Griffith Shukan News

Thursday, November 15^th  2007

CONTENTS:

1.     Michael Williams Sensei Teaching At Nathan Dojo This Thursday 15/11/07

2.   Thank You to Saturday Aikikids Helpers

1.     Michael Williams Sensei Teaching At Nathan Dojo This Thursday 15/11/07

Michael Williams Sensei will be teaching at Griffith Nathan dojo on Thursday 15th November 7-9pm.

Michael Williams Sensei was appointed as world chief instructor of Aikido Yuishinkai  international by the founder of aikido Yuishinkai international Maruyama Sensei in October 2003. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn aikido from the world chief instructor in our style.  Opportunities like these are far and few between.  I would encourage all aikido to attend regardless of belt color or experience.  I can say from personal experience that   Michael Sensei’s class is always a magnificent chance for beginners and higher grades to develop their aikido understanding. This is Michael William Sensei’s only chance to teach in Brisbane. 

This class is extraordinary value, fees are as follows:

$15 for casual attendees (inc.those from other dojos) and $5 from monthly fee payers
at the door.

2.      Thank You to Saturday Aikikids Helpers

I want to express a really big thank you to those club members who come and help out at aikikids class on Saturday mornings.  There has been another increase in aikikids numbers recently.  Hopefully it means the kids are having a great time as they learn aikido, and we’re getting the balance between safety, fun and learning techniques and principles right.  Craig and I wouldn’t have been able to continue the aikikids classes with the same amount of fun content, if we didn’t have helpers to join in and supervise and keep the kids safe, which is our number one priority of course. 

We are getting feedback from our helpers that besides helping with the kids, being involved with the kids class gives them a slightly different way in which to explore their own aikido.  Finding a way to help a young child understand why we might be doing a technique in a particular way, can give us insights into our own aikido that we wouldn’t have otherwise had.  Craig and I have had this expressed to us several times, and we have experienced it ourselves. 

Helping out at kids class isn’t difficult.  You can be a beginner or parent too.  Mostly it’s watching for safety and keeping the kids involved and focused.  Partly it’s showing by doing – kid’s like to mimic.  It’s doing the disciplined things we do in adults class and kid’s get the idea and start to copy and learn self-discipline.  It’s gently showing a technique or describing it in a way they can understand.  It’s giving them confidence that they are getting the hang of things and improving.  It’s showing them that we have fun at aikido too.  In the end it’s very rewarding and it’s possible to see kids improve week to week.   Please don’t feel you have to have been doing aikido for a while to help, as we keep to relatively straightforward techniques and show them to the kids often.  Plus Craig and I will be around to help you, of course.  And we won’t push you into something you’re not ready for or comfortable with.  If you’d like to be involved, please let me know you’re interested and you can help out at aikikids and maybe stay afterwards for Ben Sensei’s Saturday class – which has a lot less children’s content but is still lots of fun J.

Steve Mitchell

Griffith Aikido Newsletter Editor

Shirin Mohebbi

Email:  shirin(AT)internode.on.net