Tips for Online Teching from Lee Taylor:

Using the Zoom app Basic Package allowing you 40mins sessions with no cost. I prefer this time allocation and feel it’s plenty for my students, if you need more a monthly cost is involved.

I have 3 weekly sessions Monday Wednesday Friday split into Juniors and Seniors at 5pm & 6pm. This is working well and I like starting the week off, catching up mid-week and ending the week on a high. I am currently getting 25-30 students in each session!

These sessions are open to all of my students whether they can continue their monthly membership fee or not, and they can attend 1 or 3. I know a lot of groups being selective with their paying students but I feel it’s important that everyone has the opportunity to keep involved and training, for obvious physical and mental health and well being.

Using Zoom I create a new Meeting ID and Password for every session, you can create a rolling ID, but I like keeping in contact with my students by informing them constantly keeping it at the forefront of their minds, along with the added security. I send the info via email and private messenger groups on the day of the session.

You can also use the Meeting Room function which allows you to let students into the session (another added security function), but I found that if some students are late attending and you’re into the session, they are waiting in the meeting room, which effects the flow of the session, so out of personal choice and experience I do not use this function.

When using Zoom ensure to Mute everyone when they enter (but unmute yourself) as the noise effects the session, also get the students to mute themselves, this gets them used to using the app functions. If they are not muted the video of you teaching moves to whoever speaks! You can also get them to Pin your video stream which is in the Participants function, or the Gallery Mode.

The juniors are getting very good at using the app and can alter their background to different images and use the chat room function. Keep an eye on the chat room function as they tend to do that more than train!!!

There will always be some issues for students trying to log on, I have found that usually is due to user experience or internet issues, the Zoom app seems to be coping with the demand!

Lesson Plan

7-9mins logging on. Giving me a chance to speak to EVERY student, that personal contact is important

1-2mins quick introduction- housekeeping, water, thumbs up they can hear me, virtual high five, virtual fist bump, Rei- bow (again personal contact/interaction)

5-8mins Warm up – very cardio based lots of primal movement as it maybe their only activity, including basic strength exercises pressups, situps, burpees

3 x Topic sessions 7-9mins (the 3rd topic usually used as a cool down e.g Kata, and shorter in time, adjust accordingly) Topics consisting any of the following:

Basics in Yoi stance (I choose a student unmute them and they lead the class in counting 1-10, great way for interaction, kids love it)

Basics in Kamae fighting stance (as above)

Combinations

Bunkai combinations (guess the kata)

Technical training – learning or refining a technique

Kata – learning or refining

Virtual Pads

Virtual Sparring

Fitness test – logging students progression on 3 basic exercises 1 min each

1-3mins finishing up – unmute everyone so they can interact with their dojo friends, kids love this! virtual high five, virtual fist bump, Rei- bow

End

This layout seems to be working for me and flows well, keeping the student interested and involved

Other resources

I am lucky to have my LTK App though Android only which students can access videos, and a You Tube channel. Also the software I use for my Dojo is by Martialytics and they introduced a members portal where I can upload PDF’s and videos relating to my syllabus so students can access this relevant to their grade

My podcast has another episode if you want it for the next newsletter?

10 Minute Dojo Podcast Episode #18 It is what it is! : https://anchor.fm/leetaylorkarate

Hope this may help people. I am sure others are doing even better than myself! But it seems to be working for me and I am 4 weeks into going live with consistent numbers!

Regards

Lee