Altering A Script
Several years ago, I attended a mini-reunion of some of my deaf friends at the Clarke School for the Deaf. While conversing with a couple of friends, I inquired about one classmate of mine. I had not seen or heard from this classmate for 40…
Look in the Mirror. You Are Your Own Worst Enemy
“You are your own worst enemy” is a lesson I learned in the 8th grade. While in the 8th grade (1978), I played for the U.L. Light Junior High School football team in Barberton, Ohio, a town of 28,000. Our rival, Highland Junior High School,…
Back to Teaching!
Yes, you read that right! I’m back to teaching! I apologize for not blogging since mid-July due to summertime activities and hosting various family members. Most of you know I had to dissolve Bamboo Spirit as a business entity. I don’t want to go into…
Talent or Dedication?
Which is more important, dedication or talent? From an instructor’s perspective, dedication wins hands down. Like many instructors, I have students who are talented and “natural.” I also have students who are not “natural” in martial arts. Oddly enough, and generally speaking, the less talented…
Taking Advantage of Technology
A year ago, my MacBook needed to be repaired at the local Best Buy. To keep my social media efforts going, I ordered a Chromebook from Amazon. This was delivered within a couple of days. The purchase came with one terabyte of free memory on…
Four Easy Ways to Teach Relaxation!
Recently, I was working on one of the Bamboo Spirit flow drills with one of the newer students in a class. Consequently, he had little idea how to relax during the flow drill. While going through the flow drill, he struggled to remember the sequence….
Blitz Teaching
When I teach class, I often will cover two or three topics/techniques or concepts. In other words, I am blitz teaching. The idea is that the students will have sufficient time to practice each technique or concept. If you are not able to view the…
4 Reasons for Teaching Beginners
Instructors and advanced students can benefit greatly from teaching beginners. Unfortunately, too many instructors have their junior or senior students working with beginners. Senior students often prefer to work with classmates of the same rank. While there is nothing wrong with working with fellow senior…
7 Ways I Teach Children Filipino Martial Arts
Some believe children should not be taught a “violent” activity like Filipino Martial Arts. I’ve encountered those who believe FMAs are inappropriate for children because they involve swinging a stick or two. Ahem. While risks are inherent in swinging sticks, many age-appropriate ways to teach Filipino…
The 5 Benefits of Teaching Private Lessons
“In learning, you will teach. In teaching, you will learn.” – Phil Collins. I have previously discussed reasons to take private lessons and how to get the most out of private lessons. Both of these posts were written from the student’s perspective. Fun reads, weren’t they? In this…