Teaching Jr High Kendo in Kanagawa

[Ookami7]

Well since a couple people seemed interested in it. Will try and blog my experiences teaching the Jr High Kendo club and anyone can chime in comments or their similar experiences. Couple things though, can not post picts due to privacy, same w/ names will just be generic ie class sempi, this kendoka .......

Anyways. To start off, I have named the Kendo training dummy last yr ------


Yup you guessed it! Bob!!!! In a kinda twisted gaijin humor lol. Kids find it funny after a fashion. Most comments I make in class after closing usually I try and do in both English and Japanese. Or if the English teacher/ head Sensei is there, will usually do English and let him trans into Japanese for me.
I always try to comment on something. Whether its something I saw during class or a comment / thread/ advice I picked up on here!!!! Anyways will post more as I get a chance!!!!

[Ookami7]

Well today, did basic drills/ warm ups. Worked with 1st yr students some on hitting men ie trying to get them to stretch their hands out a little further on cut and working on their dou suburi!!! Then they did jogging up and down stairs well 2nd and 3rd yr students did keashi do, kote etc waza practice. Then we ended the practice w/ mock taikai jigeiko! The other Sensei and a couple of students were the shinpans for this one. Speaking of which I need to increase my vocab for Shinpan etc since I have limited experience and am being called on to contribute more when they practice tournament matches!!!

[Kagerou]

Well today, did basic drills/ warm ups. Worked with 1st yr students some on hitting men ie trying to get them to stretch their hands out a little further on cut and working on their dou suburi!!! Then they did jogging up and down stairs well 2nd and 3rd yr students did keashi do, kote etc waza practice. Then we ended the practice w/ mock taikai jigeiko! The other Sensei and a couple of students were the shinpans for this one. Speaking of which I need to increase my vocab for Shinpan etc since I have limited experience and am being called on to contribute more when they practice tournament matches!!!

Were you chasing them with a shinai? If not they weren't running fast enough

[Ookami7]

Thanks, will have to keep that in mind lol!!! Naw they kinda broke off just did own thing of building up endurance etc. While I spent time working with one group and the other Sensei spent time working with the other group of advanced students!

[Ookami7]

Well ran through the basics warm up, suburi, and practice cuts. Then went to okirikaeshi, which I completely spaced and did a men before resetting and going through it! lol. Practiced men, kote, do hits and then kakarigeiko. Well doing this 1st yr students did the running up and down stairs, sqauts etc, Then we practiced tournament style shiai geiko! W/ 1st yr students watching. Head Sensei was opponent for all 3rd yr students. Then switched and did 3rd yr vrs 2nd year w/ me being taisho! Everyone looked good! Was impressed one of the lady kendoka is starting to build up her kiai to almost that of a wailing Banshee as I like to state it!!!! Hopefully she can get to the next level sometime where her kiai is almost like a physical wall or barrier!!! Anyways was pretty evenly matched, I think 3rd yr might have taken it in the end! As to my own results ------------------------------ Yes I know everyone is dying here to know, lost my 2 matches by 1 pt. Both times the 3rd yr students managed to get 1 pt on me to my 0! Oh well at least I was looking better this time around actually running through instead of stopping right after I make hit lol!!!! Slowly but surely progess! Gems of wisdom that I gave out, was for 1st yr use left hand ie thats where the power is and last 3 fingers especially, right hand is only for steering! 2nd and 3rd yr students --- Work on nice strong pop sound, strong kiai and going through!!!

[Roberto]

Well today, did basic drills/ warm ups. Worked with 1st yr students some on hitting men ie trying to get them to stretch their hands out a little further on cut and working on their dou suburi!!! Then they did jogging up and down stairs well 2nd and 3rd yr students did keashi do, kote etc waza practice. Then we ended the practice w/ mock taikai jigeiko! The other Sensei and a couple of students were the shinpans for this one. Speaking of which I need to increase my vocab for Shinpan etc since I have limited experience and am being called on to contribute more when they practice tournament matches!!!

