Blog 21: Mentorship

Content:

LIA Response to blog:

    Literal

·     Log of specific hours with a total and a description of your duties updated on the right hand side of your blog

142 hours. =>

·     Contact Name and Mentorship Place

Fabian Villalobos, Young Champions Karate.

    Interpretive

     What is the most important thing you gained from this experience? Why?

All in all, I gained a much deeper understanding of karate and the art of teaching karate. I've already been in karate for over 10 years and I have been working on learning how to teach for about 5 years. Although I've had experience, I feel that throughout this year of work I improved dramatically in my teaching skills. It's been a goal of mine to one day work as a karate instructor teaching through a larger organization or independently. After this project I feel ready to take on my goal and make it a reality. 

   Applied

     How has what you’ve done helped you to answer your EQ?  Please explain.

My EQ is: What is the most important factor to effectively teach karate to young children? In short, my mentorship has consisted of me practicing how to teach and being there while my sensei taught or while I taught myself. It was through research and constantly talking to my sensei, the parents, and kids that I developed my answers. While I was working with my sensei at teaching I realized the many ways that teaching could be done. The different components of teaching that allows kids to learn the best, and it is precisely those components of teaching the became my answers. It was through my sensei and mentorship that I was able to check the effectivity of my answers. Since my sensei tends to be nice to me, he allowed me to teach on a somewhat regular basis. Through this I was able to put my answers to the test. 

*Please do not turn in your mentorship hours to the office.  After we collect the total list from all seniors, we will turn in one piece of paper with all hours for everybody.  It is counted as 50 hours of the 200 you need in order to graduate from I-Poly.  The 10 hours in the summer have already been added to your community service total.

=>

Almost the end...

Its been a long time since the beginning of this project and it is close to reaching it's end. All that's left is my senior presentation and exit interview. So in tune to what is going on, I feel that it's appropriate to go over the activities that I will used during my senior presentation and some others that I also know to be very effective for teaching karate. Here they are:

Senior Presentation Activities: 
- My first activity will consist of three case studies that show varying levels of success and parental involvement. It shows that there is a direct correlation between the my first answer and the success of karate studios. Although this activity makes the audience get the feeling that teaching karate is a business and that its all about making money, it serves the ultimate tone of my presentation. (I'm planning to start off like this, and towards the end show how karate is more multidimensional that one would usually imagine.) This activity doesn't exactly teach karate, but it shows the importance of parental involvement.
- For my second activity I'm planning on having my audience learn and practice basic techniques on punching bags. In order to prove the importance of my best answer (understanding and experience) I will begin by teaching how to do a jab punch properly and make sure to teach it correctly. Then when I teach how to do a reverse punch I will act confused and lost. Make sure to lower my voice and behave as if I really wasn't sure about the technique I was teaching. Right in the middle of my faulty explanation I will stop and explain that I was doing that to illustrate how an instructor acts when they don't have a deep understanding of karate and have little to no experience. This way I will give my audience the chance to see the differences in teaching when a sensei knows what they are doing as opposed to when they don't.

Other activities:
- One activity I will never get tired of stressing is having the kids practice on punching bags while the parents help holding said bags. Although this is to a degree a bit standard, it is very effective. It just has all the benefits that parental involvement offer and gives a time for practice.
- An activity that works very well at developing a child's sparring (practice fighting) techniques is paring them up and giving them specific exercises to practice. For example, if you have them do this activity and they practice punching while stepping forward, while the other person steps back and blocks, you are giving them a more comfortable setting to practice for sparring. This helps them develop their reflexes and gives them yet another technique they are comfortable using in their sparring or in a situation where they have to defend themselves.
- Another technique I wish I used more often is the closed-off- room one. This activity consist of having bags or something to place on the floor to simulate a closed off room with only one opening so that it can be the 'door'. In general, this activity is used to put the kids in the mind set of a situation where they would have to defend themselves and do what it takes to protect them selves and get out of a dangerous situation. Basically you have a child on the 'inside of the room' and one at the 'door'; the child on the 'inside has to fight his/her way out, and the child at the 'door' (playing the role of a bully)  has to do whatever it takes to keep the other student 'inside'.

Of course there are more useful activities out there, but these are a few that I have found to be very useful and successful when it comes to teaching karate.

Blog 20: Exit Interview

Content:

(1) What is your essential question and answers?  What is your best answer and why?

