Kiai!
My daughter is studying karate with a pair of instructors who have been teaching for over 20 years. Each time I watch a class I find my mind wandering to teaching strategies and educational research because this is what I see: Standards Based Grading - Students are assessed on objectives that are clearly identified in advance. Belt color is based on skill acquisition, not seat time or age. Mixed Age Groups - Classes are divided by belt color, but include a range of ages. My daughter, 8, is in class with students as young as 5 and as old as 12. Inexperienced students learn by watching those with stronger skills and more experienced students benefit from "apprenticing" new recruits. Interleaving - Rather than mastering one skill at at time, instructors mix the practice of related skills together on a regular basis. This method has been shown to train students' brains more effectively. Feedback - Instructors provide specific, timely and positive feedback on s
