This week has been a busy one as far as my TKD activities go. Wednesday was the crazy day, as usual, whereby I cram one class in the morning, and two at night. Drew had his class too. I also went to a black belt testing at another ATA school, which was interesting as well. Oh, and a Joint Lock seminar as well. So let's begin, shall we?
There's nothing in particular that I can remember about my classes, to be honest. It was pointed out that I didn't have proper hand-foot timing on 2 or 3 moves that were after the jump kicks and the reverse hook kicks. Easily fixed. I haven't watched myself, but I feel like as long as I can stabilize my knee with my knee brace, and not be too tired, I can do well with my form. And the sparring and weapons. Not the prettiest thing, doing BME drills. BORING! But, they are what they are, and I think I got a slight correction in one part, but again, it's an easy fix. The board breaks are coming along nicely. In the morning, I only practiced the reverse sidekick, but I still had to practice the round kick without the board, just so I had the rhythm of it all. That was fine. In the first evening class, I got to practice both breaks, and oddly enough, the roundkick break didn't do it on the first crack, but the reverse sidekick did! Go figure. (I did get the roundkick on the second try. No biggie.) Instructor class was more practice, and learning/helping the younger ones learn about how to discipline other kids in class who are being goofy. I think for BU and I in talking to the kids, it's easier simply because we are not only adults, but parents, so it's a little easier for us to come up with something.
I didn't pay any attention to Drew's class, just because I think he needs to do things on his own. I did ask SW if that class went better than Monday's, and she said generally, yeah, it did. The only thing Drew really needs to work on is not punching kids in the face when he spars. Good thing they have face shields on now! Even so, a)it's an illegal sparring move, b)Drew shouldn't be so rough, and c) it means Drew has to learn to control better, and that comes with time and coaching. He's only 6, after all! He also forgets his own strength sometimes, and the adrenaline kicks in, so again, he needs to learn control. It will be great to see him doing his form in a few weeks.
Thursday, I had to opportunity to go watch a testing at a different ATA school. EL was testing for her 3rd degree, and since SW is only one rank higher than that, she is not allowed to supervise the testing for that. So SW's instructor, KC, has to do it. KC's school is actually closer to me, and since I had the evening free, I could actually go see. What was interesting was that the testing was black belts only, whereas the teens and adults at my school, no matter the rank, all come at the same time. It was also done where several things were going on at once, and somehow it still took almost 3 hours! EL was the only one who was testing for 3rd degree. She did well on her forms, weapons and sparring, but unfortunately did not break her boards. We think that the main reason is that she is still adjusting from having done all her breaking from her walker (she has CP, in case you didn't know), to doing it in a wheelchair instead. And she just started that a couple of weeks ago. She was brave, even though we knew her disappointment, but she gets to try again at the next testing in about 8 weeks. PS and I had come for moral support, and we noticed a pattern. When Sandy went to test for her 1BD, it got cancelled and she didn't get her belt that night. On the new testing night, then she got it, but PS and I weren't there. With EL not able to break that night, PS and I teased that perhaps we shouldn't come to the next testing, because maybe we were a jinx or something. Oh well. (There were several others who didn't break for their ranks either, so she wasn't alone in that. But one little boy cried, and I felt bad for him.)We all went out to dinner afterwards, and had a nice time hanging out with SW, who assisted at the testing, and a former instructor at our school who used to be EL's physical therapist and brought her into TKD in the first place. So it was a nice night nonetheless.
Today was something a little different. As I said, I've been keeping it all in the family. Today was the joint lock seminar. I had done a lot of it before in different settings, but this was the first formal training I'd had other than in instructor class one time. The difference with this one was that I brought my DAD with me! He'd always do something similar to teach me self-defense when I was a kid, so I thought he might enjoy it, so I invited him to come. He was able to do almost all of it except at the end, because it would bother his knees, but it was only the last 5-10 minutes of the seminar, so it was fine. We never got paired up (DARN!), but we got to rotate partners. I guess I was considered the nice one, because I didn't try to rip anyone's arm off. RA, who was teaching it, had 4 simple rules, the 4 Ss-- 1)Safe, 2)Slow, 3)Slap and 4) Stop. In other words, for learning purposes, we had to be safe, and to do that we needed to do it slowly, if it hurt you should slap your leg or give some other signal, and remember to stop if someone else does that. Easy enough. There was one white belt mom there with her two boys (one of them being the one who kicked me too hard in sparring class a few weeks ago), and a new blue belt who just transferred in from another school, and then I was the next highest ranked. Everyone else were black belts. Oh, and except for my Dad. ;-) It was fun, and my arms are still attached and not broken. I got an email from my dad later thanking me for inviting him, because he had fun, and really liked working with my TKD friends who were patient and helpful.
