Wuxin- Black Stripe
(As explained by Sifu Jeff Brinker, November 7, 2024)
The difference between syllabus and curriculum has been defined for years. Unfortunately, we sometimes still struggle with the differences and keeping them in perspective while we are actively teaching on deck.
Syllabus- the tools we use to teach
Curriculum- what we are actually trying to teach
Intellectually, we understand. Practically, we are struggling.
Using the syllabus as a checklist is an incorrect approach. We do not teach the syllabus; if the students know the tools, that does not yet mean they know the curriculum, the heart of our lessons. It is likened to knowing how to use a hammer; many of us know how to use a hammer, but that does not mean we know how to build a house. Our goal is to build a house, the curriculum, not teach about a hammer, the syllabus.
As it has been instructed by Sifu Brinker, the Black stripe will not be given to a student until all other stripes have been earned.
This is not without its reasoning. The Black stripe, Wuxin, translates to “No Mind”. It is the idea of “Knowledge Applicability”. The ability to properly execute a technique cannot be present if a student has not yet earned, sufficiently to their rank, the Yellow, Red or White stripes. How can they be properly applying their knowledge if they have yet to earn/adequately learn their Vocabulary of Motion, Keystone Principles, Six Harmonies?
Wuxin means No Mind
“What we mean by that is, these techniques are yours. You don’t have to think about them, you don’t have to intellectualize them. You just need to execute them and you know how to execute them.”
How can you execute a technique if you are not able to move in a way that allows you to earn Yellow, Vocabulary of Motion, or Red, Keystone Principles, or White, the Six Harmonies?
In order to have Wuxin, you must perform your Vocabulary of Motion, Keystone Principles and Six Harmonies to your rank.
At a minimum.
Because Wuxin is last, it can serve as a “catch all”; stripes that had been earned earlier need to be kept up to expectations in order to earn the Black stripe. Therefore it is again impossible to earn Black before the others.
“Black stripe means you know how to apply your knowledge. If you know how to apply your knowledge then you have the knowledge.”
Therefore, all other stripes must be earned first.
Curricular Rotation
Starting this month, we are planing to start a curricular rotation for both the kids and adult classes. Part of the reason is to decrease the differences in skill and knowledge between the two.
Although our approach for each class needs to be very different, the skills and development at each level should be the same.
In an effort to determine the validity of our current set rotation, we will be documenting what activities and lessons we give in each class. We need to track and control as many variables as possible in order to determine if the rotation will work in its current state, or if we need to rethink the rotation/approach. The spreadsheet that you will be given access to is where we will be tracking both the rotation and what is covered in each class. It would be ideal if we also wrote out what our intent/approach was for each lesson, our successes and the weaknesses we noted and anything that would help us sharpen our skills and leave breadcrumbs for the next instructor.
Although we need to merge the classes, we still need to approach each class and each lesson with the needs of the students foremost in our minds. This means that we all, as leading instructors, need to plan our classes before we hit the mats, and need to make our plan while taking into consideration what the previous instructors have been teaching, what the students need to progress, and what is next in the rotation. We can’t just come unprepared and pick a lesson based on our strengths or comfort zone; in order for this to work as intended we will all need to innovate and look at the classes as a whole instead of as a single night of lessons.
Something to keep in mind, and I’m sure something we will all need to be reminded of periodically, is that we are teaching a curriculum, a set of concepts and ideals. Not a list of exercises. The syllabus, the document that lists all of the kicks, punches, applications, etc., is only a list of tools we have to help teach the curriculum, and we need to remember to approach it as such. The goal in teaching our students the Six Harmonies is NOT to teach them a long list of forms, but rather to use those forms to increase their awareness and ability to apply the Six Harmonies. Each form is useful to help us in different ways- that is what we need to be thinking of when we are teaching them. What is it about this form that further advances our goal of teaching the Six Harmonies? What concepts are hidden within it?
We are always trying to refine our approach. Hopefully, this rotation will help us ensure the success of all of our students while making the transition between programs or levels easier and more streamline. We have lost students in the past due to the culture shock, and although there always has to be differences between the classes, perhaps we can soften the shock for students as they progress in the system.
Student Ratings
The student rating field in our database is a powerful retention tool used to track each student’s motivational journey. Everyone’s Kung Fu journey is unique and every one of us ride a rollercoaster of motivation that sees us go through long periods of at each end of the motivational spectrum. We all can’t be ‘on’ 100% of the time.
Our ranking system is simple, with each student rated on their present state as follows:
• A - self-sufficiently motivated
• B - requires motivation to be reinforced
• C - unmotivated
Our mission as instructors is to prioritize our focus on the C students to turn them into B students. Our second priority is to turn our B students into A students. Our third priority is to ensure our A students remain A students.
This tool is only as useful if it is understood and used consistently. While Sifu Rybak is responsible for ranking all the Young Dragons, 2nd Degree Brown Belts, and Black Belts, Sihing Vantuil is responsible for ranking all the Lil leopards/Tiny Tigers, and Sihing Csillag is responsible for ranking all the Teen/Adults; every instructor should be contributing to the process by being very vocal if they see a student ranking that they do not feel is accurate. We all have unique, personal relationships with each of our students so we all have personal insights that will be useful for assisting the Program Directors in ensuring the student ratings are accurate.
To ensure the relevance of the student rating information, we need to have confidence that each rating is accurate and current. To meet this requirement we must set and respect the following policy:
• To build trust in the student rating data, all Program Directors will confirm and update each of their students’ ratings on the last day of each month. This will give us a continuous baseline for reliable minimum accuracy of 30 days.
