A Simple Breakdown of a Great Class Planner
There are many ways to design a class planner. I personally have changed the design of my class planner over a dozen times. Due to the large amount of class planner requests I receive, I decided to make a report about the current class planner designs that we us in our new school.
We divide our class planners into 4 sections:
Section 1: Warm-up
Section 2: Mat Chat
Section 3: Martial Arts Training
Section 4: Fun Activity
In this report, we are going to review each section and the components included. We are also going to provide you with some sample material to use in your classes. Remember, this is one of many formats a school can use and does not in any way mean that other class planner formats are not as effective.
Let’s get started!
Section 1: Warm-up
In each and every class we teach, we exercise the four main muscle groups. We finish the warm-up section with stretching. The four main muscle groups include the legs, abdominals, arms, and heart. Depending on the material we cover in class determines what muscles we pay more attention to when we stretch. This enables us to cover a well-rounded warm-up routine each and every class.
Below is a list of our warm-up routines:
Lower body:
1. Squat jumping
2. Ladder kicks (1 kick, 2 kicks, 3 kicks, etc.)
3. Kicking on the ground (holding leg out)
4. Squat dips
5. Partner exercise: holding leg out (partner helps hold leg)
Abdominal exercises:
1. Sit-ups
2. V-sit-ups
3. Leg raises
4. Swimmers
5. Partner exercise: 3 o’clock to 9 0’clock (student holds legs at 90 degrees and moves the legs to 3 o’clock then to 9 o’clock)
Upper body exercises:
1. Push-ups
2. Shoulder taps
3. Crab stance (add dips, or add walks)
4. Army crawl
5. Partner exercise: Wheel barrel (need partner)
Cardiovascular exercises:
1. Running around the room
2. Jumping jacks
3. Shuttle runs
4. Side to sides
5. Partner exercise: Jump rope (taking turns)
Section 2: Mat Chats
After the warm-ups has proven to be my most successful time for delivering our mat chat. I cover the skill or skills that we will work on today, along with an overview of how the skill/ skills apply to life outside of the dojo. This helps establish value for the drills we work on during class and sets the tone for hard work. Without our mat chat, our class is up to 80% LESS effective. Therefore, make sure you have a solid mat chat for EVERY class.
Section 3: Martial Arts Training
We divide our martial arts training section into four types of drills. These drills cover a combination of lessons that build our students Martial Arts knowledge. The types of drills we use are determined based on the curriculum we have scheduled to cover. This enables us to ensure that our class planner is results-driven each and every class.
Here is a breakdown of the different types of drills we use in class:
1. Introductory drills: build physical and mental awareness of the curriculum. These drills are usually mirror drills (or class drills) in which the students are standing in one spot throughout the lesson while they run through a series of repetitions.
2. Demonstrative drills: develop technique. These drills are usually floor drills in which the student will add motion to their technique by moving up and down the floor.
3. Application drills: apply the use of the material. These drills are usually target drills or partner drills in which the student will apply aim and accuracy in the execution of the techniques.
4. Performance drills: demonstrate the art of the material. These are usually group drills in which the students perform the material individually or in front of an audience.
You can use a combination of the different types of drills in each class, or stick to one specific type depending on the skills and abilities of the students. The key goal for the different drill types is to rationalize why each drill is applied and practiced. It also enables your instructors to demonstrate their knowledge more clearly.
Section 4: Fun Activities
This section has proven to be very effective with the enthusiasm of our younger students. As mentioned in previous report, students under the age of 60 (yes 60) have a limited attention span. By the end of a well-rounded class format, many students are at their limit for training. Ending each class with a high-energy activity that is fun means our students leave with a big smile on their face. This makes them eager to come back the next class.
Here are a few tips to remember about students:
If you end class with mat chats, you may leave a good impression with your parents, but your students may have reached their limit before you made it to the mat chat.
If a student leaves class with boredom on their mind, then they WILL fight their parents next time they come to class.
If you add a fun activity to the end of class, then your students will leave with a smile on their face and they will look forward to next class.
The most popular fun activity at my school: Team Dodge Ball!
Remember, we cover a well-rounded class planner prior to ending class. Our goal is to ensure that the materials in sections 1-3 are results-driven. If we accomplish that goal then why not end the class with some high-energy fun?
Conclusion
The key to great class planning is organization and knowledge of your curriculum. If you have your curriculum structured then creating class planners is much easier. We have ALL of our class planners designed prior to our classes. We also review each class planner to ensure that it is the best planner possible. If a class planner was dull or developed weak results, we erase that planner and create a new one. The most important tip to remember about class planners: DO NOT RUN A CLASS WITHOUT ONE!
We divide our class planners into 4 sections:
Section 1: Warm-up
Section 2: Mat Chat
Section 3: Martial Arts Training
Section 4: Fun Activity
In this report, we are going to review each section and the components included. We are also going to provide you with some sample material to use in your classes. Remember, this is one of many formats a school can use and does not in any way mean that other class planner formats are not as effective.
Let’s get started!
