Thank you for supporting our Zoom classes
Hi Parents and Students
As we enter our sixth week of lockdown, I want to thank you very much for supporting our online Zoom classes. It is so difficult keeping activities alive and routines manageable when we are stuck in our homes. I am consoled by the very large number of students who are regularly participating, and clearly improving, while training in their bedrooms, their lounges and their garages. Our children’s/juniors’ classes regularly have around 20 students, and our youths’/adults’/seniors’ classes have had over 30 students occasionally. It’s been fantastic!
It is very difficult keeping our school going through lockdown, and I greatly appreciate your support and commitment. It is also difficult to keep classes interesting and varied without access to equipment, partners and large spaces. I’ll continue to do my best. Please email me your ideas!
Another surprising challenge is trying to give every student feedback. When students train in a group, I can watch everyone at once, and small errors are easy to spot. When every student (or pair of students in the case of siblings) has their very own piece of screen real estate, I need the coincidence of specifically watching a student at the time they err in a matter that I can correct. Please bear with me while I continue to work on my feedback skills over Zoom. Remember to record your feedback in your red and white notebook, with notes and diagrams of things you learn, and refer to that regularly to identify areas to practise.
I would also like to thank my senior students who have been assisting me in Zoom classes – particularly Mr West and Mr Sapir. Your extra eyes for identifying feedback opportunities, and the segments you teach which increase variation and fun, are just brilliant, and help keep me going.
I hope we will return to level 2 soon, so we can return to the dojang. In the meantime, I am happy to see so many people committing to their Taekwon-Do journeys from their own homes.
Remember that lockdowns are hard on the whole family. Try to offer some time to help your parents around the house regularly, and do your best to keep calm and tolerate each other. Do something fun together when you can. Parents and family members are welcome to come along to your Taekwon-Do classes – we can work on fitness and try some fun activities to keep everyone active.
Best wishes
Master Banicevich.