ブラックベルトイングリッシュは今月で創立2周年を迎えました。

空手ｉｎ　Ｅｎｇｌｉｓｈコース：
わたしたちは、生徒自身が空手への理解や造詣を深めるにつれ、さらに基本を磨いてもらう事にも力を入れています。そのため、ただただ技の習得のみを目的としていた当時と比べると、生徒一人一人の技の鋭さが格段に違います。スピード、パワーも、著しく向上しています。

ただ、もうひとつ見逃せないものがあります。
それは、生徒たちが護身技を繰り出す際の、「溢れ出る自信」です。

「英語で空手を学ぶ」というコンセプトの道場では、聞いた英語を即・行動に移すため、ヒアリング力の目覚ましい向上が見てとれます。そのため、その手応えを自信へと変え、英会話レッスンの受講も始められる方もいます。こうした相乗効果は、わたしたちが行っているユニークな教育方針の特徴だといってもいいかもしれません。

入門生へ：空手には「Maybe」は存在しません。稽古の前にYes/Noをはっきりと決断。稽古中は「最初の礼」から「最後の礼」に至るまで自分のベストを出す事のみに全身の神経を集中させてください。

英会話コース ：
英会話力は「良い先生」や「良いテキスト」のみで育まれるものではありません。英会話教室の主役は生徒です。わたしは、皆が「どんな事に興味を持っているのか」「どういう方法が学びやすいのか」「その人に合った教材（話題）は何か」という事を大切にしながら教室の内容を考え、適切にガイドをして行く脇役に過ぎません。

最近、「ここの英会話に来てから、ハワイに行った時店員が寄ってきても怖くなかった。」という話を聞きました。本人は笑ってましたが、テキストを舐める上辺だけの上達ではこうは行きません。

プレイ＆トーク（子供）のクラスではゲームを媒体として、子供が『英語で話したくなるような環境づくりー盗むように学ぶ』が主体です。各クラスは年齢・特徴ともさまざまですが、その時間がすごく楽しくて、思いで深いひと時となるように目指しています。

大人＆子供の生徒へ：　『お喋り』な人ほど、英会話は早く上達します。クラスの時間を自分の意見（言いたいこと）で埋めましょう！

Open for Two Years!!!

Black Belt English celebrates its 2^nd anniversary this month!

We now have over fifty members enjoying our classes; and we are grateful for each and every one of our students.

Karate Students

Our karate program has really evolved and improved over the past year.

The English used in the karate class seems to have greatly improved some students’ listening skills. The joy of participating in an English speaking activity has even led a few to enroll in English conversation classes as well. We are so happy to see people become more enthusiastic about learning English, or simply become more comfortable and confident in communicating with a native English speaker.

With more emphasis placed on mastery of the basics, our students’ technique and focus have improved significantly since last year. The increase in their speed and power is noticeable, and the confidence and strength they are showing in their self-defense skills is impressive.

To our Karate in English students – keep up the good work!! Remember there is no “maybe” in karate! You can choose either karate = NO or karate = YES. If you come to the dojo, be ready to give 100%! It’s the only way you will improve!

English Students

Our English conversation classes have grown significantly over the past year. We have worked hard to provide services and instruction that help fill in the gaps left by more traditional methods of teaching. Primarily, this involves our focus on listening, speaking, and USING English. Many students in Japan study the English language, but few can actually engage in activities and social functions where they can actually use the language. Our program was developed to help with that problem.

Our adult classes are geared towards having students develop the ability to carry on a natural conversation in English, while our Play and Talk program encourages younger students to communicate in English while playing different games. Each class is different, as we strive to make every one enjoyable and memorable.

To our English 4 You and Play and Talk Students – Keep talking! Instead of coming to class ready to listen and take notes --- Come to class with something to say! This is your chance to learn how to improve your English conversation skills!

Beware of martial arts politics!!

It is a sad truth that some of us have been the victims of martial arts politics. It is a hurtful and disappointing experience which can destroy friendships and damage organizations. Below I will document some of the literature and information that helped me personally make sense out of some of what I was seeing and how best to make the right decisions. If I came away from my experiences learning one important lesson, it was “judge people by their actions, not their words.”