Hello Ookami, I'd like to know about the jogging. Is it done during the kendoubu practice time or sometime before or after it?
If it is during the kendoubu practice, I'd recommend to focus more in kendou training and encourage the kids to practice by their own in a diferent time, even for some other kendou linked excersises but not as specific as the kendou ones (like the jogging, some other kind of legs trainings)

[NigelSponge]

at my highschool, the new 1st years, who havent done kendo in middle school, have been pretty much just been practicing men and suburi foot work during keiko. Along with watching the advanced members and doing dojo duties. I personaly think that the physical endurance training will come once the newbies are more fully engulfed in actual kendo practice. I would have them either practice basic strikes, or do things that will build their mental endurance, like cleaning and things of that nature. They wont be able to push themselves to improve their physical fitness once in bogu if they dont have the mental stamina necessary to do so. When we dont have practice for whatever reason, like before we went to a 4 day ensei, we picked dead flowers out of the school's flower pots etc.
.....jogging is good too of course haha.
very good for a thread btw, ill definitely stay tuned =)

[Ookami7]

Roberto, Thanks for the comments, sorry this reply is a little late. The jogging is just up and down the stairs. The dojo itself is on 2nd floor! It is done during the Kendobu time, like maybe 5-10 mints. Not really paying attention to the clock. This is just for the 1st yr students, after finishing, they will do squats, push ups etc. This itself will probably continue till about summer break. Then they will be included fully in practice. If I remeber the set up from last yr! Yeah I also have made the comment a couple of times that if they have time before class starts grab a shinai and practice the basics! Sadly they are a bit too influced by the pop culture. So slowly trying to weed out the Mcdojo type stuff! Since I am working at school and need to keep good relations with everyone, can`t be quite as strict as I would be in a diff situation.

Thanks Nigel for the comments as well. For the 1st yr students, warm ups, suburi/ strike practice/ ashisabaki, more the runnng, squats, etc. Also bear in mind that Wenday and Fridays practice are an hour long, Thursdays is about 1 and 1/2 or 2 hours long! There is a weekend practice, but I normal don`t make it to that. Due to other commitments. Anyways enjoy!!!

[Ookami7]

Last Fridays practice. We all just did warm ups, suburi, stricking practice. Then advanced group split off, did Kirikaeshi, a cool drill where the motodachi would hold out the shinai and to recieve and try at last minute to shift it out of way. Thus making it harder for the attacker to score men! Only had about 40mints to an hour! or less. The first yr students worked on ashisabaki going through a loop ie one end of dojo to other end, then turn and back the other direction. Would jump in line sometimes to make them concentrate and feel what it would be like to actually have a teki in front of you, matching movements and applying pressure to you! Don`t remember what I advice I gave to 1st yr students. For 2nd and 3rd yr students, talked about the 5 pressure points for moving kamae around ie throat, left eye, in between eyes, the 3rd eye, and mune!

[Ookami7]

Got a nice little surpise earlier today!!! Had a couple of famous Biwa players in for the music class!!! I was teaching a class at time so I couldn`t attend.
However after my class ended poped into the room for a bit. To my surprise one of the Biwa players was a guy that has been to my Iaido dojo before!
So he said hi and clearly remembers me. So talked with him briefly about Iaido etc. One of other teachers got 1 pict and 2 video clips of the preformance for me!
So will check them out later! Will post more later about todays Kendo practice! Later!!!!

[Ookami7]

Well survived another day of doing both Kendo and Iaido! Wednesdays are always my busy day cause I hope from Kendo club, to Iaido with very little time to get my gear and eat etc. Anyways did basic warm ups again. during ashisabaki w/ more advanced students moved with them ie giving them feeling of opponent in front and did openings/ like I was going to attack kote etc. That way give the feeling of needing to keep their chudan kamae strong and on center. Also worked with a couple of the 1st yr / moving with them and working on tip to tip ashisabaki and feeling of having an opponent in front of you. Then did hitting drills. Wasn`t in bogu this time. So just would recieve with my shinai on side lines with the one extra student from rotation line. Ie kirikaeshi, men, kote etc etc Anyways now to todays practice. So will blog it in a bit!

