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JKA Chicago has been offering classes in children's karate since it opened it's doors. Unlike many schools in which training focuses on fun rather than learning martial arts, JKA Chicago specializes in both. We maintain a good student to teacher ratio (usually about 5-8 students per instructor) and we often divide the students up by age or rank, so students get individualized feedback. While we keep classes fun so that the students remain interested, our focus is on teaching students good karate skills that they can take with them when the mature and enter the adult level classes.
We believe that karate can be fun and safe for children who want to learn.
We believe that children are capable of learning karate if taught appropriately. This includes many skills essential to the martial arts.
We believe that training children should include a realistic view of their capabilities; we do not tell student's that they are invincible, because they are not.
We believe that children do not learn well when they are worried about being hit or are worried about hitting someone else, so contact is kept to a minimum; students to not begin to free spar until they have reached a level where they have appropriate skills and can control their techniques. (Please see our sections on Philosophy and teaching methods).
We offer classes for students aged 7-17; younger students (ages 5 and 6) may be accepted with the instructor's permission after a brief observation period (usually one month). This helps us to assure that the students are emotionally mature enough to take class without being a disruption to other students.
Classes are offered three times a week, and reduced fees are available for families with more than one child taking classes. Please feel free to stop by to watch a class, or contact Ms. Bongaarts for more information.
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