Ego and money--pride and greed--are the very roots of politics in the martial arts. --- The Evolution of Martial Arts Politics by Gary Gabelhouse

Comments: If I had to choose the words to best describe the origin of the politics I personally witnessed in the martial arts: they would be EGO and MONEY. Beware of instructors that: 1) too often ask for extra cash beyond the normal tuition and expected equipment/testing fees – and 2) seem more focused on jockeying for position, recognition, and rank/status within the organization than the instruction and growth of their own students. If you ever hear your teacher say about himself, “A man of my stature…” or “I am such a humble person….” then I advise you to kindly walk away.

Some groups only want people that are needy and naive, so that the teacher can be kept up on a pedestal like a cult leader. --- Martial Arts Pros & Cons 1 by Terry Pollard

Comments: A good teacher, truly interested in the growth and well-being of his pupils, should always want his students to succeed. He should support and encourage them, especially once the students become teachers themselves in order to spread the art. If you encounter an instructor that continually fails to maintain a healthy relationship with his own black belts/teachers, then I advise looking elsewhere for instruction. It usually indicates an ego problem with the head instructor – one that is threatened by his own student’s successes and growth.

Heavily intertwined with martial arts cults is demanding that you adhere to either other culture's standards of behavior or to a "warrior ideal." In the more common cults it is a combination of both… What is important to notice is what is being demanded is that you adhere to the Master's interpretation of those standards, not the actual standards themselves. --- Martial Arts Cults: Authoritarian Personality by Marc MacYoung

Comments: (The above quote comes from a very enlightening article.) Beware of teachers that continually tell you what the headmaster wants or thinks – or what a person that truly understood the “Way of the Warrior” would do. Very often, such instructors are using their rank/status and connection to the headmaster to manipulate you into doing what THEY desire (often for very selfish reasons involving their ego and/or greed). If something doesn’t seem morally right (or legal for that matter!) then trust your instincts and do the right thing (which might mean saying NO to your teacher). As they say, the truth has no agenda and will set you free.

Not all instructors deserve loyalty. GIRI (Japanese for sense of duty) is a reciprocal obligation, a two-way street. Although you carry your instructor’s ON (obligation) for the training he provides, he carries your ON for your unwavering loyalty. When an instructor dishonors himself and his students, that cancels their obligation to him. --- Living the Martial Way by Forrest E. Morgan.

Comments: Beware of instructors that feel the need to repeatedly announce that students must respect their teacher and be loyal. You see such instructors often ingratiating themselves with their teacher (in order gain favor) or setting up their own students to repeat such behavior in front of you so that you will learn the “proper” way to revere and worship your instructor. True leaders serve others and therefore gain loyal followers and respect. Demanding respect and loyalty and the brainwashing, bullying, and manipulation that often accompany such acts are something you should expect from a gang or a cult, not a martial arts school. Do not let your teachers take unfair advantage of you or warp you into a dependent and weak-minded individual by perverting the concepts of respect and loyalty. True loyalty and respect requires a sincere and mutually beneficial exchange.

The Martial Arts politicians hate the very idea of “Jita Kyoei” (which can be translated as ‘you and me shining together’). They despise those of us who believe that we can live and let live, be fair, and shine together. They don’t want to live together, they want to CONTROL OTHERS. --- We Should Remember Judo Philosophy by Phil Porter

Comments: Having grown up in the environment of higher education, and having been a college teacher and administrator myself, I can tell you that a good professor wants his students to succeed and make advancements in the field of study. A good professor doesn’t try to control his students and demand that, after graduation, they send a percentage of their earnings the professor each year to show respect. He also doesn’t tell the students where they can or cannot work, who they should and should not communicate with, or restrict what they are allowed to teach and research in their own name and career. Good professors don’t do that…And neither should good martial arts instructors.

STUDENTS
The student can learn karate from his teacher, and at the same time the student can learn a lot about life. The student should try and listen to the lessons his teacher shares, but the student needs to understand he must find his own path to enlightenment. Trying to copy his teacher too much, trying to walk/talk/live/do karate/think/etc. exactly like his teacher, can only lead to the student either repeating his teacher’s mistakes, or becoming heartbroken when he realizes his teacher isn’t perfect.

It is like a finger pointing at a beautiful sunset. The teacher is the finger – not the beautiful sun. The sunset is the principle, and that is what the student should try and see. To only look at the finger means the student will miss the best part.