[Ookami7]

Well back again, right now a bit busy with everything! So will try and post more later. Anyways did usual routine yesterday ie 1st yr students did the basics and then exercises, 2nd yr were gone on a field trip. 3rd yr did warm ups, basic drills ie oki kirikaeshi, men, kote, dou, kote men etc etc. Then did the 1 mint drill like in shiai so kinda speed drill persay. Then open jigeiko for last 10 mints or so! We got a couple college kids in right now observing as part of class work for possibly becoming teachers after graduate. Was funny got stopped by one of them in restroom and was BSen about Kendo, Sado (he is member of College Sado club) and Iaido. So just kinda funny! Also during lunch yesterday played the Rocky theme song for a bit and one of my students was doing the fake punching against a imaginary opponent and had to smile at that!

[Ookami7]

Yesterday ie Thursdays class: was like 3 solid hours of Kendo! So got me nice and tired! Got warmed up and did reg drills! Then worked on ashisabik as usual! The 1st year students are starting to look better! Also they are now at the end of practice, for last 10 mints or practicing with the advanced students! Worked on various kaeshi and harai drills. Also ai men, running through and then getting the hit as the opponent turns around! etc. Key point to remind my advance students was to try and make the harai tech strong and create a big opening! That way you can slide in get point before the opponent can bring his shinai back into chudan and retake center! Today copied a short article with picture references to Nakayama Sensei stance, hand grip and basic info like that for my students. So hopefully it will help them as a good reference!

[Ookami7]

Well will update everyone later on the dojo! Yesterday and today been stuck doing a English trans of some semi legal paperwork for Principle of my Jr High. Just basic aggrement for renting/ using space in public area persay. However the thing has 18 clauses! Luckily got the Principle to write down all kanji in furigana for me. So my job is pretty easy. Still its a brute to work through! Hopefully next week be back up on my Kendo blog here lol! Slightly diff note, but yesterday at Iaido practice Kishimoto sensei showed me the orginal Hoki (sp?) Ryu waza for number 9 of seitei gata. Its a nasty one for sure. Instead of going for tsuki to the gut. Its a tsuki into the groin. Lit do a scooping motion under tarei and up.

[Roberto]

Roberto, Thanks for the comments, sorry this reply is a little late. The jogging is just up and down the stairs. The dojo itself is on 2nd floor! It is done during the Kendobu time, like maybe 5-10 mints. Not really paying attention to the clock. This is just for the 1st yr students, after finishing, they will do squats, push ups etc. This itself will probably continue till about summer break. Then they will be included fully in practice. If I remeber the set up from last yr! Yeah I also have made the comment a couple of times that if they have time before class starts grab a shinai and practice the basics! Sadly they are a bit too influced by the pop culture. So slowly trying to weed out the Mcdojo type stuff! Since I am working at school and need to keep good relations with everyone, can`t be quite as strict as I would be in a diff situation.

Thanks Nigel for the comments as well. For the 1st yr students, warm ups, suburi/ strike practice/ ashisabaki, more the runnng, squats, etc. Also bear in mind that Wenday and Fridays practice are an hour long, Thursdays is about 1 and 1/2 or 2 hours long! There is a weekend practice, but I normal don`t make it to that. Due to other commitments. Anyways enjoy!!!

Now I'm the one saying sorry!.. I just was checking the old threads and didin't see it until now :S

I get what you mean, I think. Is like the "welcome" training for the 1st year students?

Is really cool what you are doing there with the guys. And to admire how you are dealing not just with kendou, but also iaido practcie and being working there.
I have a doubt, are you training with them as a senpai, or as an alternate sensei of the kendoubu?.. What are the impressions of the kids about being teaching kendou by a gaijin?.. Are some of your senior students planning to attend a University because of kendou. That will be interesting to know too.

I had once a time to practice in a High School in Chiba ken, and all the kids were really nice to me, and definetly enjoyed the whole practice with them. I like reading the enthusiasm you put in this posts.

Ganbare!

