Taken in large part from my Mentor Tom Callos:
I can’t think of anything meaningful to say in the aftermath of a shooting that left 20 children dead at the hands of a madman. I can’t think of any way that we can stop someone who is so intent on hurting others, regardless of the reason.
I do, however, feel like I can make a comment on violence, in general - as I think it is important that I look deeply about how I, as a martial arts teacher, teach others about using violence to solve problems.
I think that we, sometimes (as I know I have on occasion) glorify the warrior. The person that uses martial arts (or violence in general) to seek revenge and/or justice on other living beings. In fiction it is often warranted or justified, and the audience gets to fulfill their need to see the “bad guys” get what they deserve.
We sometimes promote violence, we promote the aggressive posturing, the mimicking of our movie-heroes, and we teach kids to kick others in the groin, punch them in the face, to grimace and yell and lift their hands in victory when they've vanquished their imaginary enemies.
I think it's often innocent enough, the way we teach kids to use violence to win, to solve problems, and to come out on top ---but when faced with real violence, with the consequences of it all -- what do we say then?
I believe I owe it to my students and my community to teach the students about peace, about compassion, and about respect for others (to treat others as we ourselves would like to be treated).
I will try to make sure that when I perform, when I create scenarios for our young people to engage in, that I temper the work with wisdom about the destructive force that violence put upon others can be. And I will be careful not to glorify the imaginary victories of the man or woman who kicks, punches, stabs, or shoots his/her way to victory.
Overall, I promise to look deeply on how I teach and how it relates to the real world.
As we approach the New Year I have been reflecting on 2012. Every year since the school opened it has grown. In many ways, however, it is not where I want it to be (will it ever be? haha). What I am doing is reflecting on the many aspects of how the school is run and rating them on a 1-10 scale. Now I may be too hard on myself to ever rate anything a 10, but I am going to do my best to push to that level. What I am doing with this post is making a public commitment to improve these things in my school. If you are a family that is enrolled in the school, this will serve as a list of things to come. It is my goal to not only be the best school in the area, but a shining example to other schools industry of what a martial arts school can/should be.
1) The release of the “Digital Dojo”
This will be the online/members only campus for the school. This will be an ever growing, ever evolving resource site. The physical curriculum will be listed on there with descriptions and eventually videos. There will be recommended practice schedules, healthy eating tips and recipes, and anything else which may serve our students in their journey to become the person they want to be.
2) A re-evaluation of how the curriculum is taught and students are promoted
Please note that this does not mean an actual change in the techniques taught. Just how students are progressed through the system. While I feel it works right now, to a certain degree, it is worth looking at. It is my goal to make sure that I am setting all the students up to succeed as much as possible. Also, while I like the testing process, I would actually love to allow spectators during the tests. For some of you that have busy schedules, it is the only time you may get to see your child train. I would love to have kids bring their parents/friends/teachers, whoever! But the lack of a large waiting area makes this unrealistic. My evaluation may result in no change whatsoever, but I am working with my mentors to figure out something that may work better for my school and the students.
3) A more systematized Character Building/Life Skills Program
Any of you that have been with me for any length of time know how important, to me, the mental side of the martial arts is. It is something that I feel adds great value to the program and, in many ways, crucial to well rounded self-defense training. By systemizing I mean planned out way in advance so we can make sure our messages are consistent and that parents can choose to support it at home if they are so inspired. This will eventually be complete with printouts and videos in our “Digital Dojo”
4) An efficient attendance tracking system
No, we don’t have one. It is in my head mostly and it is taking up major brain power haha! This has also been the biggest challenge to figure out. With the limited space a scan card system is out of the question. Plus, making sure kids scan in is not a reliable solution. The main goal of the system will be to give superior student service. It will better help me realize how the students are progressing, how often they are coming to class, and how to best serve them in their journey to black belt.
5) A focus on extra staff and staff training
I love teaching! I always will. But I know that I can not do this forever (though I will try!). With that said, I realize I know I am no good to anyone if I am burnt out. I wear many hats in this dojo and sometimes it keeps me from being at my best for those who need it. There are many things I want to add (Demo team, Competition Team, Women Empowerment Program, and the list goes on) to the school, but I can not do so on top of my current responsibilities. I also feel it is my responsibility to look for my eventual replacement. Should something ever happen to me, I would want for the school go on and provide an amazing program for the Natick community. Right now, I am developing a comprehensive Teachers In Training program and will be looking for solid people to staff both the back end the mat and support everything that we do at the school. If you are interested in being part of the team in any way, please let me know.
6) A Concentration on my Education
I do my best to only speak on things that I know about/have experience in. While I do not always reveal my personal stories, talks about health, fitness, perseverance, effort, etc. spawn out of my own research and reflection on the experiences I have had in my life. When I talk about bullying or “Stranger Danger” it is because I have done my own research. I refuse to be an instructor who will buy the curriculum, read the scripts, but not really have even one term paper worth of knowledge on the subject (Something that is rampant in the industry). I will work to continue my education on subjects like: anger-management, child development, health and fitness, and a range of other topics that are what, I feel, are so important to the subject of self-defense.
In Conclusion
This is ,of course, in addition to constantly striving to teach great classes and giving great day to day service. I am sure the path to fulfilling all of the above will be fraught with its own challenges (and hopefully rewards). But you rarely grow from doing anything easy. I am excited to have you all on this journey with me and I promise I will do everything in my power to make your experience here at RMF something you will cherish for years to come.
I think that we, sometimes (as I know I have on occasion) glorify the warrior. The person that uses martial arts (or violence in general) to seek revenge and/or justice on other living beings. In fiction it is often warranted or justified, and the audience gets to fulfill their need to see the “bad guys” get what they deserve. 
