Communications

Articles examining different methods of delivering feedback to students and reviewing progress

Kids martial arts class

25 ideas to help reduce excessive chattiness without impacting autonomy and motivation

You stop the class and start describing the next activity but there are a few children that continue talking. You know the ones, the usual suspects that find it almost impossible to keep their mouths closed. Although you probably would not call their behaviour naughty, it can still be immensely frustrating.  This problem is of […]

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Coach correcting child using praise correct praise method

Effective in action feedback: Replacing the tired praise correct praise model (PCP)

Praise correct praise is a method martial arts coaches often use to correct mistakes during their classes. This tactic is also used in businesses, though the terminology is not quite as child friendly (poo sandwich). The praise correct praise technique usually involves praising the child for something they are doing well, correcting their practice and

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Young martial arts children showing ready stance while kneeling

25 tips to build engagement and fun in your kids martial arts classes

Every now and again I get a request from a martial arts instructor asking how to build engagement and fun in the classes they deliver as part of their kid’s martial arts programme. This one thing is obviously top of the list when it comes to increasing enjoyment and retention. I thought it would be

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Young girl in karate uniform performing splits and smiling

Building members for life: Leveraging Self Determination Theory in your martial arts club

Ryan and Deci’s Self Determination Theory has been the subject of study in sports contexts for decades. Centred around building intrinsic motivation, it’s surprising that it hasn’t been the focus of attention for martial arts clubs and organisations looking to grow their memberships. If we can understand the motivation of our members and create a

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The curse of knowledge – the presumption of foundational skills and understanding

The Curse of Knowledge is when we make decisions based on the presumption of prior knowledge. While this can often happen when we are working with children, it is also common when you have been working a field for a long time. You can be blind to your sector specific expertise. This often manifests itself

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