• The entire instructor team will contribute to the process by ensuring they are vocal and engaged in policing the accuracy of the ratings.
We will further refine our policies as our experience and needs dictate. Those refinements will be discussed in our monthly meetings and this living document will be updated accordingly.
Jeff Brinker
Kids' Classes Dismissal Process
Once the class has bowed out, and the students have received hand sanitizer, the dismissal process can begin.
Dismissals begin with the students at the back of the class and move towards the front. Exceptions can be made if there are siblings, who can be dismissed together at the discretion of the Instructor.
Children will collect their belongings from the changerooms and then will proceed to the entrance to collect their footwear.
Children will then proceed directly to the bench where they will sit and put on their shoes and outerwear.
Once they have their shoes and outwear on, they are to remain seated and watch for their parents/guardians out the window.
Once all children are in the penalty box area, the entrance door can be unlocked and the next class can begin to enter.
Once a child sees their parent/guardian, they are to put up their hand, indicating to the instructor that their parent is present at the exit.
The instructor will release children to their parent/guardian and ensure the parent/guardian has them in their custody.
Once all children have been released to their parents, the exit door should be locked.
General Rules And Guidelines
Children should only leave the mats at the direction of an instructor. Any child that attempts to leave without permission will be returned to their spot and will have to wait until an instructor releases them.
Should the main instructor dismissing children be tied up, other instructors or helpers should step in to keep the dismissal process flowing.
All children should be released through the penalty box door only.
No more than 3 children should be collecting their shoes at one time.
The instructor manning the exit should be dictating the order in which children are released, not the children.
Siblings should be released together.
No child should be released unless they are seated and waiting in a respectful manner.
Any children crowding the exit, or attempting to exit without the direction of the instructor, should be instructed to find a seat on the bench and should not be released until they do so, regardless of whether their parent is at the door.
Children should not be standing or walking around in the penalty box area during dismissal.
Children should only be released when it is safe to do so and a parent/guardian is present to take custody.
If a child arrived at class on their own and will be leaving in the same manner (ie. walking, bike or roller blades), the instructor should release them when they feel it is safest to do so (ie. parking lot has emptied).
1 on 1 Attendance Policy
To reflect the difficulty inherent with having to double enter appointments into Square so we can track student use of One on One opportunities, we are not going to do it. What we will do though is chart by exception. This means we will assume that everyone who books a one on one is attending their one on ones. If they are no show, you need to inform me in real time so that I can record it. I stress real time because best intentions rarely translates to follow through. Also, if I need to generate a report, I do not want to have to poll you all first to ensure the data is correct. I need to be able to count on the data I am mining out as being 100% accurate.
Can you guys please confirm that you agree with and understand this approach? I am good with discussion if someone has an idea that may be better.
COVID-19 Protocols and Procedures
Sifu Rybak has created our first response to the current COVID-19 pandemic so please familiarize yourself with the protocols below and make sure you ask questions if there is something you do not understand. It is important that we comply 100% with these protocols and keep abreast as the document is updated as the pandemic evolves. Keep in mind that we are behind the eight ball on some of the supplies but as soon as we have them available, they will be on site.
Remember, our risk of contributing to the outbreak is very low as our class numbers are relatively low. Despite the vast majority of us being of low risk of complications from the contracting the virus, it is the more vulnerable people in our community and homes that we should be concerned about. We do not want to increase their risk of exposure so it is important that we follow these Health Canada guidelines.
I need every one of you to read and acknowledge that you have read the protocols by commenting below.
OBJECTIVE
The protection our our students, our families and ourselves is the first priority. Consistent and routine sanitization of common surfaces and hands. Removal of soiled materials (rags, hand towels, garbage) on a daily basis.
INVENTORY
Items are to be kept in stock at all times.
Clean Rags
Clean Hand Towels
Bleach/Lysol Lysol Wipes/Spray Disinfectant
Windex
Toilet Paper
Kleenex
Hand Sanitizer
Hand Soap
Garbage Bags
PROCEDURES
Personal
Wash/sanitize hands after each class.
Immediately wash and sanitize hands after in obvious contact with bodily fluids (snot, blood, saliva).
Keep a spare uniform on hand in case of obvious contamination (eg. snotty kids).
Arrive to classes in street clothes and change into uniforms on site.
Change back into street clothes before leaving the building.
Launder worn uniforms after each shift.
Training Area
Mats will be disinfected (mopped) at the end of each night.
Mats will be vacuumed and power scrubbed once a week.
All water bottles are to be kept at the rear of the training area (not along the sides).
This area of the mats will be disinfected with Lysol/spray disinfectant after every class.
Common Surfaces
All common surfaces to be sanitized prior to start of classes, at the end of each day and, when possible, between classes. These include:
All door handles
Front desk
Pony wall
Parent benches
Entrance window frame
Boot racks
Washrooms
All instructors must wash their hands after using the washroom.
Single use hand towels will be provided and are to be placed in the provided baskets for laundering.
Spare toilet paper to be kept in the storage room to prevent theft.
Showers are closed to all instructors and students.
Post-Classes
Sanitization of all sinks, counters, toilets and other common surfaces (as listed above) will occur before instructors leave for the day.
Empty all garbages.
Laundering
All dirtied rags and hand towels are to be laundered using bleach and hot water.
Kwoon materials are not to be washed with personal items.