[Ookami7]

Well first update, the Kendo club is on leave this week! Everyone has finals so pretty much all clubs are stopped during final week! Now to asnwer your questions! Yeah kinda welcome thing persay w/ the running! Also the dojo is a bit small so kinda helps give the advance students a little more room to practice. This is a Jr High school, so when they graduate the kids will go on to High school and then if they are able to, college! Now whether they continue on after they graduate from this school, won`t know! May see them at a grading or tournament, but won`t know for sure! Anyways prob a mix of Sensei and Senpai! I know the Senpai for the club came over to me, when I was testing for Shodan with everyone and wished me luck! Which was really special! On the other hand...... who wouldn`t want a chance to bash their teacher over the head with a bamboo sword?
Also teach everyone English of course and most of the Kendoka are pretty good at English as well! Last year at end of year drinking party w/ staff and 3rd year students parents, met one of the mothers of my Kendoka. The older brother that doesn`t do Kendo had just graduated! Anyways she was telling me that her sons loved my English classes and also that the younger one really enjoys doing kendo with me!

[Ookami7]

All right late breaking news......... Kendo blog is back up and running! First off lets check in and see what the latest summer/early fashion is for the new young trendy Kendoka ladies.... drum roll please! We have 1, all white fashonably designed hakama and kendogi onsombly (sb?), 2 electrifying combo peice versions with blue hakama and white kendogi, rounding this collection out is 1, tradition peice with the regular blue hakama and blue kendogi!

Anyways managed to make it to club practice yesterday. I`m amazed no one ambushed me with more work, papers to grade etc etc. Almost all of the 1st year students have their hakama and Kendogi now! So was surprized and happy about that! Helped 1st year students w/ basic striking practice. So gave tips like rotating the shinai after each strike. That way the recieving shinai dosn`t take too much damage, watch that the strike is within the kisseki area, etc. 1st year students did ashisabaki practice, striking drills, fumi komi drill kinda half lunge/ hop drill. 2nd and 3rd year students worked on hiki waza, putting pressure and striking the men of the opponent as they turn around, etc. They also did Kakari geiko and about 2 matches for jigeiko.

[Ookami7]

Well survived a grueling practice yesterday!!! Feeling dead and acting like a zombie today as the after affect! Did 3 hour intense practice with my kids yesterday! Not sure if it was just diff classes or grades finished earlier or if some other stuff was going on, but students slowly trickeled into dojo! Did warm ups, ashisabaki, 1,1-2,1.2.3 striking drill! The opening reiho, well waited for everyone to get ready for reiho did a little Iaido practice! Then suited up, did kirikaeshi, workinging on basics 3 man rotation! Slowly added students into rotation line as they got suited up and were ready. various waza drills ie kaeshi drills, harai drills etc. Then short burst ie 10-30 sec practice trying to score a point. kakarigeiko, jigeiko, and then a little uchi komi to finish off the set and then finished with kirikaeshi! To add in some comic relief after we took a break and before starting jigeiko, was resting and said in Japanese " Sensei has died and gone to heaven!" lol and then fell over on purpose like I had died lol. Kids found it funny even though the meaning was sorta lost in translation lol! Well now for another day!!!!!!!!

[Tsunemori]

You seem to be having waaaaaaaaaaay too much fun!

[Ookami7]

Thanks Tsunemori, yup I try lol I try!!!! I`m just glad I didn`t have Iaido yesterday cause I would have had to skip! Was pretty much out of action by the time I got home lol On a slight Iaido note here, Wens night got my 5 kata for the Aug tournament approved by Kishimoto Sensei! Other then a few minor kinks and stuff to watch out for said it looked good! Koryu number 5 and last one for omori set, then seitei gata #4,6,and 9! So we will see how I am doing!

[Ookami7]

Well yesterday got in a couple hours practice with my kids, running through the reg drills, doing a little Iaido, being target for 1st yr students ie in full bogu this time!
However my school is getting ready ready for English speech contests local one in September and then the prefectual one. So had to stop early and help the students with their speeches! Today got ambushed with a bunch of papers to grade! Got through about 2/3rd of them! Anyways keep updating as best as I can!