Whew! I think that's a pretty full week for TKD! As it is, I won't be able to do triple classes on Wednesday, as I have to go to a Pack Leaders meeting on Wednesday night. I probably need the break, though. While I have a countdown now until my testing time (see the left column, and scroll down a bit), I'm feeling okay about my material at this point. I'm pretty anxious about moving onto new stuff, because IF I can make it that night, I have an interschool tournament 2 days later (if the Scouts don't meet), and I'll be competing as a 1st degree! SW said I'd learn the 1st degree weapon form for SJB in about 10 minutes, and she could review it the day after my testing by coming into work early before I left if needed. I know all the elements already, it's just the combination and a little bit of the footwork I need help with, as well as just a few moves I don't know. Well, if SHE thinks I can learn it that quickly, then, well.... So I'll have to pay more attention to Drew on Monday and Wednesday, and I'll still have my day class to practice. I think this will give me some time to heal up from all these triple nights!
Saturday, October 06, 2007
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24th, 2007
GRADUATION/TESTING
For Camo Belt Decided: Drew
For First Degree BLACK BELT Decided: Windsornot
Update to Missing Pieces
Talked with SW. Nothing to worry about in the end. She said what happened was that Drew was actually doing very well in class, up until that point that he looked up. She had told him something he didn't like, and he had looked to me for approval, and I wasn't giving it one way or another. It was from that point forward that he only did his forms and everything in a half-hearted way. SW said she was actually very pleased with the way he was doing things before the altercation, and then even the fact that he didn't have a blowout, and kept going half-heartedly without making scene was HUGE progress in her eyes. She said that even when he had his little part to do, which was to yell, "SET!" at the end of the last segment, he did it in a way that was very leadership-like of him. She also said that at his age, she's not too worried about left or right foot as long as the general move is done, and if he were still doing that at age 8, then she'd worry. She felt that for a 6 year old, he's doing very well, and not to worry about doing the form more correctly, getting the moves for his weapons and taking the easy way out with board breaks. She felt that he's still doing well with sparring too, and just has to remember his control, but that has still progressed as well. His transition to upper-level color belt has been good. She felt that his attitude in class and his behavior has improved immensely, and she felt that was more important than the actual steps. The steps will come in time, and 6 year olds aren't always as coordinated yet, but attitude is everything, and he's made major strides with that.
So I'm relieved! WHEW!
So I'm relieved! WHEW!
Missing pieces
Yesterday was the day Drew has his class, and as it's getting closer to testing time, SW was really putting the kids through the ringer. It wasn't bad, and the kids were calling her mean and evil, but she took it as a compliment. Little do they know what she's REALLY like when she gets mean and evil! Don't get me wrong, she can be really good with kids too, but when she lays down the law, it's grounded!
I normally don't watch Drew's classes and try to stay out, but yesterday was a little hard. I had my knitting with me, and was catching up with one mom I hadn't seen for a while. JR, her son, started TKD before Drew by a few months, and he's only a little older than Drew (6 months), but he hasn't taken any breaks, and he even got to the point where he *wanted* to move up full belts and know the whole form instead of half forms. He only has to know half until he's 7, but according to JR's mom, the last two cycles he's been doing full belts, so he's already a brown belt. Drew, on the other hand, granted, he's working on getting his full camo belt (bottom of the upper level color belts). If he hadn't taken so many and such long breaks, he'd be further along too. But I couldn't help watching Drew, as I think that he's one of the, if not THE youngest in his class, even if it's by a matter of months. He's also the lowest ranked one in that class. He's in the right class, mind you, but everyone there is at least 2 or more full belts ahead of him. And they are learning the hardest color belt form right now. But somehow, I felt that he wasn't getting the attention he needed when he needed it. And I'll tell you why.
As I watched Drew, he was making really blatant mistakes. And as SW watched all the kids, yes, some of them were making mistakes, but Drew was making the most and worst of them. Right off the bat, he's supposed to do a slow square block on one side, then shift his weight to the other side, and reverse it. He does the first half wrong, and the second half right. How can you not notice one set of hands going in the opposite direction from everyone else? It's things like that which were occurring. He was doing his reverse hook backwards too-- wrong leg, turning the wrong way. I mean, blatant! Now, I understand that it's a hard form. And it's his first time doing it, and he'll do it again probably this time next year. BUT, whether these other kids have to know more or not, I would think Drew should still get corrections, which he's not.
When it came time for board breaks, he got away with doing a palm heel break. Every class, I encourage him to try a new break of some sort. He doesn't do it. And nobody seems to push him to do it. I know he doesn't like change, and he's comfortable with that, and they were trying to make sure the kids who had to break for testing got their practice in (which were all but Drew and another kid). But still--I'm working at that place so I can afford to send him, and he's not getting that individualized attention he needs other than in disciplinary ways, and that not helping him progress. He did get a little wacky and rough in sparring, but it was quickly resolved, and even another kid (not Drew) was complaining that some of the other kids were being too rough and he had to sit out. Drew also had to be separated for weapons, because they are showing much more complicated stuff, and he's just not ready for that. They just tell him, "Okay Drew, work on your freestyle.". He doesn't know the form they've been teaching for freestyle. He just stands back there and plays with his JB. That's not learning.
