Published: January 22, 2008 10:31 pm            

Middle school students learning discipline, focus through karate

Like many other young teenagers, Erin Hullender found his mind wandering during his middle school day. He credits the new karate classes being offered at North Whitfield Middle School for helping him center himself and find direction.

“You have to use endurance and focus in karate,” Hullender, 13, said. “Every day, I learn I’m not perfect, but as I practice, I get closer to perfection.”

And Hullender’s not the only one to benefit from the karate class, which has been offered since last August. Classmate Eduardo Montalvo said training in karate has given him a focus he didn’t have before.

“It helps with your mind. Our ‘Sensei’ tells us karate helps us mentally and physically,” Montalvo said. “I used to goof off and play around, but now I’m more serious.”

Those positive results are just what ‘Sensei” — or, karate instructor — Mickey Brock was looking for when he approached principal Andrea Bradley about teaching karate to students, many of whom he said he noticed were unfocused and undisciplined. A local businessman and school council member, Brock, a seventh-degree blackbelt, has studied karate since 1974 and has taught the Goju Ryu style since 1993.

“This is all for the kids. I’m blessed to be able to do this. My business associates have been very understanding in helping me take the time,” Brock said. “I visited a class and saw they weren’t real focused, and karate improves not only focus, but their discipline, health and grades.”

As for eighth-graders Hullender and Montalvo, Hullender says he’s always been fascinated by karate but never had the opportunity to explore the interest. Montalvo said he’s always been intrigued with movies like Jet Li’s “Fearless.” They both have earned their yellow belts and plan to attend the Whitfield Career Academy in the fall.

Brock said karate does not teach aggression.

“That’s a fallacy. People who think that are kind of confused,” he said. “Those who train in karate will defend themselves if backed into a corner. Students who do otherwise will be removed from the class if so. But I haven’t had to do that.”

Bradley said she’s seen marked improvement in several respects from some of her students.

“I’ve seen a difference in their grades and behavior. We invited some students to take karate who we thought it would benefit,” Bradley said. “We had some eighth-grade repeaters who hadn’t met the requirements to be promoted to high school. They took the class and credited Mr. Brock for helping them improve their performance. They said, ‘I didn’t want to disappoint Sensei Brock.’”

Bradley said one student, who had been smoking since a young age, credited Brock with inspiring him to try to stop smoking. She said Brock placed those students who had been retained in a place of leadership, developing their self-confidence and helping them succeed.

“He saw them going down a path, and karate really helped turn them around,” Bradley said. “We would love to have more involvement in the schools from caring people in the community. All it takes is someone who has a heart for kids in the community and is willing to volunteer.”

Bradley said the karate classes meet two days a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She said the classes are part of “out of the box” thinking that comes from the Whitfield County Schools System’s commitment to create engaging, rigorous work that interests students.

Each student takes physical education class at least one grading period per year as part of their “connections” classes, which also include art, technology, band, chorus and careers class. About 75-100 students opted to take part in the karate class, which is part of physical education teacher Chantelle Kirk’s class.

“We’re learning karate is not for everybody, but it’s good to have a variety of things for kids to explore,” Kirk said. “I’m in awe of the motivation these students have to do so well. They’re even learning the Japanese words with no fuss.”

        

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