[Kagerou]

Well yesterday got in a couple hours practice with my kids, running through the reg drills, doing a little Iaido, being target for 1st yr students ie in full bogu this time!
However my school is getting ready ready for English speech contests local one in September and then the prefectual one. So had to stop early and help the students with their speeches! Today got ambushed with a bunch of papers to grade! Got through about 2/3rd of them! Anyways keep updating as best as I can!

and you wonder why Japanese kids can't speak english when they get out of highschool ;)

j/k...I've taken it upon myself to help educate one of the girls in my dojo. Her ECC kids classes aren't doing f*ck all for her.

[Ookami7]

Exactly, the whole key to the scheme here Kagerou! Get in as much free budo as you can while teaching the least amount of English lol Yeah slowly build my kids up as well! Yeah today went through a bunch of my 2nd yr kids practice journal entry!
They were pretty good except for forgetting to switch it into pass tense, and also on almost every paper added in more extra transitional words ie next, then, after that, afterwards etc etc Instead of having the whole think look like I..... I...... I......
We will see how they do durning summer when they gotta do one for real lol!

[Ookami7]

Well just to update everyone! School is out for summer! Just heard from the head Kendo Sensei that two of my kids did really well and gave the comp a run for their money at local taikai! So glad about that! Other news, just bought a tanagui w/ picture of Musashi on it! Also ran down to Tokyo (Jinbocho) I think is the name of the area. It has alot of old book stores in the area. Found a bunch of good Iaido and Kendo books! Sadly the ones I wanted were a bit pricy! Also one store actually had a couple of scrolls with picts of the actual kata! Sadly those were going in $1,000 range! Otherwise just preping for my Iaido tournament in August! One more week of summer school and then off!!!

[Ookami7]

Well kiddies, school is back in session now! Going through a bunch of papers right now well everyone is practicing for the sports festival that they do at schools over here. Will blog more when I have info to add up! Other high lights of the summer was having my parents come out to Japan. Yes I tortured them with raw horse meat and nato among other things lol. Ran them up to Kamakura, Odawara, various places in Tokyo, and Okinawa!

[Ookami7]

For the last couple of months the school dojo has been out of use, due to repairs going on around the general area. Last week we started using it again and was finally able to start back up with my kids yesterday. Sad thing is felt out of shape afterwards lol. Got all the beginners in bogu now, so can`t wait till I get to keiko with them! ---- Insert evil laugh here! Also have alot more Iaido waza for them to watch. The other big new is that I bought a shinken ie katana Wednesday and it has very good balance! So looking forward to practicing with it at my Iaido dojo! Otherwise just work and getting ready for Kendo and Iaido nidan tests.

[Ookami7]

Well update for everyone! Last sunday had testing for Shodan,Ni dan, and Sandan. My kids all passed thier shodan testing for the 2nd yr students. I don`t know if any of third yr students tested, although they are busy preping for the entrance exams after X-mas break! I tried for nidan, but got knocked out during the shiai ie keiko portion of the test. So try again next year! Did get a concelation prize of having fun at bar afterwards with a lady in full kimono that I was meeting!
Iaido is going good and improving! So just keep working on the areas I need to work on! Fall down 7 times, get back up 8 time!

[Pizzamancer]

Any high speed convertible sports car racing going on in Kanagawa?

[xvikingx]

Congrats. I think that is the most random question ever asked in KWF history minus spam.

[Ookami7]

Lol, got no clue man, do know in central Kanagawa got a mini go cart area at a arcade center for those inclined. Always glad to promote things in Kanagawa even if its not budo related lol

On other car related stuff, in Sagamihara got the pimped out cars etc from a local car club! See them cruizen around at night, over at Odawara/ slightly past it you got some of the drag racing stuff taking place in the stix area! Or so the rumor goes!

And now for our regularly scheduled budo programing......... take it away bob!!!!

Thanks xvikingx--- yeah lol

[Roberto]

You gave to your parents nato? MEEEEAAN!

Sorry to read that you didn't pass for nidan Ookami; my best wishes for the next time ;)! I guess you feel really motivated with your school kids achievements and that is priceless.

[NigelSponge]

i miss kanagawa so much!

