The Black Belt Curriculum: Concepts, Not Techniques

 

 “The aim of education should be to teach us rather how to think, than what to think.”

                                                                                         - John Dewey

 

           

Just as in the opening quote of this post, when we begin our work on developing a new curriculum, we must not think only of what to teach, but also, more importantly, how to teach.  For the most part, for all of the ranks from white belt through to black belt, we stress leaning the particular techniques that are required for advancement in rank.  For the sake of simplicity, the use of the word technique in this case may refer to a specific block, strike or kick, but may also refer to a combination, a form, or a series of one-steps or per-determined self-defense movements.  The student is shown a particular way of doing something, and is expected to internalize it, memorize it, and ultimately, imitate it.  However, the well-known philosopher Confucius tells us:

“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.

At black belt, imitation, while still crucial to some degree, becomes less important, as the student has already developed this skill through years of training, and is expected to have refined previously learned techniques.  As Confucius informs us, imitation is the easiest method of learning, but is not the best way.  In fact, the “noblest” method of learning is through reflection.  Indeed, it is important for us to provide opportunities for our black belts to reflect on what they have been shown, and in this way work out their own discoveries. However, it is equally necessary for them to swallow the bitter pill of learning through experience if they are to truly gain wisdom.

            How then can we develop this three-tiered approach to gaining the wisdom we all seek as black belts?  We do this by placing less emphasis on rote memorization and imitation of technique.  We begin to challenge the mind of the black belt by emphasizing concepts, not techniques.  By doing this, we actively encourage our students to take part in both the reflection and experience stages of learning. Students will have to both think about the specific ways in which their techniques will be used, and will also have to apply the techniques in question.  This isn’t to say that we abandon the learning of new techniques all together.  Instead, we fully embrace our twelfth Attitude Requirement: “When you learn new techniques, learn thoroughly the theory and philosophy as well.” 

            How then, do we go about focusing on concepts, rather then techniques?  We start by first understanding exactly what the word concept really means. Often, this word is defined as “an abstract idea or notion.”  If the idea is question is truly abstract, though, it can’t really be conveyed properly by a teacher or rationally understood by a student.  We must dig a bit deeper in order to find a better definition, and by using the World Wide Web, we are able to access multiple dictionary sources simultaneously in order to do so.  Dictionary.com lists both of the following more robust definitions for the word concept:

1. “an idea of something formed by mentally combining all its characteristics or particulars”

2. “the conjunction of all the characteristic features of something”

When we remove the word something from the definitions above, and instead replace it with a more concrete word such as technique, we begin to formulate our approach to conceptual teaching.  In order to teach concepts, we must start with an idea of a technique formed by mentally combining all its characteristics or particulars; the conjunction of all the characteristic features of a technique.

            In order to truly understand the theory and philosophy of a technique then, the concept of the technique as it were, we must strive to combine and develop an understanding of ALL of the characteristics of that technique.  What a daunting task!  It would take more than one person’s lifetime to achieve this goal, which is, in fact, precisely the point. This is the true goal behind our constant repetition of these techniques, and it is why our art will continue to be passed on throughout time from one generation to the next.  This task seems overwhelming when we really think about it, though, so how can we expect our black belt students to tackle it with little to no guidance from us?  We can’t.  This starting point may be considered an Ideal Concept, and as an ideal, can never truly be completely realized.  We need to break this definition down even further, and by doing so, we can form a better framework from which we can begin to build towards the ideal. We can deconstruct the Ideal Concept, and in so doing, come to the conclusion that it contains smaller components, these being:

1. The Basic Concept: any idea or notion about a technique formed from a single characteristic of the given technique
2. The Advanced Concept: an idea of a technique formed by mentally combining several characteristics of the given technique

Black belts must be slowly introduced to these ideas, and instead of trying to comprehend all of the characteristics of a technique as a whole, they must first be presented with this deconstructed framework.  To put this more simply, we can either start by presenting the Advanced Concept, illustrating it through application of a single basic technique and its many different characteristics, or we can start with a Basic Concept and attempt to isolate one characteristic that is shared among many different techniques.  Over time, concepts, rather than techniques, become our building blocks with which we create even more Advanced Concepts, all of which lead us closer to the Ideal Concept behind each of our techniques. Black belts must reflect on a technique or concept, then must experience concepts through application of techniques, and then reflect again in order to develop new concepts.

Understanding that this line of reasoning may be difficult to follow, my next post will start by examining one of the first techniques many of us learned as a white belt:  the low block.  Most advanced students of the martial arts will have an intimate knowledge of how to execute a low block, but knowing how to do a thing and knowing why we do it are two very different things. Knowing why is the first step towards Understanding, which in turn can lead to the stages of Application and Improvisation.   

Kick. Punch. Easy Stuff.