Testings
Last weekend, at the club testings, our students showed incredible etiquette and determination in demonstrating their desire to progress in martial arts. We at Claygate Martial Arts Centre (CMAC) want to ensure that the junior students understand that it is equally important to possess the values they demonstrate inside the Dojang at home or school – indeed at all times, wherever they are. So we have been finding new activities to reinforce this message.
Values
Over the past six months the club has begun partnering with local schools attended by our junior students to share the story of our martial arts training and why it places such importance on acquiring certain values. It can come as a surprise that Martial Arts has a system of benefits that extends far beyond learning self-defence techniques, but when teachers realise we share similar goals to their school, they are happy to collaborate in order to enrich students learning.
School Assemblies
The Instructors of Claygate Martial Arts Centre have now presented to hundreds of school children in Surrey – aged between 4-12. Junior CMAC students have been keen to participate and have presented in school assemblies. They have spoken about martial arts values, explained what they mean and how these are incorporated into CMAC lessons; they also stress how they have lots of fun, training and learning with friends and family.
Respect
The theme for recent visits to Cranmere and Claygate Primary was ‘Respect’ – a topic they could easily discuss because it’s a value at the heart of Martial Arts. Having just had this as our ‘Word of the Month’ our students confidently talked about the ways they demonstrate respect in the Dojang – to others students, to instructors, to equipment and then to those who collect them after lessons.
Friendship at Anti-Bullying Week
Some of you may have heard The BBC broadcast that focuses on our collaboration with Claygate Primary School during Anti-Bullying week, when we looked at the values needed in friendship. A copy of the broadcast is below which contains lots of positive comments on what they learnt about the importance of respect.
Future Plans
Over the next 6 months, more school visits are planned and we will be addressing and sharing other values that our junior students learn. Next up is ‘etiquette’ and how it influences attitudes and responses.
From an instructors point of view though, it’s been particularly inspiring to witness the enthusiasm of junior students from Claygate Martial Arts Centre who wish to share their knowledge with others. They talk with confidence, generosity and pride about the martial arts values learnt at CMAC. It’s hard to believe that some of them are only 5 years old!
Susan Morton
First Degree Black Belt Instructor
