![\"Chris](\"https:\/\/itdi.pro\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ChrisMares-150x150.jpg\")
\nWhile studying Tae Kwon Do \u00a0I have learnt a lot, not only about Tae Kwon Do, but also about teaching and learning and what it means to be a student.<\/p>\n
\nWhile studying Tae Kwon Do \u00a0I have learnt a lot, not only about Tae Kwon Do, but also about teaching and learning and what it means to be a student.<\/p>\n
Usually I look forward to the practice sessions, but not always.\u00a0 Sometimes I feel anxious about my physical ability to do what I am expected to do and sometimes I worry that I may have forgotten something my instructor will expect me to know.\u00a0 I have other fears, too.\u00a0 For example, that I am too old to begin such a demanding activity, that I am not flexible enough, or that I won\u2019t be able to remember various sequences of punches, blocks, and kicks known as forms.<\/p>\n
Reflecting in this way I am reminded of the fact that my students, too, feel anxieties about their own abilities and, as a teacher, I should always remember this.<\/p>\n
There are other important things I\u2019ve learnt or been reminded of while practicing Tae Kwon Do.<\/p>\n
A positive \u2018can do\u2019 attitude is vital for teacher and student alike.\u00a0 The feeling of being in the learning process together as an \u2018us\u2019 is key. More specifically, the feeling that teacher and student are involved in a joint project to practice and learn in a non-competitive atmosphere and one of mutual support.\u00a0 In Tae Kwon Do all this will is done in an informal atmosphere but one which is respectful and polite, and one in which the teacher is in charge.<\/p>\n
I am also reminded as I punch, kick, and block, that learning takes time, effort, a willingness to take risks, and that it can only happen one step at a time.<\/p>\n
When we practice in Tae Kwon Do we often work in pairs with someone of a similar level.\u00a0 Occasionally I have felt that I would rather be practicing with my instructor, or at least while being observed by my instructor.\u00a0 However, over time I have realized that all practice is useful.\u00a0 It is also useful to help others who are not yet at the same level.\u00a0 Teaching is an effective way of consolidating one\u2019s own learning.\u00a0 I realize that this is something my English language students need to learn \u2013 practice with peers helps.<\/p>\n
Repetition of moves in Tae Kwon Do is essential for muscle memory, and to give the mind the space to focus on the next step to be internalized. Our instructor leads the drills and stops occasionally to correct a stance or model a movement.\u00a0 This type of drilling leads to automaticity.\u00a0\u00a0 Although drilling is not necessarily in vogue in language teaching there is still the same need for automaticity.\u00a0 Meaningful and continued recycling and practice will lead to this.\u00a0 The correction and feedback the instructor gives is also at a meaningful level, the tendency being to focus on one point at a time.\u00a0 This reduces anxiety for the student.\u00a0 This is something I try to remember as a teacher.<\/p>\n
Modeling must be clear and broken down into stages.\u00a0 Students cannot focus on everything at a time.\u00a0 Input must be comprehensible and students can only learn at the point they are at which is to say it\u2019s pointless to expect a student to achieve what is not possible at any given point in time.<\/p>\n
As I mentioned, the tone of my Tae Kwon Do class is informal.\u00a0 It is also non-competitive in the sense that students are only required to do as well as they can and that if someone can\u2019t do something, they can either not do it, or try to modify what is being practiced.\u00a0 This allows for a sense of security and thus a lowering of the affective filter.<\/p>\n
Each class follows a similar pattern.\u00a0 We begin with a brief period of meditation, followed by some stretching and warm up activities.\u00a0 This is followed by basic technique practice which in turn is followed by the practice of forms.\u00a0 This structure sometimes varies and may include practicing rolls and falls, or sparring, or one steps, which is the practice of attack, counter attack.\u00a0 Like the good language classroom, there is a sense of consistency but not predictability.\u00a0 We practice in the knowledge that everything our instructor does with us will help us.<\/p>\n
The teaching model in Tae Kwon Do reminds me of an apprenticeship model.\u00a0 A new student will line up with the other students and simply try to follow along as best they can.\u00a0 The instructor or a more senior student will give pointers and support for the new student at an appropriate level. Over time the new student will pick up the various punches, kicks, and blocks and then begin to practice forms and other skills such as sparring.<\/p>\n
The most important thing I have learnt as a student is that my own attitude is key.\u00a0 If I view all aspects of the class as an opportunity to practice, learn or help, then I will practice, learn or help.\u00a0 I feel this way in part because that is clearly what my Tae Kwon Do instructor expects.\u00a0 By extension I realize that I may have more impact on my students motivation as teacher than I had previously thought.\u00a0 My expectations need to be clearly articulated, my enthusiasm needs to be apparent, and all students need to know that I am there for them, to help them do the best they can.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Connect with authors, iTDi Associates, Mentors, and Faculty by joining iTDi Community. Sign Up For A Free iTDi Account<\/a> to create your profile and get immediate access to our social forums and trial lessons from our English For Teachers<\/a> and Teacher Development<\/a> courses.<\/p>\n Teaching, Learning, and Tae Kwon Do – Chris Mares While studying Tae Kwon Do \u00a0I have learnt a lot, not only about Tae Kwon Do, but also about teaching and learning and what it means to be a student. Usually I look forward to the practice sessions, but not always.\u00a0 Sometimes I feel anxious about … Continue reading Teachers As Students – Chris<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":62,"featured_media":4119,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[82],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4835","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-teachers-as-students"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/itdi.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4835","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/itdi.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/itdi.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itdi.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/62"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itdi.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4835"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/itdi.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4835\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itdi.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4119"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/itdi.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4835"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itdi.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4835"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itdi.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4835"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Like what we do? Become an iTDi Patron<\/a>.
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