Information for Parents

BlackBelt Melissa S.

Considering signing your child up for martial arts classes but not sure if it's the right activity?  Martial arts are about channeling each participant's potential and encouraging them to do their best.  Our instructors strive to help each child not only succeed but also flourish.  They love to see the pride in children's eyes as they realize a goal or master a new skill.

What Happens During a Class?

For the most part, classes follow a predictable pattern.  First, students line up, salute the flag and bow to the instructor.  They then spend some time warming up and stretching their bodies.  The instructor then leads the class in practicing known skills and learning new skills.  This is the main part of each class.  The students then return to their lines and sit while they talk with the instructor about the current week's Black Belt Life Skill.  These skills include (but are not limited to) Commitment, Dependability, Positive Action, and Politeness.  The students then do one last warm down exercise and then finish the class the way they started it, by saluting the flag and bowing to their instructor.  Last, students form a circle and listen to any announcements the instructor may give.  One student is then given the honor of leading the class in a Tae Kwon Do cheer.

While the pattern of class may be predictable, we strive to vary the activities as much as possible so as to keep our students engaged.  We have a long list of warm ups and stretches that we select from as well as many ways of teaching skills.  Our class schedule is broken out by belt levels to ensure that all students receive belt-appropriate knowledge.  The skills we teach to a white belt (a beginner student) varies greatly from those we teach a red belt (a more advanced student).

New students join the school as "no belts."  We offer special classes just for our new students so they may learn the rhythm of class and basic skills.  Once students have earned their white belts they attend classes in our main classroom.

I Stopped by to Watch a Class.  Was Part of the Class Conducted in Korean?

KJ O. smiles for the camera

Yes...and no.  Classes are taught in English but we do teach our students how to count in Korean and the Korean names of the skills they are learning.  Korean is the "universal" language of Tae Kwon Do so we teach our students basic phrases that relate to Tae Kwon Do.

How Often Will my Child Test for a New Belt?

Color Belt Testing is held every other month (Feb, Apr, Jun, Aug, Oct, Dec) and Black Belt Testing is held in May and November.  No Belt students may test for their white belt as soon as their instructor says they are ready.