FORCE vs INTEREST
Hmmmm. I am about to step on some toes. Well, I won't let that stop me, it's not like I haven't done that before, step on toes I mean. This topic comes up on my radar, well, I have seen it all the time, all the years I have taught (40yrs as of May 2024, my first school at the old Pennfield Elementary School)). It's time to, late I feel for me, be addressed. The title of this dissertation is FORCE vs INTEREST. Force as being defined as, and this is specific to our Kids classes mostly but not exclusively, students being FORCED by their parents to be in class versus INTEREST as being defined by students having the INTEREST, desire, and commitment to be in classes. Really, do have to say anymore? OK, I think I may have to continue on this totally inversely proportionate (opposite) equation (Force vs Interest). Where one end of the equation (front end) only brings on the negative results and the other, more positive results. Parents, was there ever a time in your childhood that you were forced to do something by your parents that you didn't really want to do, or hate? How'd that go for ya? Not well I bet. I'm thinking a very low, low success outcome. At least that has been my observation and experience watching it all unfold in my Dojos/Kwoons over all the years of my time teaching martial arts. Throughout all my years of teaching, I have never had even one student that was pressured/forced to be in class, or just didn't want to do it, none in those regards has ever gotten very far with me. Usually a flash out early, never reaching any high rank. I am not a magician. I can only work with what I am given. I cannot perform miracles nor change a student into something you or I want them to be. That is an overestimation of me and my abilities. I have said it before, I am too old, and I am too damned tired. I am going to root out those in ALL my classes (youth AND adult) that don’t have the appropriate interest or desire, they are a detriment to themselves and others in our Dojos/Kwoons, not to mention the waste of time (theirs and mine> and the classes) and money. It only makes my job that much harder, a lot harder. Yeah, maybe not the best business model> but I do not put business first, I put the martial arts I teach with the love and respect I have for those arts first. I don't just judge/evaluate a student on just skill. more so on attitude and interest/desire. I have had so many students come into class with great raw talent/skill. They all looked to be possibly the next Bruce Lee. They all flamed out. That is because the ones that have to work at it, always go further, and in the end accomplish more. If you could go in a time machine, back in time, to when I started martial arts, Oct 28, 1978, it was the first time there was ever Karate in Blacks Harbour, NB. Which was being taught by my first teacher the Late Nelson Lavigne at the Blacks Harbour School. If you could ask him, who he thought would last the longest and go the furthest, he would not have picked that skinny kid with the braces (me!) lined up in the back row, from the huge group that was at the BH School Gymnasium. We had a first class ever that was huge, as I said it was a new thing. In fact, I have outlasted every single student, (hundreds and hundreds) that Sensei Lavigne ever had from the late 70s thru the 90s, when he taught. I didn't get it on my looks (or lack of), that's for damned sure. It's about wanting to be there, trying your hardest. I tell all my students, don't worry about skill or belts, just give me your best, and want to be in class, if they do that, I promise them great achievements. Thought really needs to be given on this serious topic by both active students/parents and perspective students/parents. I want to add here that I am not talking about unsure new students that are trying classes out. That's why we offer to all new students one FREE month to give it a try, no strings attached. And if I may, one more important subject> ATTENDANCE. Martial arts are a perishable skill, meaning it requires regular, consistent practice and class attendance. If a potential student is not ready to do that, then the martial arts are probably not for that potential student. Bottom line: If you are going to only sparsely attend classes throughout or miss classes part of a year> you are NOT practicing martial arts< you are just visiting. We have seating around or near the Dojo/Kwoon floor for that...
Hanshi/Sifu C
Hanshi/Sifu C
Karate By The Sea & LIONHEART Kenpo Jeet Kune Do are divisions of Conley's Martial Arts