My EQ is "What is the most important factor to effectively teach karate to young children?" My three answers are: having experience and good teaching skills can guarantee that a sensei can know how to teach and cater to every student learning needs in order to optimize their learning, knowing how to respond to emergency situations greatly helps a sensei ensure that they are prepared to take care of any situations that might arise when teaching, parental support/involvement greatly helps a child be more willing and able to learn better. My best answer has to be having experience and good teaching skills. The reason for this is that in order to teach karate effectively you need to have a deep understanding of how and why each technique is the way it is, and this is learned through experience. As for the good teaching kills aspect, its important to know how exactly how to teach karate, as it is a bit different than most teaching. In order to teach karate, you must need to know how to earn the respect of your students and establish a class, and to do that, the first thing you need to do is know how to address the students' different learning needs and cater to them. By incorporating these concepts, you are bound to successfully teach karate to young children, which is usually more of a challenge.

(2) What process did you take to arrive at this answer?

Although it was a yearlong process, the point where I sorted out my best answer was through my 2nd independent component. Through said component I further explored each of my answers through research, testing it out myself, and conducting interviews. After compiling all I learned, I decided that having experience and good teaching skills was my best answer. 

(3) What problems did you face?  How did you resolve them?

To be honest, the only problem I faced was not knowing how to incorporate all of my answers into my independent component. I know that I wasn't required, but in order for my project to be more complete I felt that it was important. At first I was worried that I would be too much, but it was with time and actually sitting down to think it through that I was able to figure out a way to touch base with all of my answers without going over the top or bitting off more than I could chew. In the end it all worked well. 

(4) What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?

The two most important sources I used to find my answers are my mentor and an article I found about teaching to different learning styles (Attempted Validaiton of the Scores of VARK: Learning Styles Inventory with Multitrait-Multimethod Confirmatory Factor Analysis Models). My mentor was of importance because he himself is who taught me how to teach and has continuously done what he could so that I could improve. My sensei was important for me to find all three of my answers, but the article helped me solidify my best answer. But now, in the given case that my mentor did not count as a source for any given reason, I would cite my interview with Sensei Frank Marquez, as he helped me place all of my answers in perspective and narrow down the most effective one.

Blog 19: Independent Component 2

LITERAL(a) “I, Lizzeth Acuna, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.”
(b) My CPR/First Aid class and the book published by the American Red cross to supplement class proved to be very valuable sources. I also found an article,  Learning Styles Inventory With Multitrait-Multimethod Confirmatory Factor Analysis Models, really gave a deeper insight on the true importance of teaching to different learning styles. As always, my mentor, Fabian Villalobos, was an integral part of my component. He's been overlooking my practices and has continually helped me in improving my teaching abilities. My other important source would be my interview with sensei Frank Marquez. He helped me solidify my answers.
(c) Provide a digital spreadsheet (aka log of the 30 hours).   Its right there -->

(d) My independent component's purpose was to further explore my answers and figure out which one was more effective. The way I solidified my first answer, parental involvement, was through observation during my mentorship, and by conducting unofficial interviews with senseis, parents and students. I worked on validating my second answer, preparedness, by taking a CPR/First Aid class and by continuing my research. I also worked on running activities with the kids using equipment and without. This helped me understand how important it is for a sensei to be prepared for emergencies and to teach a class. As for my third answer, in depth knowledge/understanding and ability to teach karate, I worked on teaching class myself a few times to see how much my knowledge and teaching abilities determined how well the kids understood what I taught. I also began helping out two upper belt with improving their teaching abilities. Through both of them I was able to thoroughly understand exactly how much my third answer impacts the success of a sensei. To validate all of my answers I interviewed sensei Frank Marquez, who's been teaching for about 20 years. He agreed with me that while all my answers are important for success, my third answer holds the most weight. 

INTERPRETIVE
Solidifying all of my answers took a great deal of time. I found specific ways to approach each one of them to see just how effective they are. For my first answer, I observed in class and in tournaments and conducted unofficial interviews. For my second answer, I took a CPR/First Aid course and I experimented with teaching with and without equipment. For my third answer, I taught class myself and worked with two students at improving his teaching skills. Overall, I spent a decent 10 hours on each answer.

APPLIED

My component helped me explore each of my answers to greater depth. I explored my first answer, parental involvement, by observing and through conducting unofficial interviews with parents and students. However I found that my third answer, in depth knowledge/understanding and ability to teach karate, was my best answer by teaching myself, and helping two upper belt student with their teaching skills. Through him it was that I was able to thoroughly understand exactly how much my third answer impacts the success of a sensei. Overall the component helped me narrow down to my best answer. 

