Harambee Karate Club
About
What I offer is a continuing course in Shotokan Karate-Do, the art of karate. I am a certified judge, instructor and examiner, having completed the ISKF Instructor Training Program in 2008, and have been teaching karate for over twenty-five years. Our focus is on melding body, mind and spirit. Additional information can be found at www.harambeekarateclub.com. Please ring if you have additional questions. You are welcome to come visit the dojo to learn whether what I teach is an art you wish to learn. There are no contracts required to train, and family discounts are available.
Highlights
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
Initially, one on one within the class. Then, as they learn more, they participate in the classes as a regular student.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
Completed the International Shotokan Karate Federation Instructor Training Course in 2008. This course included 30 plus classes over a three-year period, writing papers (a total of 43 covering history, philosophy, karate techniques, teaching techniques, et al) for the masters; my final paper was a handbook for beginning students; written and oral examinations, and a number of practica to show that I understood what I was doing.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
I charge $50.00 per month per person. There are family discounts: the second to nth member of a family gets a $15./mo discount. There are no contracts required to train. I take cash and checks; I do not take credit cards at this time.
How did you get started teaching?
When I was in the navy, I worked out a couple of times with the marine hand-to-hand combat instructor. Later, my younger son and I started together at the Boulder YMCA. After several years, he stopped but I continued. I am now a fourth degree black belt.
What types of students have you worked with?
Over the years, I have had both children and adults in my classes--they train together. I ask parents to train with their children when the latter are between 6 and 8 years of age. My oldest student to date was a man in his late 50s. I have also worked with handicapped children and women, believing that this is something that could be of value to them in learning something about the physicality of the human body.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
I don't have a specific event per se. My greatest pleasure is watching a student execute a task they believed they could not do.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Go visit a dojo. Ask questions. If you are not allowed to watch a class without signing up, that is not the place for you. Find out whether you can speak with an instructor's students to get a feel for what their experience has been. Speak candidly.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
First, what do you know about the martial arts beyond "Teen-aged Mutant Ninja Turtles," Power Rangers, and other depictions of karate and related arts on TV or in the Cinema? Second, write out what you want to know about classes, costs, instructor training, tournaments, et al. Third, visit dojos that offer different styles, objectives, etc. Keep in mind that every people in the history of the planet has or has had a martial arts tradition. Fourth, after you have collected your information, decide which dojo offers the most of what you want to learn. Fifth, begin training. Sixth, evaluate: are you getting what you want? If not, what do you do next?