As
a classroom teacher, I witnessed how success at Bushintai-Do positively
influenced student achievement at school.
Through the physical training in Bushintai-Do, a student learns that he
or she can set a goal, work towards it in small, consistent steps and achieve
success. This leads to an increase in confidence and to the
development of a work ethic that can be applied to both academic and personal
goals.
In
addition to classroom-based lessons in Bushintai-Do, students wrote weekly
journal entries and reflective essays about their experiences. Featured in this
blog and in celebration of Middle Level Education Month, middle school students write about are the qualities of perseverance, respect and self-control they learned through their practice of Bushintia-Do for the Classroom.
Doing
your Best Helps
from Jack
 |
| Front position is a show of respect. |
Doing your best means doing all you can. You can work harder and be more focused on what you are doing. It can help you do better at work or do better at sports. Not every person does their best because they don’t know what their best is. I think that everyone should do their best because it might make it easier for a lot of people if they did.
When I started doing wrestling, I did not always do my best because I was winning so much, and I did not have time to really do my best because I was done the match so quickly. Now I am not winning as much, but I still do my best to win. When I lose a match, my dad always tell me it doesn’t matter. If I lose, all he says is that I did my best, so now I always focus on doing my best and it helps me win.
I have learned that if you always do your best, it will make things a little bit easier than what people think. People don’t know what doing their best means. I will always do my best so that I get better. Bushintai-Do helps me because it shows me what doing my best really is.
What Respect Can Accomplish
from Zoe
Without respect, the world would be chaos. Respect includes listening, being aware and caring for other people. Respect is related to Bushintai-Do because you have to show respect by bowing to Sensei, and you should always listen to what he says. You should not talk over Sensei because that is a sign of disrespect. You show respect by not being rude and not saying what’s on your mind. Showing respect is important because without it, everyone would be rude. Respect keeps us from living in a rude disrespectful world.
Just a couple weeks ago, I was very disrespectful, but I learned how not to be. It was one of those weeks where I was just in a terrible mood and I hated everybody, but when I was disrespectful, I started to develop an attitude and I became really rude. I talked back, I ignored my teachers and I wasn’t nice to anyone at all. I was very disrespectful. Eventually it went away. I decided to not be rude and to not have an attitude towards adults. If I wasn't respectful, then I would’ve had a call home because I was really rude to everybody. It is important to be respectful because it keeps everyone form being rude. Being respectful is important.
I have learned that showing respect is a rule that everyone should follow. It helps to keep the atmosphere peaceful. If you’re respectful to other people, then you’ll get a positive reaction back. “The Way of the Warrior” includes being respectful in all situations.
The Way of
Self-Control
from Mary
Self-control requires practice. To gain self-control, you must be able to sense yourself, and know your limits. Inner strength is the key. I had to control myself when we first began Bushintai-Do, for I, personally was extremely excited to start. I also had to prevent myself from jumping all over the place when I could do the White Belt Form. Self-control happens all the time. As I become more agitated or irritated, I must practice self-control to prevent myself from acting irrationally. Sometimes when others bother me, I must use self-control to stop myself from snapping at them to be quiet. The importance of self-control is that it must be used by many people, and with self-control, life seems to become easier to tolerate.
One time at school, I wasn’t in a good mood and I had to restrain myself from snapping at everyone around me. It was a bad day for me, and I just wasn’t feeling good. Everyone seemed more annoying at that time than usual….Was I going to yell at them and cause a chain reaction, leaving them to hate me, or was I going to stay calm and explain to them that I simply wasn’t feeling good? I chose the positive thought, and avoided unnecessary conflicts…The practice of self-control that time came in handy; I know how strong I was to not give into the evil thoughts surrounding my mind.
To follow the way of the warrior, you must practice self-control. Life becomes simpler when you do not act irrationally. Bushintai-Do helped me realize that earlier than most people, who may learn it the hard way. Like Bushintai-Do, you must practice self-control before it is possible to master it.
Nancy Keller, Education Coordinator
Bushintai-Do Programs
Milton, Vermont
Teacher
Winooski Middle and High School
Winooski, Vermont
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