Customer Reviews

Martial Arts Instruction: Applying Educational Theory and Communication Techniques In the Dojo

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What a wonderful book. Lawrence Kane has written a tremendous text that fills a big void in the martial arts genre. There are many books on how to punch and kick, but as the book title states, this one is about how to teach the martial arts. But it's not just for the teacher; there is plenty of solid information for the student, too.

Kane discusses in a highly readable fashion:

* Understanding learning style differences

* Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to understand student predilections

* Fostering a positive learning environment

* Apply the six teaching styles to the martial arts

* Lesson planning

Just because a martial artist is a black belt or has earned several black belts, doesn't mean that person can teach. That is why this book is so needed. Martial Arts Instruction will help the teacher - new and veteran alike - be the best one he or she can be.

I've been training the martial arts for 40 years and have written 18 books on the fighting arts. I found Martial Arts Instruction fresh, insightful, and highly informative. Most importantly, Kane's teaching ideas work.

Highly recommended.

As you have probably gathered from the title, the book is designed to help martial arts instructors improve their ability to communicate with their students and effectively pass on their art.

I have a few books along these lines on my shelves and I've found them all to be a little "academic" and "dry". It's also true to say that the majority of books on martial arts instruction are heavily biased towards generating success in competition. I have to say that I found this book to be a really refreshing change! What really is great about this book is that it focuses upon teaching the traditional martial arts. It's great to read something which covers the totality of martial arts instruction in such an enlightening and informative way.

I found myself getting carried along by the very accessible writing style and the interesting information that appears on virtually every page. The book contains some superb guidance on teaching kata and bunkai, dojo rules, etiquette, lesson planning, student behaviour, "the six teaching styles", fostering a positive learning environment, teaching self-defence etc. I strongly recommended that all instructors, and prospective instructors, get hold of a copy of this most enjoyable and informative book.

Iain Abernethy - 5th Dan British Combat Association and author of "Bunkai-Jutsu: The Practical Application of Karate Kata"

Bob Spear

Publisher and Chief Reviewer, Heartland Reviews

As popular as martial arts training is and with as many how-to books on self defense that are available, there has been a serious lack of Instructor Manuals. This book closes the gap. Although it is directed primarily toward the so called "Hard Arts" such as karate, much of its material can be used within the context of the "Soft Arts" as well. Having trained over 11,000 self defense students during my career as a self defense instructor, I was very impressed with the way this author used education and management theories to train the trainer. He has an excellent background in all that he writes about and communicates it effectively. His examples are easy to understand and he presents a good taxonomy for training and teaching. I rated this excellent book a solid four hearts.

A good teacher should also be a good student, if they hope to convey and assist the development of correct principles in others. I believe that pertains not only Martial Arts, but to any aspect of life. The challenge, is understanding that not all students learn, process, or retain information the same way (regardless of age).

Lawrence Kane has created a tool for those serious about imparting knowledge to their students in ways they can understand...and excel. The valuable information in this book is essential to those of us who truly care about what (and who) we teach.

A highly recommended book.

Their are many martial arts books outlining the basics of about any martial art you could wish to learn, but Lawrence A. Kane's Martial Arts Instruction: Applying Educational Theory And Communication Techniques In The Dojo is different from the rest. Lawrence A. Kane is a man who has taught and created martial arts classes and business seminars, and who focuses on the teacher of martial arts as much as the technique. Readers will lern just how to motivate and retain students, optimize time, and adjust to individual learning styles and talents using Martial Arts Instruction: is an informatively instructive and very strongly recomended manual.

While most every black belt is expected to teach, few are actually shown how. Kane explains how to use proven, modern teaching methods to educate students in the ancient fighting arts. Instructors will improve their ability to motivate, educate, and retain students regardless of their age or learning style. This powerful book is packed with highly practical information that you can begin using the very next time you teach. I know I have. I heartily recommend it.

I recently had the opportunity to read one of Lawrence A. Kane's books entitled, "Martial Arts Instruction: Applying Educational Theory and Communication Techniques in the Dojo" and found it to be a fantastic book for anyone involved in the teaching of students and not just those involved in the martial arts. This book is a fantastic source for reference material concerning the art of teaching, and yes, I do feel that teaching is an art form.

The approach Lawrence takes in this book is simple, yet loaded with an abundance of information that shows you various methods that you can easily incorporate into your own particular style of teaching regardless of what the particular subject is. I can almost guarantee you that if you purchase this book and study it for a few weeks, and then start applying the information that you have learned, that you will see a notable improvement in your own teaching ability, while at the same time see a marked improvement in your students.

When I first read this book, I identified with a lot of the mistakes that Lawrence mentioned concerning my own teaching style especially when I first started teaching students a little over 20 years ago. Although it is imperative that we as individuals make our own mistakes, it is not that easy or desirable to make mistakes when you are responsible for the development of another individual. Although Lawrence's focus is on teaching the martial arts, a lot of what he tells you could also be used when teaching your own children. However, you would have to modify your teaching method a bit.

The following is a brief review of each of the six chapters in this book and what there main focus is on.

Chapter One: Understanding Learning Style Differences

In this chapter, Lawrence delves into the different types of personalities that an instructor will undoubtedly find in his students, as well as, how to tailor your teaching style to best suit each individual personality type. He also delves into the use of the five senses in order to enhance your teaching ability so that your students not only retain more information, but also enjoy the lessons being taught.

