MDS 501 Introduction All Chuck Norris System material is black belt material. There is no white belt material. But there are different stages of identifying, understanding, and controlling the required skills. The material in this course is foundation material which will facilitate development of black belt level core skill in beginning and intermediate students as they progress toward 1st degree black belt, and the associated test. Even with this limited scope, there is still not time to address every requirement. MDS 501 will therefore focus on the application of eight specific components of any quality technique as they relate to basic blocks and punches. The concepts can then be applied to all upper body techniques. This course is presented to black belts, utilizing their higher level of cognitive and practical understanding of karate concepts. Our common purpose is to simultaneously: 1. Increase our own level of understanding of the Chuck Norris System 2. Enhance our individual and collective ability to effectively teach the Chuck Norris System 3. Preserve the art and attitude of the Chuck Norris System as a powerful part of Mr. Norris’ legacy by accurately passing his creation on to future generations through our students, and by creating a path for them to do the same A Note About Black Belt Testing It is important to understand that the CNS black belt test requirements do not constitute the complete definition of the Chuck Norris System. They are only a representative sampling and measurement of important core skills. Consider this analogy: After first learning the alphabet, vocabulary, and the fundamentals of grammar and language usage, a talented author can produce literary works on an almost limitless number of subjects or themes. Similarly, standardizing and testing on a small set of Chuck Norris System core skills (UFAF’s black belt testing progression) will make it easier for individuals to diversify later, using their core skills as a solid foundation and launching point, thereby continuing the innovative tradition of the Chuck Norris System. What is the Chuck Norris System? There is sometimes confusion regarding the identity of the Chuck Norris System - something black belt members of UFAF (CNS’s governing body) should not have. At one extreme, some suppose CNS is simply Tang Soo Do under a new name. But in fact, there are myriad integrated innovations that 3 make the Chuck Norris System unique and different from Tang Soo Do, literally from the ground up. At the other extreme, others suppose the Chuck Norris System is an ad hoc collection of the best techniques from all over the martial arts world. But in fact, the innovations now included in the Chuck Norris System have been carefully selected - first by Mr. Norris, and later by students of his system - for how they fit into and enhance the system. One of the purposes of this course is to highlight the genius of the innovations originated by Mr. Norris, and how these innovations, together with a continuing openness to improvement, have served to make the Chuck Norris System what it is today. The Learning Environment What makes someone a teacher? The obvious answer, of course, is students. The title “teacher” or “instructor” is given to one by one’s students. New students may approach learning a martial art having to deal with various fears. Some of these include: - the unknown - perceived lack of ability - shyness in public settings - parental expectations - lack of identity (Do I have value to the instructor - other than my money)? - many other fears There are, of course, many other fears that students may carry. Some may be beyond the scope of a martial arts instructor’s ability or qualification to deal with directly. But those mentioned here are a few examples of fears an instructor can address, or at least have a positive impact on. It starts with creating a relationship of trust between instructor and student. This can be facilitated by countering the aforementioned fears with specific actions to put students at ease, and communicating to students that you are committed to assisting them in reaching their goals. Styles of Learning Not every student learns in the same way. There are many different methods of categorizing learning styles, and the personality traits that affect them. One simple and useful method is to differentiate between visual, aural, and tactile learners. Using this method we see that some students learn by seeing something done (visual), others by hearing it explained (aural), and still others by doing or performing an action directly (tactile). Instructors are also students, of course, and each has his/her preferred learning style(s). Some instructors may fail to realize that not everyone learns in the same way they do, and may unwittingly teach with a bias toward their 4 own personal learning styles. The best instructors know they can’t rely solely on teaching to the learning style they are most comfortable with. Master instructors become adept at teaching to learning styles that are outside their own comfortable experience. For example, an instructor who is primarily a visual learner must become adept at teaching to aural and tactile learners, as well. Ideally, an instructor will constantly switch between teaching to all three learning styles. If you want a high retention rate among your students, then you must address all three learning styles effectively in your teaching. Sometimes instructors intentionally utilize a teaching approach called the “discovery method,” which basically translates to, “I will show you ‘this much,’ and you will figure out the rest.” Obviously, this approach will not suffice for most students in today’s market. Motivation Much has been said about the Praise/Correct/Praise approach to teaching (hereafter referred to as PCP). The basic concept is to “bookend” needed corrections with praise for things well done. Before this approach can have real value, it is important to understand the two types of motivation that may be at work within each student. Extrinsic motivation (external motivation) is based on the attainment of rewards for work well done. As such, it comes to a student from outside sources, and can change as the availability of the perceived rewards changes. Intrinsic motivation (internal motivation), on the other hand, comes from within the student him- or herself and is characterized by feelings of personal satisfaction or achievement. Intrinsic motivation tends to result in better, deeper, and longer-lasting learning. It also tends to remain more constant over time. While not necessarily worse than intrinsic motivation in any given circumstance, extrinsic motivation tends to be not as effective, or to have as lasting an effect on the student as its intrinsic counterpart. It is important to understand, however, that what motivates each student is a characteristic of his/her personality, and an instructor probably can’t instantly switch a student’s source of motivation from extrinsic to intrinsic, or vice versa. But constant and genuine encouragement can help build a student’s desire for personal satisfaction and achievement. With this background, we can now address PCP specifically, and identify the difference between praise and encouragement. Praise tends to be extrinsic in its power to motivate, because it is generally given only as a reward when something is done well. Therefore, it is extremely important to make the praise genuine! Otherwise it will be seen for what it is: a fabricated cover for the correction that is sure to come next. Encouragement tends to be more intrinsic because it conveys an innate respect for, and belief in, a student’s abilities. Encouragement in a positive direction can be given whether 5 something was done well or poorly. A prerequisite to truly effective praise, encouragement, or correction is simply to identify aspects of a student’s karate - good and bad. Once a feature of a student’s performance is clearly identified, praise, encouragement, correction, and most importantly teaching can occur to the benefit of the student. One of the most motivational things in the world for a student is when “a light goes on” for them. Art vs. Application Sometimes practitioners and instructors have a tendency to separate what they call the “art” of their style (what makes it look cool) from its “application” (what makes it effective in actual practice). For example, what do we say when students ask why we do kata? Does our answer reflect knowledge of how kata and practical application are historically connected? Or do we separate the two as having little to do with each other? Why? Why Not? In every other aspect of your teaching, it is important to have a “Why” for everything we do. Giving students purpose in everything they are learning and practicing helps to motivate them. If a student can’t answer “why” they are doing something, their first response is often to ask, “Why not [do something else]?” Why do we have to do all these kata? Why do we jerk the opposite hand back when we punch? Why do we turn the forearm this way for an elbow strike? One of the purposes of this course is to arm instructors with more information to help answer, “Why?” And perhaps more importantly, to establish that there are why’s for everything we do. If we’re not sure why we do something, we can help each other find the answer. Technical Context (Confusion vs. Diversity) In our martial arts study it is important to stay connected to the source, or we risk losing much of the understanding of how and why we do things. Before we can effectively improvise, we must have a solid and consistent foundation in the theory of our style.