Successful Life Skills for Children
Character Training & Development   |   School Safe/Street Safe

 

Character Training & Development

Over the milennia, Martial Arts techniques have been passed down from father to son and from instructor to student over and over again. In the process, systems (such as kata, forms, self-defense techniques, one-steps, etc.) have been developed to keep the Martial Arts style pure. However, the subtler, yet infinitely more important character developmental aspects of Martial Arts have been more of a “side effect” than a deliberate, conscious, systematized effort.

Character Training and Development is a system designed to help the Martial Arts instructor develop and train for positive character traits.

This is done by systematically using metaphor and Scoratic style questioning, causing the students to think and reason. Using this process, the instructor is able to guide students, even very young students, into drawing powerful conclusions. Instructors anchor these important lessons and empower the students with alternate solutions through role-playing. We have found that students, especially young students, learn more information faster, and retain answers longer by listening to a short story, answering a few well-placed questions followed by role-playing (all five minutes or less). This works better than many hours of laborious lectures.

By using the Character Training and Development teaching techniques detailed in this system, even the youngest, most inexperienced instructors can easily guide their students to live a successful, effective life.

Charatcer Training and Development consists of a four-month lesson plan, broken down into four blocks, with each block divided into four weekly sections. The four blocks of Character Training and Development are:

1. Good Attitude - teaches benefits of having the right attitude for success.
2. Good Habits - teaches practical ways to develop self-discipline, responsibility and focus.
3. Good Self Control - teaches practical ways to control and channel emotions.
4. Good Manners - emphasizes the befits of courtesy and respect.

Character Training and Development is scripted in a such a way that any instructor, in any style of Martial Arts, can easily insert this into their classroom instruction in five minutes or less.

It is as simple as watching the video at the beginning of the month, allowing five minutes during class to huddle up the kids, and following the weekly outline.

School Safe/
Street Safe

Most Martial Arts instructors are conscientious about teaching their students the most effective self-defense techniques they know. They usually have a clear cut system with which to teach self-defense to their students. Every conscientious Martial Arts instructor also tries to emphasize the importance of not fighting. What many schools lack is a systematic method of teaching our students how to “Not Fight”, and skills that keep kids safe from potential predators.

School Safe/Street Safe is a simple, comprehensive, easy to implement system of “Not Fighting” and living safely. The program is broken down into four one-month-long blocks, with each further divided into four weekly subjects, and is a perfect complement to all Martial Arts styles or self-defense systems.

The information is “cutting edge”. This is not some academic, philosophical approach to conflict avoidance. This program is practical, easy to follow, and the students love it. Every discussion topic has been tested and used in the classroom for years. It does not follow a lecture format. Generally there is a brief story, followed by a few questions and then role-playing.

Children learn from experience. School Safe/Street Safe lets them get practical life experience in the safety of your classroom. The four blocks of School Safe/Street Safe are:

1. The ABC’s of Conflict Avoidance - primarily teaches avoidance strategies.
2. Stranger Alert - teaches how to identify a lure and what to do.
3. Five Rules of Personal Safety - teaches what to do when confronted (in the schoolyard) and how to resolve the situation peacefully.
4. Trust Your Intuition - teaches practical techniques to fine-tune your student’s awareness and intuition.