John Graden
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Curriculum Design: The Recipe Book for Your Martial Arts School
I had lunch recently with a fourth dan in Uechi Ryu. We talked about how the Eastern mind-set is so different from the Western, and the confusion that creates for many instructors. Culturally, the East is more about conformity, or as I call it, cloning, than the West, where rugged individualism and innovation are instilled. This prompted him to tell me a story of the greatest fighter... (posted by John 2 years 60 days ago.)
I had lunch recently with a fourth dan in Uechi Ryu. We talked about how the Eastern mind-set is so different from the Western, and the confusion that creates for many instructors. Culturally, the East is more about conformity, or as I call it, cloning, than the West, where rugged individualism and innovation are instilled. This prompted him to tell me a story of the greatest fighter... (posted by John 2 years 60 days ago.)
Is Owning a Martial Arts School Right For You?
I knew from my first night in white belt class on February 12, 1974, at age 13, that I was going to do martial arts for the rest of my life. I was teaching professionally by age 16 and have been teaching ever since. However, I never wanted to own a school, at least until the mid-1980s when I was in my twenties. For one thing, I had no business experience. For that matter, I hadn't even finished high... (posted by John 2 years 60 days ago.)
I knew from my first night in white belt class on February 12, 1974, at age 13, that I was going to do martial arts for the rest of my life. I was teaching professionally by age 16 and have been teaching ever since. However, I never wanted to own a school, at least until the mid-1980s when I was in my twenties. For one thing, I had no business experience. For that matter, I hadn't even finished high... (posted by John 2 years 60 days ago.)
Fine-turning Your Martial Arts Curriculum
Let me walk you through the processes that I went through to change the recipe of my curriculum. At first, it's not easy to make wholesale changes to your program. We have a strong connection to many of these techniques and forms. However, once you begin the process of improving the recipes, it becomes exciting. This is also an important step towards finding your own voice. Question everything you teach and... (posted by John 2 years 60 days ago.)
Let me walk you through the processes that I went through to change the recipe of my curriculum. At first, it's not easy to make wholesale changes to your program. We have a strong connection to many of these techniques and forms. However, once you begin the process of improving the recipes, it becomes exciting. This is also an important step towards finding your own voice. Question everything you teach and... (posted by John 2 years 60 days ago.)
A Tale of Two Curriculums
When I opened my school, I presented the exact curriculum that I was raised on. Among the many problems that created for me was that I had a lot more kids in my school than my instructors did. Martial arts forms, hyungs, or kata were designed by highly disciplined adults to be taught to other highly disciplined adults in a military atmosphere. They were not designed to be taught to an eight-year-old kid. Teaching kids... (posted by John 2 years 60 days ago.)
When I opened my school, I presented the exact curriculum that I was raised on. Among the many problems that created for me was that I had a lot more kids in my school than my instructors did. Martial arts forms, hyungs, or kata were designed by highly disciplined adults to be taught to other highly disciplined adults in a military atmosphere. They were not designed to be taught to an eight-year-old kid. Teaching kids... (posted by John 2 years 60 days ago.)
Masters on Change
The Masters on Change Here are some quotations regarding styles from three of the most influential martial artists in history: "The art does not make the man. The man makes the art." Gichin Funakoshi "You limit a style by labeling it." Bruce Lee "The style serves the student. The student doesn't serve the style." Joe Lewis Despite my roots in tae kwon do, my responsibility is to my students, not tae kwon do... (posted by John 2 years 61 days ago.)
The Masters on Change Here are some quotations regarding styles from three of the most influential martial artists in history: "The art does not make the man. The man makes the art." Gichin Funakoshi "You limit a style by labeling it." Bruce Lee "The style serves the student. The student doesn't serve the style." Joe Lewis Despite my roots in tae kwon do, my responsibility is to my students, not tae kwon do... (posted by John 2 years 61 days ago.)
How to Make Cash Outs Work to Your School’s Advantage
If you can keep a steady flow of new students coming in, an ideal situation is high cash outs and high monthly billing. This is being accomplished by some schools that take a somewhat unconventional approach to their cash out and upgrade strategies. This may seem to contradict my previous suggestion that monthly tuition is the lifeblood of the school, but it doesn't. What makes this work for the long... (posted by John 2 years 61 days ago.)
If you can keep a steady flow of new students coming in, an ideal situation is high cash outs and high monthly billing. This is being accomplished by some schools that take a somewhat unconventional approach to their cash out and upgrade strategies. This may seem to contradict my previous suggestion that monthly tuition is the lifeblood of the school, but it doesn't. What makes this work for the long... (posted by John 2 years 61 days ago.)
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