2023-05-10

Teaching my regular classes at the Ross Farnsworth - East Valley YMCA.

Thanks again to Sensei Dave Bracklow from ISKF Tempe for covering my classes while I was on vacation! I returned to class to find an additional student. That’s always good! A few “regulars” didn’t show up, but I’ve been gone for a month so there’s no telling what’s going on in their lives. Someone told me it was finals week at local high schools and, since I always tell students and parents that school is more important than karate, I can hardly complain if they take a day off to work on their futures.

As a matter of policy, I don’t give students grief about missing class at all. After all, who am I to judge their priorities for them? The only time it bothers me is when people don’t modify thier expectations to meet their attendance. If you miss class, it slows your growth - it’s that simple. People who miss class, for any reason, but still expect to keep up with those who don’t, need to adjust their expectations.