Evidence: 

(This picture is from the tournament I judged in January. This was actually the ring next to the one I was judging at. The judge on the left is Brendan and the one on the right is a guy we all call Screamer Dude because whenever he performs a kata he screams really loud.)

(This is Ana Cortez, one of the students that I helped with their teaching skills. Through her I realized that by understanding techniques thoroughly was more effective than my other answers. I took this picture on our way out of class.)

(This is my CPR/First Aid certificate)

(I actually got this picture from Jessica, a fellow judge at the tournaments. He's sensei Jack and was one of the senseis I interviewed. Although I don't mention him much in my research, he was actually pretty influential in my project. His philosophy when it comes to teaching young children is VERY effective. He helped me get the right attitude for teaching young kids. That's why, even though I didn't personally take this picture I wanted to make sure I included him since he is important.)

Unofficial Interview

(This is one of the unofficial interviews that I conducted in the last tournament I judged at. My interviewee is Sensei Andrew.)

All not just one answer is the best

After months of research and mentorship, I've come to conclude that even though there might be a  'best answer', only by combining all of them will you have a well rounded class.

I tried incorporating each of my answers into my teaching one at a time and I realized that while I was able to concentrate on a particular component very well, I didn't do as good of a job as I was hoping.
Then I tried implementing all of my answers thus far and I realized that I was actually able to make a good connection with my students and teach effectively. In fact, when I did a few unofficial interviews in the last tournament I judged at, I realized that a common factor among the answers that the sensei's were giving me was that they all touched on the subject that in order to run their class successfully they had to take into account parental involvement, their teaching skills, preparedness, and more.

All in all, even if you incorporate the best answer, you will never have as good results as if you incorporate most of your answers.

Blog 18: Third Answer

EQ: What is the most important factor to effectively teach karate to young children?

Answer #3: Knowing how to respond to emergency situations greatly helps a sensei ensure that they are prepared to take care of any situations that might arise when teaching, thusly running class more safely and smoothly.

Support Details:
- Knowing how to treat injuries is helps a sensei run more effectively given that karate is a contact sport.
- Knowing how to prevent emergency situations goes a long way to make a class safer.
- Being aware of injuries and why they occur can help the sensei be better at teaching students how to actually apply their skills.

Research Sources:
- Interview 4, #14, # 15, #25, #26, #31, #35, #36, #37, #38, #40 #42,

Concluding Sentence:
Being prepared for any situation that might arise can really go a long way to improve a sensei's teaching since it makes them seem more confident and they can reassure their students that they can help them in the case they get hurt.

Blog 17: Fourth Interview

I'm currently planning on interviewing a sensei with many years of experience in teaching. I'm not fully sure of who exactly, but I have a very good idea who.

Questions:

1. How does it affect a child if their parents are actively involved?

2. Do you think it helps your students learn more/better if you have a good parent-sensei relationship? Why? 

3. How is parental involvement important to teaching karate to kids?

4. How does it affect a child if their parents are not involved?

5. In what ways does having parents involved in class (ie holding bags) help kids learn and practice more at home? 

6. What are some ways to get parents to be involved?

7. How important for teaching is having a thorough background in karate?

8. How much experience does a person need to have in order to be able to do a good job teaching?

9. What do you feel is the most important skill to have in order to have good teaching ability? Why? (ie patience, enunciation, etc.)

10. What do you feel is necessary to know in order to have a complete background knowledge in karate?

11. What is your teaching technique, and why do you feel it makes you successful in teaching?

12. What have you found to be the best way to explain a technique in a way that a child can understand?

13. What is the best way to teach/cater to all different learning styles(ie auditory, kinesthetic, visual)?

14. What is the best way to prepare yourself to teach kids with special needs?

15. How do you get children with special needs to learn karate the most/best?

16. Do you feel that being prepared with equipment for activities is very important, or do you think that improvising an activity without equipment can be just as effective? Why?

17. How important is it to have a front desk with an prepared with an organized system to sign up kids and with information?

18. With what frequency do you see injuries occur during your classes, and would having a first aid certification help deal with these emergencies? Why?

19. How important is teaching the traditional/philosophical ideals to kids learning karate? Why?

20. How does understanding basic philosophical ideals (having a piece of mind through practice) help kids develop their karate skill?

21. Throughout the years, what is the best things that's worked for you in teaching karate to kids?