Superkids Karate: Exercise in goal setting.

Superkids karate uses a unique system of colored belts to help kids stay motivated and help them to achieve their goals. This is accomplished by teaching them how to take a big task and break it down in to a couple smaller tasks that are easier to complete. Long ago, students of martial arts would only have one belt. Over years of training, the belt would wear and tear. It eventually resembled a black belt. Today, things are a little different. We use an assortment of colored belts from white to black to break down our curriculum in to smaller and more manageable pieces. This makes the learning process fun and exciting. It is easy to learn when things are broken down in to smaller parts. It is a great way to set them up for success.

I witnessed a great example of this process when I watched artist Nancy Kramer paint our mural in the school which spans across our whole wall. It is amazing to say the least. Instead of painting the whole mural all at once, Nancy separated her project in to more manageable tasks, and each day she would work on a small piece of the wall, little by little, step by step to complete her project. It was exciting to watch Nancy because it reminded me of the same process that I experienced learning martial arts when I was young. Looking back at Nancy’s mural it is hard to imagine the final project being completed without breaking it up into steps.

As a teacher and student of martial arts, I really believe in what I teach because it has helped me in my life to stay focused and motivated while achieving my goals, as well as provide me with great benefits that I enjoy sharing with my students and their families.

Paul Bratslavsky