In this podcast I chat with Mike Turbitt about his 10 precepts for teaching children. Mike runs a very successful school and the quality of the karateka he produces speaks for itself. It was also Mike who convinced me to start teaching children again. This is a fascinating and information packed discussion that is sure to be of interest to all instructors! Enjoy!
All the best,
Iain
Mike’s 10 Precepts for Teaching Children
Precept 1: The aim of Karate is to the improve lives of its practitioners. You have a responsibility to your students and child welfare, which far exceeds your responsibility to your style, system, sensei or tradition.
Precept 2: Understand karate’s values, understand your values, understand children’s values.
Precept 3: Karate takes a lifetime to master, so teach children by meeting their needs not yours. If they don't attend, you can teach them anything.
Precept 4: Make them feel fantastic in every lesson and they come back.
Precept 5: Discipline is correct behaviour at the correct time.
Precept 6: Children’s education and lives are already structured; it is advantageous to work within that structure.
Precept 7: Programs - Follow the school system, they are the experts.
Precept 8: Teach the same thing, to the same class, at the same time.
Precept 9: Public praise. Private correction.
Precept 10: Parents stay during the class.
About Mike:
I started training at the age of fifteen back in the days of the BKA under the instruction of Barry Tatlow Sensei. I was awarded 1 dan in 1981 as part of the Tera group under Takamizawa Sensei. Second Dan followed a couple of years later, and then a small twenty-something year gap until 2005 when I achieved 3rd Dan.
It was at this grading that I met up with an old training partner, Nigel Davison, who invited him to his dojo in Northampton.
It was the cleanest brightest dojo I had ever been in the teaching and the atmosphere was electric. I knew instantly that’s what I wanted to have and do.
That was the second week in December, on the third week I attended another old training partner at his school and after training he told me it was to be the last session at that venue as he had had enough. I took over the venue from the 3rd of January and so Team Black belt was born.
My son Mitch was Seven at the time and to keep his interest I had to create high energy fast paced lessons; I knew if I could keep him motivated, I could keep anyone.
We grew and grew; Team Black Belt now has had its own full-time dojo for the last 14 years and regularly (pre covid) teach 300 plus children a week.
Oh, and I only teach 4 evenings a week and have holidays!!!
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