Shifting Gears

I am a pretty organized person.  Especially when I'm tasked with leading something.  It both helps me to stay on track, reach the goals I've set out and to be able to clearly delegate to others as needed.

So when I teach, I always have a clear plan in advance.  Typically, my plans have worked out and haven't been derailed.  Although we are always warned that we should be ready to pivot when necessary.

Yesterday was probably the first time I had to do that in a significant way.

My original plan was to play a "game" of sorts while also practicing various sequences within the different forms that the kids know.  In order to give the kids a "refresher" before getting into the game, I planned to run through each form quickly, so it would be fresh in their heads for the game.  The first form up was Hseih Chien and it was very clear that we haven't covered that form for a while in class.  Which can definitely happen with the shear amount of content there is.  Realistically, I probably could have carried on with my original plan.  But one of the things that we talk about as instructors is that we recognize and meet the needs of the students, above all else.  So I may have WANTED to do one thing, but they NEEDED me to do another.

And so we spent our time refreshing and cleaning up Hseih Chien.  And when we gathered together again to do it once more as a class, things seemed to be back on track.

In this particular instance, the need was very clear and very obvious.  And it wasn't that hard for me to switch gears.  But I think something I could work more on as an instructor is to watch for the more subtle signs as well.