I normally lead class on Tuesday yo give Master Rion a day off. He works full time AND runs the school four days a week with an additional Friday on the 3rd week of every month. To say he has an unforgiving task is an understatement. Still, that's why he has black belts & I am to help however I can.
We have a number of talented students in both the Cedar Rapids & Atkins schools. Chief among these is probably Dylan (Mr. Vaughn) in Atkins though there are quite a few others that come to mind. We were unfortunate to (temporarily) lose a very talented young lady named Annie in our Cedar Rapids school. Annie broke her leg & heel in an accident a few months ago. She was very close to testing for recommended black belt & I'm sure she was pretty well bummed about that. She's a hard charger, puts a lot of effort in & I believe demonstrates a great deal of dedication to class.
Did I mention we're talking about a twelve-year-old child? It does my heart good to see such a young person take self-defense & an art so seriously. Her brother, by comparison, is not a bad student in any way but lacks her focus.
Anyway, back to that point I to which I was getting.
Annie was finally able to come back to class last night! She didn't participate in focus drills - I'm sure it was relevant to her injured leg - but did participate in kicks, forms & self-defense. Now, I don't know if she has been working on things at home but she did very well for someone gone so long (Actually, better than some people who show up all the time). Judging from that & sensing she was a bit unsure about her progress, I made a point to let her know she was doing very well & that we'd have her ready for recommended black belt in no time. That was enough to put a smile on the kid's face & she was right back at her forms.
It's just amazing what a little (honest) positive comment can do for someone.
2 comments:
Hooray for Annie...and you're so right about a simple compliment. I get more positive results from my students simply saying 'good job', than any punitive measures.
Mrs. Who,
She's a very talented young lady. I'm sure if she can stay injury-free (good luck, kiddo!) she'll go very far in class. Master Rion has been very impressed not only by her ability but also the effort she puts in.
I'm not a huge "gold star" kind of person - I think a reward/praise should be earned, that way it really does mean something. When I post my 2nd degree essay (about teaching), you'll see what I mean.
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