Last spring, this exact same week (seriously, go ahead and check), I did a short series of posts called "What I've Learned About Teaching From Doing Karate". This proved pretty popular amongst parents as well as the people I do karate with (and teach karate to). Couldn't believe the response I received, so I decided long ago to do such a series this year as well.
To give a short background on why I started doing karate in the first place, let me explain a couple things. I began taking karate one summer after being told by the then-administration that I needed to start doing a few things for myself, in order to better myself. Since moving to Carmel, I really hadn't done anything by means of physical activity on a regular basis. And on the rare occasions that I did something like that, I found myself short of breath and worn out. I had dabbled in biking, but to no real avail, as I had no one to work with and nothing to strive for. I wasn't about to join a "biking team", and I was barely motivated to buy a helmet (although thankfully I did...that's a whole story in itself).
The short of it is that I was urged by several students of mine as well as their parents to start taking karate. I did it for the summer. I was in pain, I was tight, and I felt exhilarated after each class. I was soaking everything in, but worn out and clumsy.
But for some reason, I stuck around into the school year. For the next year or two, I was Mr. Carter, the teacher who was trying to do karate. About a year and a half later, I started teaching for the dojo as a purple belt. First the beginners, then the rest of everyone else.
But then, a few years later, I was Mr. Carter, the teacher who was a black belt. Sensei Carter.
And while I'm still the clumsy guy in the second-degree black belt class, I'm at least the big giant juggernaut. And here, ten years later, I know an awful lot more than I used to. I'm learning to use my size and the inherent power that comes with it instead of trying to hamper it.
I've learned a lot about teaching kids and school in the process. Because this is a week where we're having a black belt test over the weekend, I'll be sharing this experience amongst other things.
How appropriate that tomorrow is Ninja Day. Remember to send in your pennies.
To give a short background on why I started doing karate in the first place, let me explain a couple things. I began taking karate one summer after being told by the then-administration that I needed to start doing a few things for myself, in order to better myself. Since moving to Carmel, I really hadn't done anything by means of physical activity on a regular basis. And on the rare occasions that I did something like that, I found myself short of breath and worn out. I had dabbled in biking, but to no real avail, as I had no one to work with and nothing to strive for. I wasn't about to join a "biking team", and I was barely motivated to buy a helmet (although thankfully I did...that's a whole story in itself).
The short of it is that I was urged by several students of mine as well as their parents to start taking karate. I did it for the summer. I was in pain, I was tight, and I felt exhilarated after each class. I was soaking everything in, but worn out and clumsy.
But for some reason, I stuck around into the school year. For the next year or two, I was Mr. Carter, the teacher who was trying to do karate. About a year and a half later, I started teaching for the dojo as a purple belt. First the beginners, then the rest of everyone else.
But then, a few years later, I was Mr. Carter, the teacher who was a black belt. Sensei Carter.
And while I'm still the clumsy guy in the second-degree black belt class, I'm at least the big giant juggernaut. And here, ten years later, I know an awful lot more than I used to. I'm learning to use my size and the inherent power that comes with it instead of trying to hamper it.
I've learned a lot about teaching kids and school in the process. Because this is a week where we're having a black belt test over the weekend, I'll be sharing this experience amongst other things.
How appropriate that tomorrow is Ninja Day. Remember to send in your pennies.
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