Karate STOP

This afternoon, we went to a local bakery to pick out Lilly's birthday cake, but it's closed on Mondays. Rats. I probably could've figured that out before heading out there. Since we were out & it was way too early to go to karate, we got my car washed (I almost forgot my car is white!) and picked up a few things at Walgreens. We still had time before Shawn's karate class started, so he had a quick snack and changed into his uniform. Then he got to watch some of the purple belt class before his. Their kicks were impressive! Shawn understood right away why it was necessary for them to be using padding as protection!

In his class, he practiced:

Ax kick - stand with legs crossed, lift front foot as high as possible, then come down so heal makes contact (able to break a person's collar bone if done correctly!)

Double block - or the instructor would take his ears!

Fold / High block - or get bopped in the head by a padded bat!

Discussion about 'Intensity - face, voice, force'

1-2 punch relay race

At the end of class, Shawn took the 2nd stripe test, but he needed to practice his high block more before he could pass the test. (He wasn't turning his wrist up to the proper position and his arms flailed up & out, trying to knock the hit away, instead of staying firm in an almost 90° angle in front of his forehead.)  He worked with the teaching assistants for extra practice. I could tell he was worried and getting frustrated, but they were encouraging him and he kept working at it. In the end, he earned his stripe. Phew!

While I watched from behind the glass, the teacher in me could barely keep herself sitting on the really uncomfortable bench seat! The teaching assistants were basically saying/doing the same instructions and modeling over & over again, which is fine if he was just needing practice, but Shawn was still making the same mistakes most of the time.  Even though he earned the stripe, I got an idea and couldn't wait to share it with him. I knew it'd help him to understand what his arms were supposed to do. While I bit my lip until class was over, I was practically giddy in the car and promised him I had a trick to help him practice at home. After he changed into pjs and I had dinner in progress, I used marker to draw big red stop signs on the inside of both wrists. That way, when he blocks, he's supposed to show the stop sign to whomever he's trying to block (since a block is supposed to *stop* the hit)! We still had to work on the flailing vs firm 90° arm a little, but the wrist position was instantly fixed! Then, I told him to make his arm look like a box (90°) in front of his forehead. 

Done. 

Like magic. 

Throughout the rest of the evening, I'd randomly call out, "Block!" and Shawn would show off his perfected move.

Oh, it felt good to be able to take something that a student struggles to do and turn it around to make sense! I miss that part of teaching more than anything.

And, Shawn thought it was funny that I drew on him. Whatever works, kiddo!

I wonder if karate has honorary belts ;)

After dinner, we finally changed out the few remaining Valentine's decorations for spring/Easter ones. I cut a few branches off a pussy willow tree by our front walk and Shawn helped me decorate it with hollowed eggs from past years and small hanging ornaments. He also wanted decorate eggs, but it was getting too late for that tonight.

Instead, we started a new book series at bedtime: Judy Moody by Megan McDonald. We're starting with Judy Moody and Stink: The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Treasure Hunt. Though it's not the first in the series, it's the one we own and if Shawn likes it, then I'll check Freecycle and the library for others. In the first couple of chapters we read tonight, it doesn't seem like reading the series in order is imperative. Shawn's having a lot of fun with the pirate theme. 

Look out Mary Pope Osborne! Jack & Annie's Magic Treehouse adventures might have some competition!