[Ookami7]

Hey Roberto! Of course I`m mean lol, ....... I am a kendoka after all so I got a bit of a sadistic streak in me lol! Thanks, yeah I`m glad all my kids passed and thats priceless! To be honest it was just a combo of things which helped affect my preformance ie being sick the week before, dojo was closed for a couple months so not as well prepared, put more energy into Iai vrs Kendo studies.....etc. However gave it my best effort. Just see how it goes next time! A bit sad, cause this will be the first yr at this school that I`ve taught, were the kendo kids will be graduating and going to High school/ or work depending on how the entrance exams go for them!
Speaking of which the entrance exams for everyone will be right after X-mas break!

Hey Nigel, yup know the feeling! Still get that way about Nagasaki at times! Thats were I did my college exchange and I have very fond memories of that time!
To lesser extant Kumamoto which is were I stayed first time I was in Japan. That was really short in comparision to my other times over here. Yeah just something about the place you end up kinda in gets into your blood! Next time your over in this neck of woods give me a hallor and see if we can`t meet up or something!
Was going to meet up with a lady last Sunday, that got canceled sadly, but on the up side found some more samurai figures plus one of Mifune! Also hit Kinyakunya in Shinjuku and ran through the budo/ English trans budo sections to see what to add to my collection in a bit lol!

[Pizzamancer]

... Still get that way about Nagasaki at times! Thats were I did my college exchange and I have very fond memories of that time!

You missed both my name and the reference to fast cars....Disappointing me here Jeff. How could you mention Nagasaki and not mention totaling out a Porsche?

[Ookami7]

Lol, Wasn`t thinking it was you Chris!!!!! Son of ....... hows it going? True, very true! Still got the war trophy from it, back at my home state side! Hows everyone going down in Naga hood? Not much new here, just teaching, doing kendo, Iaido, and raising hell as much as possible lol! Maw,,,, I save the war stories like totaling out a Porsche, ...... having fun at a certain hotel..... which is located in a interesting area of Nagasaki etc. For krewe when we have had a couple of drinks! Gotta save my best stuff as a surprise!

[Ookami7]

Well a slight update here besides the guest apperance of Chris lol

Last night was Iaido practice. So about 3/4ths of way through practice get yanked out to go help plan the end of the yr bash. Since I`m shodan and all the other shodans get the duty of help directing people to the actual restaurant/ pub. For those that are not familar most companies, staff, dojo have end of yr parties. They pick a spot and its a 2hr all set meal course and a all you can drink policy! Depending on the money and peoples time these will go onto a 2nd or even 3rd place to continue the party! So finish that, finish the practice bow out, clean the blade I was using that night. Go to get change because one of the sensei`s is waiting to give me a ride home. So get my gear change out and low and behold I only got 1 sock. Can`t find the other fricken sock! Pulling crap out of my bag, looking in the cub hole below where I had my stuff, check pockets, nodda! A couple of other guys in changing room are helping look for it and pass the word along! All of sudden one of the senpai`s comes in, hikes up his pant legs and low and behold, he has it on his foot. The rest of us just burst into laughter with a couple of guys going to the floor in fits of laughter! He was rushing to head out, my sock must have fallen on floor and he grabbed it by accident. Had his sock in his bag lol. The funniest shit I`ve seen for a while lol! Last practice is next Wens so get through that and relax and enjoy the holidays!

[Ookami7]

Well, had end of year party last night! Was at a famous restaurant in Hachioji! Was bit expensive $100 per person, and reason being the reputation of this place plus served sukiyaki beef that you cooked yourself at table. So was good, had the regular crew ie MSR and Mugai students sensei, a couple other sensei, one thats toyama ryu and her daughters, plus one sensei that is keisei ryu (sp?) ie was a former policeman so his style is the one taught to the cops. So double checked the info I had on Nakayama Hakudo Sensei students, noted a little bit of Iai related info, and had fun. After we finished at that place, went to another place a bit closer to station for a 2nd round! Left about 10:30pm cause had cleaning of the dojo next morning!

