Best Teaching for Boomerang Students. Here are four keynotes to integrating a former student back into the flow of the dojo. And I give you a real-world example. The example demonstrates how to use them for best teaching for boomeranged students. Of course, it is about martial arts students, but you can use this method in other aspects of your life as well.

Bad Television

The Crazy Trope Doesn’t Work

A trope that gets a good going over often in television sitcoms is the, “It’s just so crazy it might work.” The situation is dire, the moment of no hope has arrived in the storyline. A character, usually, The Fool, pitches a crazy idea. We all see the idea as crazy, except the leader. Of course, when implemented works.

The second trope is, “Our only chance it is to reverse the polarity.” A favorite of the superhero genre (See Superman, Space Ghost, Batman) Just going the opposite way is not a real solution. It’s just an reaction and that rarely works in the real world.

Space Ghost

4 Points for Boomerang Student Instruction

The four-point recommendation contained here is not the crazy reverse method employed by sitcoms and comic book heroes. But it is close. In the podcast, you get a full breakdown of how I am doing it with my student Sofie. Sofie has returned to martial arts, karate after years away. Sofie is back on the floor and these are the four points to make her return not successful, but spectacular.

* Small Bites. Keep the information small and manageable. The students are facing changes and changes are challenges.* Show Improvement and label it as such* Set the student up for success. It’s not what you say it is what you do* Talk about the future, not the past

The four action items get broken down and analyzed in the context of a real-world student. These four points form the methods of best teaching for boomerang students.

Listen and hear how the retuning student is experiencing success. She is enjoying her return to karate and of not frustration born of a sense of incompetence.

Direction to Success

Listen to the podcast listed below to get all four points fleshed out and explained.

Here are a few other podcasts you will find fun and useful as a karate instructor and students.

Boomerang StudentsStrong Karate TeacherThe 1 Idea for Bunkai

See how we can connect. Click on my picture.

KRIS WILDER

Kris Wilder is a martial artist based in Seattle Washington. He has authored many martial art books, including the classic, The Way of Kata. Making no apologies for his obsession of Football he can be found telling any who will listen about the nuances of the Canadian Football League.