Today, I was having my fourth great day of substitute teaching in a row. It was going almost perfect, the supposed “problem” kids gave me no problems at all (let’s just say it was a lot of tolerance on my part, but they got their work done), and so it’s fourth block, and I am ready to run out the door, check out, and go home.
Well, as fate would have it, just would not be the case. As I was overseeing a few sixth graders clean up their mess. I turn around to hear one of them crying. The other teacher was distracted for the same second it happened, but apparently a sixth grader found just the split second to “pressure point” another student, as the bell rang. I talked to the student who was bullied, and he told me what happened, then another student told me the same story: a series of bullying. So, I had to stop what I was doing, write up the culprit. All because he was trying to be a Mixed Martial Arts fighter.
I wouldn’t suppose there is a link between MMA and being a bully, would there?
But then again, I guess Jesus didn’t actually teach the Golden Rule (and lets forget what the apostle Paul said, too, right?), so we can glorify violence, denounce pacifists and non-violent Christians.
Hiding before Chuck can find this post. LOL.
This post is not targetting good people like Chuck. There are other folks that come to mind, but i digress.
Oh I know…But still. He’s going to get all excited about being able to talk MMA and bullying and character. He’s done research.
Hmmmm. How can I distract him?
Could I use his comments/thoughts as a guest post?
Hi.
I would have commented sooner, but I was distracted
I’d be happy to do a guest post at some point (preferably AFTER I finish grading this stack of papers and exams!). I wrote a book on the psychology of martial arts as a venue for cultivating moral character, and I’m currently working on a follow-up book aimed specifically at Christians in the martial arts. (Now that I think about it, a guest post might be a good way to test-drive some of my ideas, running them past people who actually know something about theology and biblical studies)
Overall, the research indicates that advancement in martial training is associated with a decrease in aggression (it gets more complicated, but that’s at a level of detail that wouldn’t work here). Like so many things in life, when it comes to the martial arts, a little is worse than a lot. In the same way that research on religion and prejudice shows the most prejudice among the “moderately” religious (comfortable once-a-week pew warmers), and the least prejudice among the most religious (people who actually take this Jesus stuff seriously), novice martial artists will often demonstrate the most aggression and egocentric posturing (there is even a term for it in martial arts circles: Green Belt Syndrome). Push past that, and the trend reverses. In his book “A Fighter’s Heart,” for example, Sam Sheridan travelled to Thailand to study with Muay Thai kickboxers, and to Brazil to study with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioners (Muay Thai and BJJ are the two most common forms of training for MMA fighters). He found the same thing. Newbies strut and pick fights. The mature fighters were some of the most humble and kind people that Sheridan had ever encountered.
The problem, as I see it, is not that your student wants to be an MMA fighter. The problem is that he’s an immature little twit who can’t see past the muscles and knuckles. Put the kid in actual martial arts training, and you should see improvement.
I actually agree with your assessment. That poor kid is looking for an outlet to transfer his learned aggression.
Please do inform me when you are finished grading, etc.
A guest post would be awesome.