So wake up today and its Cold as hell out here! Raining pretty hard in morning, now its almost stopped raining. Took me a while to get to the dojo. Got there and helped out a little bit. The dojo I train Iaido at is a kendo and Iaido dojo. Only about two of the Iaido members cross trian in kendo besides me. So had a group of about 10 Iaido students maybe a little bit mroe plus alot of the kendoka out cleaning the dojo. After I finished with my stuff, Iaido senpai ran through 1st Kendo kodachi kata with me. He also introduced to me one of the Kendo Sensei, this sensei is one of the few remaining students of Nakayama Hakudo. So that was fun and interesting just to briefly meet him! Well now for another week of school and then winter break!

[Ookami7]

Well a couple of updates here! Dropped in on Kendo practice after finishing some work I was doing. Just did light suburi practice and advising the students on various things ie posture, careful about letting the shinai tip hitting ground after finishing a hit and turning around..... Also gave some of the 2nd yr kids that came late due to school work or something a little bit of extra practice. Pulled out Bob aka the kendo practice dummy. I slipped on some kote and held out a shinai to simulate kote and an actual shinai against my kids. Then would open and let them hit either Bob`s men, or kote. So worked relatively okay! Took a picture of Bob with a santa claus hat on his men lol!

[turboyoshi]

Hey Ookami7, have you read Ben's post on kenshi247.net about teaching kendo to children?

I'd be curious on your thoughts on the matter of breaking out of the traditional teaching patterns. Do you think it would engage the kids more or would it create problems because of the cultural differences?

[Ookami7]

Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I will take a look at the article and give you my thoughts on it later.

[Ookami7]

Indeed a good article and some good points. I have tried various approaches. Probably the area I need to work on is motivating the 1st yr guys. They have good spirt and doing good, but when they are not participating ie due to class work, injury, etc If they come to dojo... they need to focus on what is going on a little bit more. I don`t know how much they are studying and how much they are just killing time at dojo. That being said, everyone is fairly motivated. There is not too much I can shake up for the overal program since some things might drastically alter the environment ie not to mention possibly relation w/ school. However various fine tuning of teaching techniques ie practicing with students when I am dressed down, slowing the waza down slightly works, as well as the other one I noted with me simiulating the arms and shinai for the training dummy.

In teaching you have to try various approaches. I think breaking out of the mold is fine as long as A you are not losing the cultural and overal context ie as long as its still Kendo and doesn`t get morphed into something else. B That the out side of the mold method has a valid point/ message to it.

Some good examples are my Iaido Sensei here in Tokyo: He will show me a waza, letting me watch a couple times, then we will both go through it step by step, when he sees a problem or that I am doing it funky he will correct it. Sometimes he will emphasis a particular point, sometimes he play the teki, some times he will have me play the teki, sometimes his advice is practice this close to support beam. Use the support beam as teki! So as you can see its not just one approach, but multiply appraoches that help with conveying the knowledge and key points.

[turboyoshi]

In teaching you have to try various approaches. I think breaking out of the mold is fine as long as A you are not losing the cultural and overal context ie as long as its still Kendo and doesn`t get morphed into something else. B That the out side of the mold method has a valid point/ message to it.


This is actually the thing I was most curious about. I have this idea that in Japan, the student just does (within reason) whatever the teacher tells him to do and doesn't question or boldly ask to try things outside the normal order of teaching things.

It seems like Ben's experience suggests it might even be better to let kids jump ahead to a step they're not technically ready for. So instead of going step 1 ->step2 ->step3 etc... we could teach step 1, 3, 2 ,4... and they'd still develop decent kendo.

I also wondered if as a teacher in Japan, when you allow students to challenge the usual order, if other teachers would say "Don't do that" to you, because it breaks cultural norms to allow students to ask for things out of order.

[Ookami7]

Well start back up the blog here! Yesterday was first practice back with my kids. Just about half hour practice ie Weds and Fridays are usually pretty short.
After warm ups, ran through some basic hitting drills, then everyone went into sonkyou as if in a match, waiting for the signal and then at the signal went for a target on a imaginary teki (ie opponent) Just short quick drill and repeated it 3-4 times and then finished up w/ Kiri kaeshi.

