Instructors have emailed me asking what to do about the kids in their classes that are always laughing and never take the lessons seriously.  I know that  this can be a problem when you need them to be serious but having times in your lesson for the kids to giggle is practically required.

Kids love to laugh and have a fun time when doing things.Quite simply, they will want to stop and do something else if their training isn't fun.

I have found that best way to keep kids focused is to keep them busy.Don't make them do the same drill a hundred times, by the count of twenty they will have lost interest in what you are teaching them.  Keep them busy by constantly shifting gears during the lesson.

Kids always want to have fun and I see no reason why they can't have some fun during their training.It is the job of the instructor to make it clear when they can have a laugh and when they need to take the lesson seriously.Never design a lesson plan that is all serious work or all fun and games, neither extreme will benefit anyone.  Break your lessons into segments and balance out the fun and serious stuff.

Here is a sample lesson plan:

6:00-6:03              Warm-up stretches/exercises

6:03-6:05              Basic strikes and stances

6:05-6:10              First Martial Game (get the heart rate up and burn off some excess energy)

6:10-6:15              First technique

6:15-6:20              Second technique

6:20-6:25              Second Martial Game (use a game that reinforces the new techniques)

6:25-6:35              Revision of all belt levels techniques learnt so far.

6:35-6:40              Individual or group forms and sets

6:40-6:50              Controlled sparring

6:50-6:55              Third Martial Game (a fun group game to end the lesson on a high note)

There are two huge advantages to structuring your lessons this way.  Firstly the kids will soon learn when they can have fun and when they need to concentrate and take their training seriously. Secondly, because the kids know that there are times to have fun during the lesson you can use those times as the reward for them concentrating during the serious moments.

If you have kids that won’t behave you can make them sit out the next fun section of the class.Don't be one of those Instructors that uses push-ups as a punishment, that's a common mistake.  Push-ups are a great exercise and should not be turned into a punishment.Making them sit out while their friends get to enjoy the fun sections of the lesson plan will quickly modify their behaviour.

There is a time to let your kids relax, laugh and enjoy themselves and as the Instructor you decide when those times are in your lessons.

Regards,

Aaron Perry

ps. Martial Arts Drills and Games may seem like time fillers but they are not.They will add useful variety to your lessons by showing the kids a fun way to practice the skills they have learned with their friends in and out of the class. 

Marshal Jones
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