Meeting Minutes - August 7, 2018
No one is grading on Saturday.
Very short handed in kids classes lately, but classes are going well regardless
Jeff had to go on deck last week.
Jeff spent almost a week with the UBBT team
Need to refocus
2 prong approach- take care of parents needs (justify why they should keep taking their kids to classes)
Take care of students needs. Learning the concepts
Concern with how we approach, some of us are broken, there needs to be instructors that can actually demonstrate what we are trying to teach (eg. Flying kicks)
When a student or parent of student asks us why the martial arts are important and what the benefits are, we need to answer with confidence.
The first answer needs to be the same answer from one instructor to the next. Then individual reasons can be stated if done so with competancy.
Can we prove our answer with our own actions?
The evidence of the benefits need to be present on deck to reinforce what the students are working towards
CONCEPT FROM TOM CALLOS: Money coming in is always varing, money going out is always constant. What is each student worth? How many students do you need to pay the bills? Treat each student like they are your last. They are needed for the school to continue to operate. The buck stops with each one of them. They are all equally vital to our operation. Priceless.
QUESTION: What have we normalized that is harming us?
Low hanging fruit (too many games, too much running around) they are happy, but not benefiting from what the martial arts can offer
Whenever the class is getting dry we panic and go to what we know pleases the students
We forget that there is ONE leader and five instructors. The leader should be able to continue teaching the class and instructors should correct. The leader should not have to stop the class to correct
The other instructors should not just be pylons
A conversation about the plan for class has to happen. This has been happening to a point, but if circumstances change, it is difficult to communicate the new intentions for the class.
CONCEPTS FOR IMPROVEMENT: Reduce everyone's roles. One person leading, everyone else focus on teaching.
Have a single backup for the leader. No more than one in order to limit confusion.
With a consistant leadership, it will be easier to predict where the leader is going and what the instructors are correcting.
Immediate feedback is critical. It will have the most impact and facilitate the most change.
Weekly meetings? At end of each night of classes? Quick 5 minute recap of good/bad.
Striping system. We are struggling with concept of teaching curriculum and sylabus. We used to have a single colour of stripes. (Yellow x6) which were given when the concepts were covered, not necessarily when a student was proficient. One white stripe was given, showing proficiency and ready for grading.
Looking at a rotating curriculum. Work on one concept at a time, once the section is done, the stripe will be given.
One concept is the MAIN concept. With one or two additional concepts to prevent student boredom and skill atrophy. It is important to not get hung up on the core concept and continue to touch on others as well.
Attempt to stop doing warmups? This may mitigate students attitude towards the first part of class (slow saunter back after getting water.) . Give them a break when they need a break. Make the "warmup" pertinent to the lesson for the day.
It must still be a reasonable time. 10-15 mins (for legal issues).
RECAP: Where are our students going? What do they see in us, how are they inspired to continue training?
Let me know if I have missed or mis-interpreted something.
