Sushi Deshi, 1 year in Japan

So, during my first exchanges of email with Takashima Sensei, he told me he wanted me to help him with the kids class. So I was like, yep no problem, it will be a good experience for me. What I didn`t get is that he was contracted with 3 different kinder garden schools, thus teaching Aikido 2 hours a day to kids from 3 to 6 years old, 3 times a week. Surprise Surprise!!!   

The schedule is a followed:

- Monday, Kawagoe (1 hour from Tokyo) kinder garden, from 2:00 to 4:00

- Wednesday, Soka Kinder garden in Tokyo, from 2:00 to 4:00

- Thursday, Another kinder garden in Kawagoe, from 2:00 to 4:00

When I think about how terrified I felt the first time I was in front of these kids, and how I start to love them now, I'm thinking that you can experience tremendous changes within 3 months...

Because I was not the kind of "kid" person. And suddenly, I have 60 (yes 60) of them in front of me, ready to eat me alive. That might have been one of the most difficult thing I`ve done. I felt a bit like this guy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tO4X8_c80kg

BUT, I find now that teaching is a good experience, it helps me to face my own mistakes, and allow  me to understand difficulties of learning and teaching. I can teach only what I understand, of course, so hopefully I know more Aikido than 3 years old beginners. Even though, sometimes, it`s just impossible for them to understand.  At first, I thought, "guys are you dumb or what?? just do what i'm showing you!!" and often, It's a lost cause. And then I think about my own training with Takashima Sensei . And how he is always repeating the same things,   " no not like that, like this.." . I'm wondering how he doesn't get frustrated at us, He must have told us a thousand of times, but unless you are ready to hear it and understand it, you are doing it wrong. So in the end, it`s just that people have different levels of understanding something. 

And also, now I love kids. :)

Look at these chubby faces.