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Category:
Published: November 2007
"When the instructor is ready the student will appear."
In today's age of information overload, it can be very difficult selecting a martial arts instructor (or school) for you or your child. This task can be made simple by keeping several things in mind during your quest. In addition, including your child in the selection process will serve as a guide to selecting activities, colleges, career paths, etc.
The first and most important step is to listen to yourself. This may seem like common sense, but too many people do not acknowledge that energy or listen to that little feeling or voice inside that guides their decisions and actions. Parents get this feeling when it comes to their children with respect to health and safety. If you're a parent, how many times have you felt comfortable or uncomfortable when your child participates in an activity, travels on a trip, borrows the car keys, goes on a date, or just hangs out with their friends? Business people use this energy to make sound business decisions. Artists use this energy to develop or evaluate various pieces of work. These thoughts and feelings are done almost unconsciously and happen in less than a split second. We all have this energy as a child. However, as we mature, we tend to discard this and base judgment on peer pressure or other external factors.
Convenience is a great factor in the selection process. The schedules kept today by many families are packed with various daily activities. A school located within a short drive of the home will be selected over one requiring more travel time.
The financial commitment from school to school is roughly the same and very affordable, with some variations occurring, depending upon programs and services available. However, when you weigh this with ever-changing communities, the martial arts is no longer a luxury, it is a necessity.
Evaluate and inquire about the curriculum. Today's martial arts schools are very sophisticated. Our curriculums and lesson plans are well-organized, thought out, and age and ability appropriate. The implementation is very structured. The focus for a child is a character-based curriculum along with good physical exercise. The adult training will include these as well as a balanced self-defense program. Various programs are available at any school, so you can take several classes and evaluate.
I tell potential students that if they walk into a martial arts facility and are not comfortable with the energy they feel as soon as they walk in, that they need to visit another location. The facility has to be clean, accommodating and inviting.
The convenience, financial, curriculum and facility evaluations are all important. However, all other considerations come second with respect to the evaluation of the instructor or head instructor who will be conducting classes. This individual will be mentoring and guiding you and your child. In talking to the instructor or head instructor in a martial arts school, acknowledge the energy you feel. Are you comfortable speaking to them? Do they let you explain what you are looking to achieve with the martial arts? If this is for your child, has the individual acknowledged your child? Does your child feel comfortable with the instructor? Whether it is for social, physical, emotional, or academic support, a good martial arts instructor will have an understanding of what is required for each individual student.
Remember, a mentor will listen carefully, so ask many questions. Mentors provide a free flow of information to help you feel more comfortable with what will be done in class. A unique bond is formed between the instructor and the student. This bond will help the instructor develop you and your child in the martial arts and guide you to your goals. Mentors are for the long-term, not "here today, gone tomorrow." At Torres Tae Kwon Do, over 25% of our students, regardless of age, have been with us for over 3 years.
Remember, the selection of a martial arts instructor and mentor is not difficult, but very important. You or your child may be training for many years with the same individual. Listen to yourself, choose wisely, and train hard.
If you have any questions, please call me directly at 899-7678.
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