I am hoping I can glean some knowledge from those of you wiser than myself.
I have been struggling with a major issue for YEARS now. The biggest challenge I seem to have is maintaining a curriculum based training. In other words, I have been told I am an excellent teacher, have great skill, and can really do some great stuff in seminars and workshops. But, what I appear to be lacking is the ability to teach and maintain long-term rank requirements for my students.
There are a number of reasons. First, I have always had a smaller group of students and always taught by myself. This limits my ability to break classes up by rank or experience level. So, I am trying to cover all ranges, teaching white belts AND blue belts all at the same time, trying to insure that we cover everything everyone needs. But in trying to accommodate all, mostly I end up failing in a grand way.
Second, I have a pretty vast knowledge of multiple systems and techniques. Apparently, I know a ton of stuff. But assimilating it and teaching it in a progressive manner is a completely different ball game. My original amalgamation of a system had hundreds of techniques but so many that I found it impossible to teach and maintain. So, what I did was, not try to. I scaled back, I adapted a variation of the curriculum and decided to stay within its expectations and principles. Does it limit me to my variations and techniques? YES. But I figured having a confined path is better than having no path at all. Besides, sometimes too much is just that... TOO MUCH.
But, even in adapting a set curriculum it still doesn't alleviate problem number one. Teaching multiple levels simultaneously.
So, I tried another approach. A couple of years ago, I sat down and designed somewhat of a unique approach to ranking. It basically laid out like this. I went I and taught whatever I wanted. Grabs, punches defenses, pressure points, takedowns, locks, ground fighting... WHATEVER. This played greatly into my widespread seminar approach to teaching. The ranking was done this way ... all the students had to do was to choose 6 defenses from the vast amount that we covered. In the process of teaching multiple techniques, if they found one they liked, they wrote it down, and it became theirs. While we trained in multiple techniques, time would be set aside in classes for the students to practice just THEIR techniques. When rank time rolled around, they had to demonstrate their selected wazas. Then the next rank, they had to pick 6 more from the vast and varied selection, then 8 more, then 10 more, with the concept being that by the time they went for blackbelt, they would own and demonstrate maybe 100 different combinations of their choice (hell, how many do you really NEED). In theory this seemed like a great system. It allowed me the opportunity to teach whatever I wanted and not be limited by ranks or technical requirements, and the students would be able to choose the techniques not only that they LIKED, but what really worked for them based on preference, body type, and ability. A real WIN-WIN situation.
The downfall came after the first rank test. The first one went fine. But on approaching the next rank test, the students started to complain. "Which techniques do I choose?" they would ask. "Whatever you want," I would respond. "That's the beauty of it. It's not MY system you are ranking in, it's YOURS. Choose what works best for you." But, low and behold, they felt completely and utterly LOST without me giving them the guidance and specific techniques required. They just didn't get it.
So, after a few more variations, it brings me back to where I am now. A set curriculum and techniques, different rank levels, and different students. But STILL having issues trying to assimilate it all.
Right now, there are certain techniques required per rank, with a number of variations (in other words, if they need to learn a particular wristlock, I expect to see it off of a number of different attacks such as a grab, a choke, a push, etc.). But, since I really focus on the principles, I have not assigned specific down to the letter technical requirement. It is important to be able to flow and react spontaneously rather than specific technique.
So, here's my quandary. WHAT DO I DO? How do YOU do it? How do you assimilate, systemize, require, and rank your adult students? Or, moreso... how would you suggest I do it?
As always, stuck between a rock and a hard place.
jbjujitsu@aol.com