Aikido in the Schools Programs

Aikido as Conflict Resolution:Teen Summit

Tue, 18 May 2010 09:37:00 -0400

On Friday, May 14th, 2010, Student Leaders from the Bushwick School for Social Justice presented workshops in “Aikido as Conflict Resolution” to other teenagers at the Brooklyn College Teen Summit.

In brief, they were fantastic!!! The feedback speaks for itself...Overwhelmingly, participating students rated the workshop as “good” or “excellent” and when asked why they chose these ratings, here’s what they wrote:

We understand more of what a conflict is and everyone was listening.
We understood how these problems can be avoided.
We also learned that when you get stuck, there almost always is a way to get out of a fight, and everyone participated in the activity.
We talked about ways to resolve conflict.
We learned how to not use force or struggle in a physical conflict.
We learned a method of how to get away when you're surrounded by people and can't move anywhere.
I learned how to think of my actions before putting them into action.
I learned how to solve a conflict without being verbal or physical (conflict resolution).
I learned how to express my feelings and emotions without accusing someone because this will lead to them getting defensive, which won't get the both of us anywhere. If anything, it might lead to the escalation of the problem and the two of us getting involved in an altercation.
It made me stress free.
I learned how to overcome a conflict in a really easy way.
I needed something like this to just calm down.
The people, the activities, the lesson.
The tips/tricks.
The vibe of the people.
The teachers/leaders who hosted the workshop.
Aikido, it was kinda cool, learned about things.
Learn some new moves, good info, quality.
Quality, techniques, the basic general info input.
Self-defense, ways of resolving conflict, conflict occurs everywhere.
It teaches you have to look at conflicts.
It teaches different self-defense methods.
We got to try it out.
I learned new ways to solve conflict.
The conversation was engaging.
Helped me learn how to solve verbal and physical conflicts.
I learned different solutions to solve a problem.
I learn to relax myself.
I had fun.
Had fun.
Learned several ways to solve conflicts.
Learned to escape from certain situations.
It helps you to stop your conflict before it goes to fighting.
It helped me to learn way to get out of attacks.
I learned how to talk to people with more respect.
I learned a new form of art.
I have something new to talk to my principal about.
The way they delivered the things.
The people were nice.
It was fun.
It seems funny at first. However, when you actually try it out it makes perfect sense. It feels good too.
It taught me how to be calm in any type of situation.
Interact with each other.
Taught me to go deeper into myself.
Well, it was physical.
We got to interact with each other.
Taught me how to be calm and relax in a complex situation.
Because I can relate to how it relaxes you to think of the problem before reacting.
It is not violence.
It makes sense.
The interaction with other children.
I got to learn other tactics to avoid conflicts.
I like that I got to move around.
How easy it was.
Different things I had never seen before.
It makes sense and can help people.
I enjoyed standing up and getting active with others.
It's a great skill to learn.

Ukemi Workshop

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 23:19:29 -0500

Aikido Seminar
With
Charles Colten Sensei (3rd Dan)
This workshop will focus primarily on musubi (connection)
and soft high-fall ukemi in the context of Aikido principles
and technique.
@River Valley Aikido, Brattleboro Vermont
When: Saturday, January 30th (3-5pm)
Sunday, January 31st (10am-12noon)
Charles Colten Sensei began his Aikido training in 1986. After his first two years of training under Senseis John Stone and Robin Cooper, he traveled and trained in many places in the United States, Europe, and Latin America. He feels lucky to have had so many wonderful teachers and training partners and counts among his primary influences such teachers as Endo Sensei, Saotome Sensei, Jan Nevelius Sensei, Jorma Lyly Sensei, Mary Heiny Sensei, Ikeda Sensei, Yamashima Sensei, and Okamoto Sensei.
For more information, contact Charles Colten at: www.aikidointheschools.com or, Don Hebert Sensei at: www.rvaikido.org

Aikido and Multiple Intelligences

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 20:41:58 -0500

Dr. Howard Gardner, professor of education at Harvard University, developed the theory of multiple
intelligences in 1983. Gardner suggested that the standard measure of intelligence, based on I.Q. testing, was far too limited, and he proposed eight different intelligences to account for a broader range of human potential in children and adults. The theory of multiple intelligences recognizes that people need a variety of skills and abilities to succeed in life. It also gives teachers new tools to reach all of the students in their classrooms.
The multiple intelligences, as described by Gardner are:

*Linguistic intelligence
*Interpersonal intelligence
*Intrapersonal intelligence
*Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence
*Spatial intelligence
*Musical intelligence
*Logical-mathematical intelligence
*Naturalist intelligence

Aikido in the Schools provides an integrated pedagogical system, which can activate and strengthen
every one of these kinds of intelligence:

Linguistic intelligence: Through the early introduction of cross-midline activities, aikido practice helps establish the neural pathways in the developing brain, which are used in developing linguistic competence and second language
acquisition.

Interpersonal intelligence: Aikido is relational and is almost always practiced with a partner. It teaches
healthyways to connect with another, how to maintain that connection, and how to disengage from it. It helps people
develop the confidence to engage in social interaction, the courage and skill to maintain a relationship, and the
trust to separate appropriately.

Intrapersonal intelligence: Aikido helps people manage their own emotional state through centering,
breathing, increasing one’s concentration, and regulating one’s anger or fear. Learning to relax and remain calm in
increasingly challenging situations gives the student practice in how to recognize, acknowledge, channel and
control potentially destructive emotions.

Bodily Kinesthetic intelligence: As a physical art, Aikido directly educates one’s proprioception, balance,
flexibility, agility, gross motor skills and fine motor skills.

Spatial intelligence: Aikido’s dynamic interlocking shapes, delineation of distinct spaces, shapes, forms, and
pattern recognition all activate and encourage one’s understanding of space.

Musical intelligence: At advanced stages of Aikido practice, the rhythmic and flowing interaction of partners
takes on a musical quality and provides a wonderful complement to traditional musical training.

Logical/mathematical intelligence: Aikido teaches fundamentals in problem solving, pattern recognition, and
examination of variables while holding other elements constant.

Naturalist intelligence: The movements of Aikido literally “incorporate” the fundamental principles of physics
abound in the natural world. Students learn to move with the forces of nature rather than contend with them.