TEACHERS
The teacher can teach karate to his students, and at the same time the teacher can continue to learn as well. Just as the student should not copy the teacher, the teacher must be able to allow the student to grow and understand in his own way. The student can only find enlightenment by following his own path. If the teacher focuses on teaching and learning the principles, then his goals are pure and he never feels lonely. If the teacher focuses too much on controlling the student, then the teacher limits his student’s growth and he risks being hurt and feeling lonely when it is time for the student to seek their own understanding.

It is like a student looking at his teacher pointing to a beautiful sunset. The teacher needs to let the student turn his head and look at the beauty of the sun when he is ready, and the teacher should not feel hurt or lonely when the student is no longer looking at his teacher. If looking at the beauty of the sunset is the goal, then the teacher must let his student look away and see for himself. Then the teacher can look back at the sun again and they can enjoy it together. If the teacher continues to look at the student, the teacher will also be missing the best part. --- The Teacher and Student Relationship by Robert Knott

Comments: In struggling with a deeply troubling situation and discussing it with one of my teachers, I wrote the above essay and presented it to that teacher to use on his website. I was attempting to make sense out of what the instructor was saying to me about the student and teacher relationship, and I was inspired by the scene in the Bruce Lee film Enter the Dragon where Lee’s character is instructing his pupil and tells the young man to look at the moon --- not the finger pointing to it.

Closing comments: Studying the martial arts is a choice we make. We can choose the schools and teachers we desire to learn from. You will NEVER find the perfect teacher or style; but you can indeed find a dojo that is right for you. Studying the Martial Way is about becoming a better person – and my advice to you is to avoid teachers and schools that have forgotten this important lesson.

Developmental Diary: Part 3

Opening the dojo!

In March of 2009 we decided to open our dojo and begin offering classes in the martial arts. Although we offer other kinds of classes now (like English conversation classes), Black Belt English first began as a karate school. As any new business owner must feel, we were anxious on opening day. Would anyone come? How would people in Japan feel about an American teaching karate in their country? Would the students understand my directions in class since I will be speaking in English?

To let people know we were open, we placed some colorful flags out in front of the house near the driveway. We then hung a simple banner displaying our website address; but we soon found out Japanese people usually don’t search for anything by directly typing in an address like that. Following this revelation, we placed a larger banner on the long stretch of bushes indicating we were open and accepting applications and we also placed ads in the phone book and local paper!

I can’t tell you what it meant to us when our first family of three signed on as karate students. We were overjoyed and so thankful for their enthusiasm and desire to be a part of our new program. These people, and the others that followed in the early months of our opening, showed great courage in my opinion. They were willing to try something new … They were ready to try something different. It is because of these “starter students” that we were finally able to begin making our dreams of running a business and teaching martial arts in Japan come true.

At first, I taught the martial arts classes in much the same way I had in the United States. One immediate change was that I was only speaking English, so I had to work hard to refrain from directing students in Korean like I had in America (since my main teacher instructed that way). Many students were lost at first, not completely understanding my directions. This led to them being a bit shy and hesitant, so the classes seemed to have low spirit. They really did not look and sound like a good martial arts class – and this was my fault.

Listening carefully to my wife’s advice and continuing my research, I began to change my teaching style a bit. Less talking and more demonstrating. I also worked hard to keep my English simple and clear; and one of the best decisions I made was to start having the students repeat what I had just said so that they could retain the information.

In time, the Karate in English classes started to sound and look much better. Their confidence in their martial arts skills was increasing, and so was their confidence and ability in English. Our first ranks tests went quite well, and the students did a wonderful job of putting forth their best efforts during the examinations.

My school had started to grow…And I felt I was growing as a teacher…and as a martial artist!

Developmental Diary: Part 2

How was Black Belt English created?

After deciding to teach my martial arts classes in English, I went to a local activity center and applied for a job to teach karate-do. The business looked over my resume and the interview seemed to go well, so it wasn’t long before I was contacted and informed I would be allow to start teaching a class there in July of 2008. Excited about my first opportunity to teach martial arts in Japan, I began forming my lesson plans.

July 13, 2008 was a red letter day for me. This was the day I started teaching karate-do in Japan, taking my first big step in making my dream come true. To my surprise, I found that most of the students present for the class were interested in learning karate-do more than English. This was good news to me, as I wanted the lesson to be focused on martial arts more than English. I simply wanted English to be a tool for communication – and for karate-do to be the heart of the lesson.

