| Press
The
Benefits of Martial Arts for Children - May 2003
Sensei
John Mirrione at Harmony by Karate began learning karate
at age 2 under the supervision of his father. Now John leads classes
for children, who are also as young as 2, at his studios. "A
2-year-old can learn karate in the most simple fashion,” Sensei
Mirrione says. "Learning how to stand still with hands at his/her
side is an accomplishment within itself. A child learns discipline,
focus, and respect.”
Kids Learn
to Focus
Mirrione says his philosophy of teaching karate to children "is
based on slow motion movement. It is important to stretch and breathe
and learn all moves slowly in order to perform the movements at
a faster pace. Through these slow moves, a child is more likely
to imitate the movements of an instructor, and make a connection
with the instructor, which will allow the child to make a connection
with him/herself."
Structure
of Children’s Karate Classes
What basic skills should a child possess in order to begin karate
classes? Basic walk-ing skills and some ability to follow instructions,
Mirrione says. Prior to enrollment, he adds, parents must also write
letters of consent on behalf of their children, describing the character
and goals of the child.
Once a child enrolls
in classes, he or she can expect to work in a class of children
of various ages. For instance, 2-year-olds are placed in classes
with children up to the age of 5. A 6-year-old child may be placed
in a class with children up to the age of 12.
Cross-age
Teaching
"Maturity and mastery of karate are also taken into consideration,"
Mirrione says. "An older child who is mature and advanced may
move on to adult classes. In any of the classes, we use cross-age
teaching, in which the older children help the younger ones under
the supervision of the instructor."
All instructors must train with Sensei Mirrione for 50-100 hours.
"Techniques are unique to Harmony, so it is important that
the instructors work with me prior to leading their own classes,"
he explains.
Children
Need Balance
As for how often children should take classes, Mirrione says twice
a week is sufficient but once a week is the bare minimum. Private
lessons, good for technique development, are also available. But
any child who receives private instruction must also attend group
lessons to make the social connections with other children.
"Overall,
children need to find balance in their lives. Overconsumption of
one thing may impact learning. It is important to diversify and
have two different activities, such as karate and music or karate
and ballet," Sensei Mirrione says.
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