First Teaching Session

This evening I am doing my first class as an assistant instructor. This is in the junior class, not the class I actually attend myself. Sensei asked me last week if I would be prepared to do this, partly because he could do with some help with all the children and partly because the class is top heavy with boys. He feels that a female instructor may help to attract more girls into the class.

I thought about it for a couple of days before agreeing. I was being asked to make a regular commitment to help in this class so I needed to think about whether I was prepared to to this.

I decided I would do it for the following reasons:

1. I like the children and I'm happy to work with them.

2. Teaching someone else will help to test and reinforce my own understanding and learning.

3. It will enable me to get to grips with the new syllabus for the junior grades-which has changed very radically since we joined the new organisation (Seishin-do Shukokai karate). Much of the syllabus for the higher grades builds very directly on the junior one so teaching it will help me to learn and understand my own syllabus.

4. I think teaching others is part of a good preparation for black belt grading.

5. It's a way to give something back to my instructor for all the help and guidance I receive from him.

So I have spent a lot of time over the last few days reading and digesting the new syllabus. I suspect for the first session Sensei will mainly want me to help with kata practice. Since the juniors still learn the pinan katas first I will at least be familiar with those!

I will let you know how it goes.




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