I feel like I have to have a discussion about it with SW. I know she's can't necessarily personalize it just for Drew, but if there are things that he needs help on, and he won't let me help him, then he has to get it from her.
While I know she understands his needs very well, and is more capable of handling him than a lot of places, I sometimes wonder if he should transfer to Master C's. He doesn't realize that they are tougher on kids than SW is, but it's closer, and maybe he'd respond better to Master C's teachers. I don't know. I would think it'd be worse because they don't know Drew's history and why he does what he does, whereas my school knows him almost too well. I don't know. I think I have to have a talk with her. I don't expect Drew to be doing this perfectly, but I do expect him to have his form down a lot more closer to correct than what I see now. And while he's being challenged in some ways, he's not in others where he should. I don't know. It's rather confusing and frustrating to watch, knowing what I know.
ETA: I did send an email to her this morning, since I know I won't have a lot of time to talk to her when she comes in this afternoon, to voice my concerns. I really tried to say to her that I realize Drew is not an easy student, and I don't expect perfection, but he does need help and I'm not sure how to go about this. Hopefully she'll respond positively.
I normally don't watch Drew's classes and try to stay out, but yesterday was a little hard. I had my knitting with me, and was catching up with one mom I hadn't seen for a while. JR, her son, started TKD before Drew by a few months, and he's only a little older than Drew (6 months), but he hasn't taken any breaks, and he even got to the point where he *wanted* to move up full belts and know the whole form instead of half forms. He only has to know half until he's 7, but according to JR's mom, the last two cycles he's been doing full belts, so he's already a brown belt. Drew, on the other hand, granted, he's working on getting his full camo belt (bottom of the upper level color belts). If he hadn't taken so many and such long breaks, he'd be further along too. But I couldn't help watching Drew, as I think that he's one of the, if not THE youngest in his class, even if it's by a matter of months. He's also the lowest ranked one in that class. He's in the right class, mind you, but everyone there is at least 2 or more full belts ahead of him. And they are learning the hardest color belt form right now. But somehow, I felt that he wasn't getting the attention he needed when he needed it. And I'll tell you why.
As I watched Drew, he was making really blatant mistakes. And as SW watched all the kids, yes, some of them were making mistakes, but Drew was making the most and worst of them. Right off the bat, he's supposed to do a slow square block on one side, then shift his weight to the other side, and reverse it. He does the first half wrong, and the second half right. How can you not notice one set of hands going in the opposite direction from everyone else? It's things like that which were occurring. He was doing his reverse hook backwards too-- wrong leg, turning the wrong way. I mean, blatant! Now, I understand that it's a hard form. And it's his first time doing it, and he'll do it again probably this time next year. BUT, whether these other kids have to know more or not, I would think Drew should still get corrections, which he's not.
When it came time for board breaks, he got away with doing a palm heel break. Every class, I encourage him to try a new break of some sort. He doesn't do it. And nobody seems to push him to do it. I know he doesn't like change, and he's comfortable with that, and they were trying to make sure the kids who had to break for testing got their practice in (which were all but Drew and another kid). But still--I'm working at that place so I can afford to send him, and he's not getting that individualized attention he needs other than in disciplinary ways, and that not helping him progress. He did get a little wacky and rough in sparring, but it was quickly resolved, and even another kid (not Drew) was complaining that some of the other kids were being too rough and he had to sit out. Drew also had to be separated for weapons, because they are showing much more complicated stuff, and he's just not ready for that. They just tell him, "Okay Drew, work on your freestyle.". He doesn't know the form they've been teaching for freestyle. He just stands back there and plays with his JB. That's not learning.
I feel like I have to have a discussion about it with SW. I know she's can't necessarily personalize it just for Drew, but if there are things that he needs help on, and he won't let me help him, then he has to get it from her.
While I know she understands his needs very well, and is more capable of handling him than a lot of places, I sometimes wonder if he should transfer to Master C's. He doesn't realize that they are tougher on kids than SW is, but it's closer, and maybe he'd respond better to Master C's teachers. I don't know. I would think it'd be worse because they don't know Drew's history and why he does what he does, whereas my school knows him almost too well. I don't know. I think I have to have a talk with her. I don't expect Drew to be doing this perfectly, but I do expect him to have his form down a lot more closer to correct than what I see now. And while he's being challenged in some ways, he's not in others where he should. I don't know. It's rather confusing and frustrating to watch, knowing what I know.
ETA: I did send an email to her this morning, since I know I won't have a lot of time to talk to her when she comes in this afternoon, to voice my concerns. I really tried to say to her that I realize Drew is not an easy student, and I don't expect perfection, but he does need help and I'm not sure how to go about this. Hopefully she'll respond positively.
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