In time, my wife finished her contract at the study abroad center and we moved back to her family’s house (which was a better environment for our young son). Taking our savings from the bank, we invested the money in remodeling the small old house that stood next door. After a few months, we finally had the dojo (training hall) completed!

But what was I going to teach? Was I only going to teach martial arts?

This caused me to take some time and look over things a bit more carefully. I was an accomplished martial artist…I also had experience as an English teacher…I had been a college teacher and administrator…and I even had some of my creative writing material published in the gaming industry. Well – what did I enjoy doing? I loved teaching martial arts with a passion…I deeply enjoy communicating with Japanese people…and in my free time I enjoy strategy games of all kinds. How could this all fit together?

At this point I looked at my wife and thought about her accomplishments. She is fluent in English to the point she sounds like a native speaker and she even earned her college degree in the USA. She had come to the United States as a teenager to study English; but she ended up learning English by going to Cosmetology (beauty) school rather than ESL class (English as a Second Language). By deeply immersing herself in an activity she was interested in learning – but that required English language communication – she basically learned two things at the same time! She learned valuable skills – while communicating in English!

This gave me the inspiration to form the business around the activities that I enjoyed and had experience with. I would offer classes focused on an activity – and I would use English as the method of communication!

I would teach karate-do in English…I would play interesting games in English…I would offer college-like lectures in English (with advice and assistance about studying abroad)…And I would communicate with Japanese people in English (conversation classes).

I then needed to come up with a name. This required some careful thought. Action English! …That was already taken. English in Action! … No…Karate in English!... Well, I am offering more than just karate lessons…Black Belt English! Yeah!! When you achieve a black belt, you become an expert at something! Let’s call the business Black Belt English because students may be striving for a black belt in karate class or they may be trying to become experts in communicating in the English language!

Black Belt English …….. With its multiple-meanings, it sounded good to me.

Developmental Diary: Part 1

How did the idea of moving to Japan and teaching karate in English begin?

Back in 2007, my wife and I had good paying jobs in the United States; but we also had to deal with a great deal of stress. Inside, I felt unsatisfied in my work and this caused me to feel a bit depressed at times. It was nothing major, just a feeling that my life was on the wrong track. I had known for a long time what I wanted to do for a living (teach karate) but I had never found the right opportunity to make my dream come true.

Following the birth of our son, we knew it was a good time for a change. We wanted him to grow up in a safer environment with a stronger education system, and we also wanted to be able to spend more time with him during his formative years. I also wanted to take a chance on living my dream (to teach karate in Japan) and my wife was excited to help me as she had always wanted to run her own business. After my wife applied for a job in Japan working with American college students, we decided to wait and hope for the best.

After landing a new job at an international study abroad center in her home town, my wife and I quickly wrapped up our affairs in the USA and packed up all of our essentials. We made the big move and soon settled into an apartment on the first floor of the center. Disappointingly, the job required her to be on-call every single night of the year (just like my job in the USA--- insane I know) so her time with me and the newborn baby was minimal.

As she spent her hours in the office, I was either taking care of the little one or practicing karate outside in the Japanese garden that overlooked the lake. Practicing every day outside in the fresh air was wonderful, and my time with my son was priceless. I was also able to pull on my past experiences working in higher education administration and assist my wife with some of her more difficult and stressful situations.

Each morning I awoke, I imagined myself as a full-time martial arts instructor. I envisioned myself in my uniform, teaching a classroom full of Japanese students in the ways of karate-do. But one important thought kept invading my thoughts…I would have to teach things differently in Japan. I could not do things exactly the way I had done them in the USA. I would need to adapt and change. I would need to evolve and grow, both as a teacher and as a martial artist.

The first thing I decided to do was to teach all of my classes in English! No more using Korean like I had in the United States. And I would not replace the terms with Japanese. I would teach in English. I would teach an international martial arts system (combining karate-do, chuanfa, taekwondo, and hapkido/aikido) in an international language!!

Karate in English - July 2010

Another successful rank test over the weekend for Black Belt English. For many students, this was their first time testing at our school. They gave their best efforts during the exam, and (like before) any errors that were made were small and corrected immediately by the students themselves.

Although many of the students had never studied any additional English outside the content shared in regular school, they followed my directions perfectly and without hesitation. My wife assisted me with some of the more complex explanations, but it is still quite impressive how much English the students have learned just by practicing the martial arts in our dojo. Such regular exposure to natural English has even caused a couple of students to enroll in our English conversation classes as well.