a title such as sir or Sensei encourages it. This is nonsense.

I once asked my nieces why they insisted on calling me “uncle” when I had given them permission to call me Richard. They said that it was because they respected me.

Having said that, if a parent insists that a child calls me “Mr” or “Sensei” I never correct that either. Parents should be given respect enough to be allowed to teach their child the attitudes and cultural forms that they believe is right for them. I don't have to subjugate my own values to let them do it.

Respect is Earned Not Divinely Bestowed!” - Richard Roper

Respect Of Parents Conclusion

Parents are my biggest asset for everything in my Judo club, not just class management. Keeping them on my side will not only give you a wonderful resource but it is absolutely necessary.

Enjoy
Sensai
Richard

------------------------------------------

Discipline and Respect In A Judo Class

Discipline and Respect In A Judo Class

Discipline and respect in a Judo class as in life requires 3 things Be Available, Listen, Believe and Act If Necessary. You cannot expect respect and it is an integral part of discipline. 

Stand Tall: Respect and Affect
Click Here For More Information

Respect

Be Available, Listen, Believe and Act If Necessary

You are a very special person in your student's life. Don't betray that! If you are always talking or helping someone else; if you only ever tell them what to do and not hear what they have to say; if you accuse them of being a telltale when they complain about others' actions and you never act on anything they say, then forget it, you can never discipline that child.

Where there is no respect there is no discipline.

Be available, listen, believe and act if necessary: this is the beginning of all relationships and relationships are what good discipline is built on.

“Respect Is Earned Not Divinely Bestowed”

Respect For Your Leaders

The Golden Rule will never be outmoded and should never be overruled.“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” is the ultimate expression of respect (The Good News Translation of the Bible puts it “Do for others just what you want them to do for you.” Luke 6:31). The quickest way to lose the respect of your leaders and students for that matter, is to ask them to do something or behave in a way that you would not be willing to, should you be in their shoes.

I say “in their shoes” because if I respect them I will try to understand where they are coming from. Trying to see things their way will reduce the risk of misunderstanding.

Wait... More Martial Arts Judo Information Loading

If my students see me disrespecting my leaders I have no hope of managing misbehaviour. More than that if my leaders respect me, that will show. Respected leaders will always follow instructions much more readily than disrespected ones; if for no other reason then they will be confident because they know that you have their back.

Let me try to give you an example:

I was working at a centre at which I was given increasingly more and more responsibility. You would think this would be a good thing except it was not because it only increased my workload for no additional reward and proportionately decreased the workload of the person doing the delegating so that they did less and less. It was clear that the reason I was being given that responsibility was because the person allocating it was unwilling to do it themselves. Instead of improving the running of the organization, all it did was breed resentment.

The lesson is that the only time you delegate your work is to make the running of things more efficient, not so that you can be lazy. That is, if doing something yourself makes things less efficient pass it on, otherwise do it yourself.

Respect Of Your Students And Leaders Enough To Say Sorry

Sooner or later you will mess up: you have to be courageous and confident enough to be willing to say sorry. I am not the perfect leader, no one is; despite the impression the media gives. I have learned that it is a strange rule of life and leadership, that you will: learn more, make fewer mistakes and people will follow your instructions more readily if you allow yourself to be vulnerable. When you make mistakes, say sorry and move on.

Do Not Disrespect Your Students, Leader or Helpers

Wait... More Martial Arts Judo Information Loading

I make every endeavour not to discipline a student, leader or helper in front of others, particularly other students. Unless what they are doing is dangerous and needs to be stopped before someone gets hurt, always try and take a child who has committed a significant offence aside or have a quiet word in their ear, rather than speaks to them in front of everyone.

Having said that, there are times when embarrassing a student was the only thing left to try to bring them back in line. But this is a very last resort because if it doesn’t work and it usually doesn't, there is a pretty good chance that the student will not come back.

Honestly, if you have reached the point of needing to embarrass a student, you would have to see something in this student really worth fighting for, otherwise, you are much better off asking them to leave than doing this. Multiple uses of this technique will only build resentment or the student may end up basking in the limelight and in both cases, the tool backfires on you.

Making Mistakes

I kind of dealt with this in the introduction but it is important and needs to be clear. We will make mistakes, but as long as we are willing to repent (that is acknowledge them, genuinely apologize for them and make every effort to not make that mistake again) the kids will forgive us, appreciate us and respect us even more for it.

You may not like the religious connotations of such a word but I'm here to tell you that repentance and forgiveness are one of the main pillars of a good relationship with kids.

Despite the common concept of the leader having to be perfect, you cannot expect kids to turn from their misbehaviour if you are not. They have a very well-developed sense of justice (I sometimes wonder if they are born with it) and if you betray that they will not reward you with good behaviour.

Enjoy
Sensai
Richard

How Children With Autism Benefit From Judo

How Children With Autism Benefit From Judo

Do any of your Judo students have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental disorder, that is affecting children around the world.

Stand Tall: Respect and Affect
Click Here For More Information

It is associated with communication difficulties and problems in social situations. By having a healthy and active lifestyle, children with autism can benefit greatly. In particular, individual sports such as Judo, provide a great combination of mind-body exercises with physical activity. Research has shown that Judo has helped children with autism to not only be more active but to learn appropriate interactions with other people as well.