The five senses are; seeing, hearing, tasting, feeling, and smelling. Although it isn't practical to employ the use of all five in every lesson plan, you should try and devise a few that you could use once every month or so. I used a similar approach once teaching a group of law enforcement officers and the response I received was very encouraging. It works so use it.

Chapter Two: Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Tool to Understand Student Predilections

This particular chapter is quite complex, yet Lawrence makes is all seem rather simple with his easy to understand explanation of the various personality types and how they are best suited to learn and retain information. In this section, Lawrence supplies you with some very good resource material to have your own personality tested in order to determine what type of personality you have and what method of teaching is more conducive to your ability to learn.

Chapter 3: Applications of the Six Teaching Styles to Martial Arts

The six teaching styles discussed in this section are; modeling, lecturing, cooperative performance, independent performance, knowledge capture, and role reversal.

Lawrence describes in detail each one of these teaching styles and provides good examples of when to teach that particular method and how to apply it to the teaching of the martial arts.

Chapter 4: Fostering a Positive Learning Environment

In my humble opinion there is one section in this chapter that perhaps says it all when it comes to the ability to teach another person, and that is the attitude of the teacher.

This was the single most important thing that jumped out at me when I read this book. Although there is tons of useful information provided within the pages of this book, none of it is going to be worth the proverbial hill of beans without the proper attitude being displayed by the teacher.

Etiquette or respect for oneself and others is so vitally important not only to the learning environment, but also the living environment where we have to co-exist with so many different people from a vast array of backgrounds and cultures.

Another great subject that Lawrence brings up in this section is the importance of a solid emotional and physical environment in which to teach your students. The one undeniable single factor that is prevalent in everything that Lawrence discusses is the teacher. He or she is the one who will make or break a class and/or the students in it. You can have the most exciting subject and something that you are hugely passionate about become the most boring and painful experience if the teacher is horrible. Or you can take the most boring subject and make it interesting if the teacher is passionate and knowledgeable about how to get his/her information across to the students.

Along with a lot more information on the role of the teacher, Lawrence also spends some time going over some very solid information on how to find the martial art and martial arts school that is best suited for you.

Chapter 5: Developing and Implementing Lesson Plans for the Dojo

This section covers not only how to devise, refine and implement a lesson plan, but also how to adapt when the plan you have is not working. It also covers a lot of really solid information on the martial arts itself and the various nuances that are prevalent within it.

Lawrence also has a lot of really solid useful information concerning the martial arts and their use in a self-defense situation. He gives a couple of really good examples from his own personal experience that shows what may be a preferable way to handle a situation rather than resorting to physical means. Although one must always keep in mind that no two situations are going to be identical and what may work well in one situation may not work well in another.

Chapter 6: Conclusion/Stages of Teaching

This section is rather brief as I am sure the author intended and merely goes over that which he has discussed in the previous chapters. However, there are some very good tidbits of information included here and in the next 40+ pages.

This book, like all of Lawrence's books, is filled with solid useful information concerning whatever subject he has written about. There is much that can be learned from them and I highly recommend that you purchase them and study the information contained in each one of his books.

Shawn Kovacich, martial artist/author of the Achieving Kicking Excellence series.

Lawrence Kane's book is an insightful guide to good leadership of all kinds, going beyond its modest stated intention of being about teaching martial arts. It takes a serious subject and, through a facile mix of theory, practice, and anecdote, left me feeling empowered to apply its concepts with confidence. Even potentially difficult ideas are so clearly expressed that the book is never anything less than lucid. And I found the jovial, self-deprecating wit and conversational yet authoritative tone approachable and engaging.

This is a book that you can read put on a shelf and come back to in time and find something new. Forget the old ways of teaching martial arts. This book is the key to building a rock solid foundation for an instructor. Get this book and watch your teaching improve and your students blossom. As a student learn how you learn and grow in skill and retention quickly.

A very professional & well compiled book useful for any martial arts instructor, but even more so for karate in particular. Lawrence Kane background is Guju-ryu.

The book is well illustrated with many pictures, diagrams & charts. From lesson planning to a typical karate syllabus.

No matter whether you've just started your own martial arts club or have been teaching many years, you will fair much better by delving into the dozens of useful exercise within these pages. Why re-invent the wheel when you can learn so much from other people's mistakes & problems that they have successfully overcome.

There aren't many other titles around on teaching & instructing martial arts classes, but you may also be interested in John Graybeals book on The Art of Empowering Children: A Karate Masters Secrets or a very good title by Carol Wiley's called Martial Arts Teachers on Teaching gives dozens of stories directly from other instructors' sucesses & failures. Also there are Sang Kims book called Teaching Martial Arts: The Way of the Master is about the only other decent book I could possibly recommend or his one called Martial Arts Instructor's Desk Reference: A Complete Guide to Martial Arts Administration

Chapters include;-

1) Understanding learning style differences between students.

2) Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

3) Application of the Six Teaching Styles to Martial Arts

4) Fostering a Positive Learning Environment.

5) Dojo Lesson Planning

Appendices include;- sample lesson plan, determining your psychological profile, kata of Goju-ryu, requirements through to Shodan.

A thoroughly enjoyable & highly informative book.