Funny Martial Arts story, July 2010
This event happened several years ago. I was dealing with a family that had spotty attendance. Polite suggestions and other less pointed methods had failed to increase attendance.
Mind you, these students never complained about price, or wanted makeup classes. They were good at the martial arts, just never took enough classes to string together any real learning.
One often used excuse for missing was homework. I am all for kids getting their homework done. I always did.
At this point, I must say that I stole an idea from a nearby instructor whom I knew and I "borrowed" the same method he used.
The next time the mom apologized for her children missing the last class due to having excessive homework, I retorted"
"Homework is no excuse."
Of course, she looked shocked, and began to say: "well, I think children have got to put homework first..."
I cut her off, "of course, homework comes first. That's why it is not an excuse. The kids KNOW they have homework... every day. That should be the first thing they get done. That's how I did it. I never missed a class. I never missed a homework assignment. I think you would agree that teaching the children to keep their commitments affects both homework and martial arts."
There was no response... beyond a pitiful attempt to say I was trying to urge the kids to not do homework... which of course was completely false. It was soon thereafter that she pulled her kids from the class.
A decision, I found out recently, that she has never lived down with them...
Mind you, these students never complained about price, or wanted makeup classes. They were good at the martial arts, just never took enough classes to string together any real learning.
One often used excuse for missing was homework. I am all for kids getting their homework done. I always did.
At this point, I must say that I stole an idea from a nearby instructor whom I knew and I "borrowed" the same method he used.
The next time the mom apologized for her children missing the last class due to having excessive homework, I retorted"
"Homework is no excuse."
Of course, she looked shocked, and began to say: "well, I think children have got to put homework first..."
I cut her off, "of course, homework comes first. That's why it is not an excuse. The kids KNOW they have homework... every day. That should be the first thing they get done. That's how I did it. I never missed a class. I never missed a homework assignment. I think you would agree that teaching the children to keep their commitments affects both homework and martial arts."
There was no response... beyond a pitiful attempt to say I was trying to urge the kids to not do homework... which of course was completely false. It was soon thereafter that she pulled her kids from the class.
A decision, I found out recently, that she has never lived down with them...
Usagi - where do you find these people?
ReplyDeleteYou crack me up with the martial arts and repo stories. Also, thanks to you, I won't be wasting my time with Appleseed.
Just out of curiousity, what martial arts do you study?
Thanks for reading.
ReplyDeleteI study Wado-Ryu karate and Kosen Jiu Jitsu. I teach Jiu Jitsu on a private basis, and also at seminars and by special request.
Everything I know can be found on the internet with a little bit of looking. But I still like the interaction with people that comes with the arts.
-U