Wait... More Martial Arts Judo Information Loading

Key Takeaways:

• Symptoms of autism spectrum disorder include difficulty in social situations and sensory sensitivities.
• Exercise can help a child with autism improve their social skills and will establish a routine for them.
• There have been research studies done that show judo is great for children with autism as it helps them learn to interact with others better.

"Routine exercise not only provides physical benefits, but it also provides social and mental benefits."

Read more: https://tricityjudo.com/how-children-with-autism-benefit-from-judo/

Enjoy
Sensai
Richard

Judo Class Management, There is Power in A Question

Judo Class Management, There is Power in A Question

I ask questions in my Judo class management. There is power in a question. Power to keep my Judo students (judoka) attention. Any question, it doesn't have to relate to the class. In fact the more random the question the better. Once I have their attention I can then explain to them what I want them to do.

Stand Tall: Respect and Affect
Click Here For More Information

Of course, questions like: “Do you understand?” are a waste of time without follow-up questions such as: “Do you have any questions?”

Obviously, you can always ask a student to repeat back to you what you said in their own words to clarify understanding and you should do lots of that as an educator but it's just boring if that is the only question that you ask.

Try asking “What's your favourite colour?” completely out of the blue when you want someone's attention. It doesn't have to even make sense. In fact the less sense it makes the better attention it will get.

Then there is the more serious question that helps to learn such as: “What do you think I should do next? and “Where should I place this arm/ foot?” learning is not just about telling students what to do; a question helps them to think a solution through themselves.

I don't always give them the answer. I let them spend time working out for themselves.

I always encourage my students to ask me questions. That means they are thinking and that is the sort of students I want. I do this by asking questions that encourage them to ask me questions back. Questions such as: “What are you struggling with?” and “what do you need to know?”

Wait... More Martial Arts Judo Information Loading

Here is an example of a question I use to teach rules that I want to get the students to learn by heart: “what do not have to remember when you are doing this?” The answer is of course whatever rule it is that I want them to recite back to me.

Naturally, if they don't remember the rule I tell it to them and get them to recite it back to me; but the process is all started with a question.

Questions are a great way to get a student's attention and they are also an excellent way to manage a class. This is because whilst they are thinking about the answer to your question, they are not thinking about disruptive behaviour.

Enjoy
Sensai
Richard

Judo Class Management & The Art of Negotiation

Judo Class Management and The Art of Negotiation (Bribery?)

Negotiate (Bribery works)

When my wife and I started having children of our own we read many books on child-rearing. Well if the truth be known my wife ended up reading most of them and underlining the important bits for me to read as I decided that too many were just complete … well let's just say they weren't worth my time.

Stand Tall: Respect and Affect
Click Here For More Information

Lots of them would talk about how bribery was a very bad thing to do to kids and the alternative they offered was to negotiate. In all honesty, I can say that the distinction that most of the books set up was lost on me and I could never see the difference. There were others that made a clear distinction and after I spent my first few weeks trying to negotiate for a 2-year old I decided that “Bribery works!”

Wait... More Martial Arts Judo Information Loading

The following are some examples from my free download How I am Managing Student Behavior In Class of my idea of negotiations (“Bribery”):

• I give points or declare winners or some other reward to those who are the quickest getting into a group before a game or pairs for practice or any other combination I need

• I have already talked about how I offer a game immediately after an activity in order to motivate

• When it is hot, I reward good group work with water fights using those mist sprayers I talked about above

• I hand out stickers for good behaviour. I usually put them on the student's own progress chart and use it to double as a record of their progress.

Enjoy
Sensai
Richard

Is Your Judo Student The Right Fit For Your Class?

Is Your Judo Student The Right Fit For Your Class?

Is Your Judo Student The Right Fit For Your Class? To know this is not just good class management but good skill and personal development. There are few more difficult students to manage than a bored student (Judoka) or one that is struggling to keep up.

Stand Tall: Respect and Affect
Click Here For More Information

This is easy to fix if you have multiple classes at different levels. All you have to do is move the Judoka around until you find a class that they fit into.

Example 1: you may have a class that is smaller than the others and it may be good to move a child into that class just because they will get more attention.

Example 2: your difficulties may be because there is not a big enough challenge. Always taking into consideration the safety factors, try putting the challenging Judoka into the advanced class. Even if they are not of the right age or advanced enough it may be worth the move. If they can't cope that is not necessarily a bad thing as you can put them back in their original class with a challenge that if they can now aim to get better so they can return to the advanced class as soon as they are ready.

However, some of us don't have multiple classes. So we have to try other options.

Wait... More Martial Arts Judo Information Loading

Most clubs would however have a senior class so one of the things that I have done is to invite my bored juniors to join the seniors. There is a great deal more taught in a senior class, or at least there should be and as long as the seniors are aware that they are dealing with a junior they are usually very considerate.

I make it a practice as a matter of course, to invite all my juniors to attend the senior class once they reach the age of 12 anyway so it is not a big stretch to invite other juniors as appropriate.

If going to the senior class is not an option then the other possibility is to get the difficult student to teach a fellow Judoka or perhaps even a group or even a whole class occasionally. Giving a student more responsibility is often just as good as giving them more challenging things to do.

Enjoy
Sensai
Richard