Section 1: Warm-up
In each and every class we teach, we exercise the four main muscle groups. We finish the warm-up section with stretching. The four main muscle groups include the legs, abdominals, arms, and heart. Depending on the material we cover in class determines what muscles we pay more attention to when we stretch. This enables us to cover a well-rounded warm-up routine each and every class.
Below is a list of our warm-up routines:
Lower body:
1. Squat jumping
2. Ladder kicks (1 kick, 2 kicks, 3 kicks, etc.)
3. Kicking on the ground (holding leg out)
4. Squat dips
5. Partner exercise: holding leg out (partner helps hold leg)
Abdominal exercises:
1. Sit-ups
2. V-sit-ups
3. Leg raises
4. Swimmers
5. Partner exercise: 3 o’clock to 9 0’clock (student holds legs at 90 degrees and moves the legs to 3 o’clock then to 9 o’clock)
Upper body exercises:
1. Push-ups
2. Shoulder taps
3. Crab stance (add dips, or add walks)
4. Army crawl
5. Partner exercise: Wheel barrel (need partner)
Cardiovascular exercises:
1. Running around the room
2. Jumping jacks
3. Shuttle runs
4. Side to sides
5. Partner exercise: Jump rope (taking turns)
Section 2: Mat Chats
After the warm-ups has proven to be my most successful time for delivering our mat chat. I cover the skill or skills that we will work on today, along with an overview of how the skill/ skills apply to life outside of the dojo. This helps establish value for the drills we work on during class and sets the tone for hard work. Without our mat chat, our class is up to 80% LESS effective. Therefore, make sure you have a solid mat chat for EVERY class.
Section 3: Martial Arts Training
We divide our martial arts training section into four types of drills. These drills cover a combination of lessons that build our students Martial Arts knowledge. The types of drills we use are determined based on the curriculum we have scheduled to cover. This enables us to ensure that our class planner is results-driven each and every class.
Here is a breakdown of the different types of drills we use in class:
1. Introductory drills: build physical and mental awareness of the curriculum. These drills are usually mirror drills (or class drills) in which the students are standing in one spot throughout the lesson while they run through a series of repetitions.
2. Demonstrative drills: develop technique. These drills are usually floor drills in which the student will add motion to their technique by moving up and down the floor.
3. Application drills: apply the use of the material. These drills are usually target drills or partner drills in which the student will apply aim and accuracy in the execution of the techniques.
4. Performance drills: demonstrate the art of the material. These are usually group drills in which the students perform the material individually or in front of an audience.
You can use a combination of the different types of drills in each class, or stick to one specific type depending on the skills and abilities of the students. The key goal for the different drill types is to rationalize why each drill is applied and practiced. It also enables your instructors to demonstrate their knowledge more clearly.
Section 4: Fun Activities
This section has proven to be very effective with the enthusiasm of our younger students. As mentioned in previous report, students under the age of 60 (yes 60) have a limited attention span. By the end of a well-rounded class format, many students are at their limit for training. Ending each class with a high-energy activity that is fun means our students leave with a big smile on their face. This makes them eager to come back the next class.
Here are a few tips to remember about students:
If you end class with mat chats, you may leave a good impression with your parents, but your students may have reached their limit before you made it to the mat chat.
If a student leaves class with boredom on their mind, then they WILL fight their parents next time they come to class.
If you add a fun activity to the end of class, then your students will leave with a smile on their face and they will look forward to next class.
The most popular fun activity at my school: Team Dodge Ball!
Remember, we cover a well-rounded class planner prior to ending class. Our goal is to ensure that the materials in sections 1-3 are results-driven. If we accomplish that goal then why not end the class with some high-energy fun?
Conclusion
The key to great class planning is organization and knowledge of your curriculum. If you have your curriculum structured then creating class planners is much easier. We have ALL of our class planners designed prior to our classes. We also review each class planner to ensure that it is the best planner possible. If a class planner was dull or developed weak results, we erase that planner and create a new one. The most important tip to remember about class planners: DO NOT RUN A CLASS WITHOUT ONE!
Tags: Arts, Class, Consulting, Martial, Planner, Planning, Tips
Views: 10
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Mark J. Speranza on -
Thanks Melody,
that is very clear and cool. -
-
Permalink Reply by Chris Feldt on -
Wow! This is great stuff. Thanks for sharing.
-
-
Permalink Reply by OSCAR BENAVENTE on -
Exactamente, la hora clase se divide en periodos, dependiendo del objetivo, me parece muy bien y sobretodo organizado.
Y claro esta que hay que tomar en cuenta la edad de los alumnos.
gracias. -
Community Rules - READ FIRST
Groups
-
Leaders of the New School
361 members
-
ChampionsWay Library 2.0
306 members
-
MAST - Martial Arts Succ…
228 members
-
PerfectMIND Training
201 members
-
MAS, MyOffice and Market…
199 members
Events
-
2012 Battle of the 7 Cities Martial Arts Championships
June 2, 2012 from 9am to 6pm – Granby HS Gym
-
Masters Hall of Fame and Martial Arts Festival
August 10, 2012 at 12pm to August 11, 2012 at 11pm – Hilton Costa Mesa
© 2012 Created by Farid Dordar.
