Philosophy for Teaching

When I discuss my philosophy for teaching children, I often think about this quote from bestselling author Stephen R. Covey, “Treat them all the same by treating them differently.” Every child has a particular personality, is gifted with a special set of talents, and faces their own unique challenges. It’s important to begin a child’s first lesson by assessing where they’re at. Are they shy and timid or energized and outgoing? Do they think carefully before they act or are they more impulsive? Are they naturally athletic or do they struggle with balance and coordination? Having worked with so many children over the years, I’m able to rapidly determine the best approach to take after a quick mental evaluation of their character traits.

I then evaluate a child’s physical, intellectual, emotional, and social stage-of-development. Based upon this knowledge, I’ll structure the lessons to create the most conducive learning environment possible. Throughout the lessons, I remember the words of leadership expert John C. Maxwell, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” It’s important to take time to connect with the child — say their name, use eye-contact, smile, and ensure they’re having fun. I apply a concept called ‘Edutainment’ — combining education and entertainment — to promote a student’s excitement in learning.

Pope John XXIII once said, “See everything, overlook a great deal, and correct a little.” This holds true for teaching martial arts — I must carefully choose which of a child’s technical mistakes to focus on correcting, which one’s to temporarily ignore, and what improvements they’re making that deserve praise. I prefer to take what Professor Douglas McGregor referred to as a “Theory Y” approach to teaching. To elaborate, “Theory X” is a conventional authoritarian approach to motivation that relies on threats and punishment, triggering the release of cortisol — a stress chemical. I’d rather use a more modern “Theory Y” approach that focuses on positively influencing a child to perform at their best through self-motivation. By teaching with the brain in mind, my martial arts lessons promote the release of positive neurotransmitters like dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins. To quote the insightful words of Tony Robbins, “The difference between peak performance and poor performance is not intelligence or ability; most often it’s the state that your mind and body is in.”

If a child exhibits laziness, poor behavior, or a lack of discipline, it’s useful to keep in mind a presupposition from NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) – “Every behavior has a positive intention.” Seek to determine what’s missing and be willing to change your approach. Perhaps the child is bored with an activity and needs to be challenged. If a child shuts down, they may be trying to cope with the inability to control an outcome. If they’re distracted, inject more fun into the lesson. Are they acting up? Get them moving; as they say, “motion creates emotion.” I always do my best to ensure that my students are smiling, sweating, and learning!