For Iaido news: Christmas Eve had last practice of year. So got in some nice practice. Started back up on the 10th, unfortently was way late to the practice and party. It started at 2 or 3pm and I was thinking regular practice time so I get there and party is half over lol. Head sensei just kinda smiled think he figured out the mix up lol. Anyways grabbed a spot, grabbed some of the stew that was left and beer plus some shochu. So had fun shooten the Bull with everyone. We sang the song Takeda Bushi ie 武田節 which was interesting and learned the celebration clap for Kanto area. Sad news is the 7th dan sensei that has been training me up and speaks good English, let everyone know that he was leaving to go back to Osaka area in April! Now onto practicing nothing but Seitei Iai for 2 months till I take nidan exam at 1st of March.

[Ookami7]

As a quick add on address a couple more of your points turboyoshi.

Yeah I have gotten that sometimes were its like don`t change it up lol. Example one of my Kendo students lives near by one of the Elementary schools I teach at so sometimes she stops by to shoot bull with the Elementary school teachers on way home. Was telling her to pass onto other students that if they are interested can work with them on the different kamae, and in jikeiko time its fine for them to mess around with diff kamae against me. The school nurse who is a yondan in Kendo and over heard the conversation gave me kinda a humph and shaking the head at it lol.

Yeah I, agree with you. Sometimes its that, sometimes it might be slightly different factors etc.

[Kenshi]

The school nurse who is a yondan in Kendo and over heard the conversation gave me kinda a humph and shaking the head at it lol.

And this tells you what?

[Ookami7]

Tells me nothing cause when I am at the dojo she is not there running it lol. However in the wider scheme of things she is a Kendoka that trains with my students either at the dojo when I am not there or on own time. I am just using it an example of possibly rocking the boat persay. Whether its a good example or not...... shrugs. Granted Chudan is the safest kamae, however I personally perfer to switch it up and also geidan is a easier kamae for me personally. Now whether my students decide to experament or not with different kamea etc... is there own decision. I just give them the option.
Anyways thinks for the comment Kenshi!

[Pizzamancer]

I am just using it an example of possibly rocking the boat..

J - I gotta jump in here as well. Shodans don't rock the boat, 2-dans don't rock the boat, 3-dans don't rock the boat... get the progression? By posting about it here on these forums you only create noise.

Just because you do it gives you no basis for propagating your false ideas. Get over your self absorption (http://www.ryanholiday.net/archives/selfabsorbtion.phtml), and leave that chambara for the guys with padded swords.

[Ookami7]

Got ya. Yeah....... back to training.

[Ookami7]

Okay after thinking it over a while I think I see where the problem was at least in my statements. What I was using that example as a negative example of something I tried to implament, which created waves (which you don`t want). For those wondering yes, I did drop it after heard the comments. Again the school dojo is a bit unique in that its run by lower level yudansha. However I will make mistakes some that maybe obvious some not so with this. However its a learning experience. So I have my own thoughts about it.... but again no athority to back it up with. Which if you go back to my previous posts, I codified the statement with as long as it does not change the culture etc of Kendo. Something that creates waves should not be continued..... Also from this discussion I did check with the head Sensei recently and reminded him to keep me in check concerning comments etc I make when we finish class.

[Ookami7]

Now for something slightly off topic. A. Best wishes to Obama as he starts his term as our president! Wish him the all the best and hopefully he can help turn things around for our country. At school and my Iaido dojo have heard students and even one of the Iaido Sensei using the catch phrase "Yes we can" B. Have printed out a couple of copies of the Inauguration speech for the Japanese teachers I work with. We will be using parts of it in class. I agree with a lot of the message within his speech and I hope that we can move forward. Anyways back to our regularly scheduled programing lol

[Ookami7]

The school year is coming to a end and it is time for the changing of the gaurd so to speak. Next year I will be teaching still in Kanagawa just in a different area. For those wondering in the Atsugi area. As a farewell gift for the graduating kendo club memebers the kendo club had a school tanagui (sp?) made. I also received one and it is very beautiful. Will go into my collection. I wish the best to all my students and hope that they get as good or even better English teacher for next year. Things will be hectic for me as I gear up for the move down. Thankfully its not too far, so I can visit, and still make practice at the reg Iaido dojo on weekends. Its cute alot of my students farewell cards have pictures of katanas, samurai, or kendo on them.