Better Martial Arts Equals Better Grades
Better martial arts training for children and teens often equates with greater performance with grades and learning in school. In fact, this assertion is accepted and widely known and reinforced thousands of times by parents who have witnessed it first hand. Lets explore the strong and positive connection between martial arts for kids and improved academics. Because, at first blush the cause and effect may be not as apparent.
The first gut reaction often with parents when their child may be struggling in school is to simply hit the books harder and maybe get some tutoring. This may offer some advantage, but often the cause of the trouble in school may lay elsewhere then just more of the same. Martial arts often unlocks the special key for learning for children
Martial arts for children and teens is unique in that it makes the student better in school not because it teaches math or science or language arts but instead goes to the very core and makes the young martial artist a better learner and student. Martial arts carves good students out of stone and clay. It takes the student as they are and hones those skills that the youngster needs for not just the Taekwondo dojang or Karate dojo -- but also in the classroom.
One of the very best martial arts for kids looking to do better in school is Taekwondo or Korean Karate as it is often referred. Taekwondo is a traditional Korean martial art where students wear simple white uniforms, engage is strenuous physical techniques, learn complicated forms or patterns, develop strong self defense and self confidence life skills and above all sharpen their focus.
Focus is the ability to mentally engage in the learning process for the necessary period of time and with full attention and energy devoted to that sole undertaking. Focus, like a muscle of the body become stronger with use and practice.
Taekwondo specifically and martial arts in generally super activates the focus muscle of kids. A child may not be overly excited about where a comma belongs in a sentence but they tend to get engaged when learning how to throw a ninja star, or break a wooden board or how to do a take down on would be bully. So the topics are exciting. And, thus the martial arts student is eager to learn. So step one has been achieved...you have a highly motivated martial arts student in a positive learning environment.
Step two is then taking that motivation and utilizing it to learn every continuing more complicated technique. Taekwondo kids have to watch, have to listen, have to think, have to remember in order to successfully learn the required moves and if they don't they don't get to promote up the belts...thus step two has been achieved leverage.
The final step to firing up the focus machine of martial arts for kids is reinforcement. They want learn, they have learn to achieve their goal. When they are focus efforts and practice pay off - Taekwondo kids are presented with their next rank belt, from white to yellow to green to blue to red and eventually black. Each huge step in the journey is crucial in the puzzle. Martial arts masters know exactly how to reinforce this focus by promoting students at the right time so they learn that they have focus and need focus to be successful. But just getting bad grades on spelling tests every Friday and school and studying those same words a little more at the kitchen table to a disinterested and down beaten student may not be the answer.
So martial arts helps kids improve their academic performance in school. And the secret is focus. So now its time to give your child the secret. If you live in Northern Michigan and are ready to fire up the focus engine in your son or daughter call the Seung-ni Academy in Traverse City at 231.932.4300 or check out their cool website that tells all about their Taekwondo programs for kids at www.seungnitc.com.
